FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Behind strong relief pitching and a three-run homer from Kansas transfer Tavian Josenberger, the Arkansas Razorbacks defeated the Texas Rangers Instructional League team 8-4 in seven innings to sweep the two-game exhibition series.
The scrimmages served as the only outside competition the Hogs will play this fall. Next week, they will play their Fall World Series on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday to wrap up fall ball.
Head coach Dave Van Horn said he learned his team enjoys playing ball over the past two days.
"I knew this already, but I learned it a little more, they like to play," Van Horn said. "They get along well. We've got so many new faces in here. You never know how it's going to go."
For the second day in a row, the Rangers took an early lead off a first inning RBI groundout against Arkansas lefty Hagen Smith, who ended the inning with a strikeout.
A single from Peyton Stovall that was 104 miles per hour off the bat was the only thing going for the Razorbacks in the bottom of the first, and they trailed 1-0 going into the second.
Lefty Nick Griffin came on in the second inning for Arkansas, and he struggled to start things off. Griffin gave up a single, hit a batter and an RBI triple before he started to pick things up. An RBI foul out gave the Rangers a 3-0 advantage, but Griffin recorded a strikeout to end the inning on a high note.
The bottom of the second was a 1-2-3 inning for Arkansas and it included strikeouts by Kendall Diggs and Jace Bohrofen.
Sophomore right-hander Austin Ledbetter pitched a 1-2-3 top of the third inning to give the Razorbacks some momentum going into the bottom half of the frame.
Catcher Parker Rowland led things off with a single and shortstop Harold Coll reached base on an error. Josenberger, who hit leadoff for the Hogs, went 364 feet to the opposite field for a three-run homer that tied things up at 3-3.
"I wouldn't say I go up there trying to hit the ball out of the ballpark," Josenberger said. "Today, the wind was blowing out. I just poked one over there and let the wind work for me."
After a pair of walks, Creighton transfer outfielder Jared Wegner hit an RBI single to left that made it 4-3. They called the inning after that run, despite there being no outs, likely to speed things up.
Nebraska transfer righty Koty Frank came on in the top of the fourth and went three up, three down, inducing a line out and a pair of groundouts.
In the bottom of the fourth, outfielder Jace Bohrofen singled to right with two outs. Rowland drove Bohrofen home on a 351-foot double that hit off the wall in right to make it 5-3 after four.
Left-handed freshman Parker Coil was the third Arkansas pitcher in a row to sit all three of his batters faced down in the top of the fifth.
After a pair of hit by pitches, freshman Mason Neville hit an infield single, and an error on the throw to first allowed Hutchinson CC transfer infielder Ben McLaughlin to score and make it 6-3. In an inning that saw a bunch of substitutions for the Hogs, freshman Reese Robinett and sophomore Jude Putz both struck out to close the frame.
Junior righty Will McEntire came on for the top of the sixth inning and he allowed a one-out single — the first hit allowed by Arkansas since the second inning. After a groundout, McEntire gave up a double off the wall in center that scored the Rangers' fourth run. McEntire closed things out with a strikeout on an 89 mph fastball.
Rowland walked and Coll was hit by a pitch to start off the bottom of the sixth, but it was all for naught as they were both stranded.
Junior righty Dylan Carter took care of business in the top of the seventh, allowing no hits.
Though Arkansas was leading 6-4 going into the bottom of the seventh, the teams decided to play the frame and it proved beneficial for the Hogs. Freshman Reese Robinett cranked a two-run bomb over the wall in center to make it 8-4, the eventual final score.
Moving forward, the Hogs will get together for the Fall World Series next week. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, but there is not a time set for Thursday.
