Arkansas Baseball Takes it to Top-Ranked Texas in a SWEEP

(Arkansas Athletics photo)

By Jake Mastroianni

Texas (38-8) had been playing nearly flawless baseball all year long, but in their toughest road test of the year against Arkansas (40-9, 17-7), they looked nothing like themselves. 

A Longhorns pitching staff that had been so clean walked 22 and hit 9 batters in the three-game series. Fourteen of those runners came around to score for Arkansas in their sweep over top-ranked Texas. 

On the other side, Arkansas’ pitching staff is starting to come around. Zach Root was great in the first game, and then the combination of Gage Wood, Gabe Gaeckle, and Aiden Jimenez is becoming a good recipe for Dave Van Horn. 

Game 1: Arkansas 9, Texas 0

This one was over early as Root had his best outing of the year and started the game striking out the first four batters he faced and retiring nine of the first 10. 

Carson Boles hit a 2-run home run in the second, and Cam Kozeal hit a 3-run shot in the third. That would be more than enough, but the Aloy brothers drove in 3 more runs in that fourth inning to give Arkansas and Root a commanding lead. 

Root remained in cruise control as he never had an inning where he allowed multiple baserunners. His final line: 8 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 0 ER, 11 Ks. 

Ruger Riojas has been great all year for Texas, and is trying to fill the void of Jared Spencer, but he got roughed up in this one. 

Game 2: Arkansas 6, Texas 1

This was a nightmare game for Texas as nothing went their way, and they didn’t do themselves any favors. The game was delayed due to lightning, and maybe that should have been the first sign it would be a weird night. 

Texas starter Luke Harrison worked out of trouble in the first, but the second inning started with a solo home run by Brent Iredale that looked like an easy fly out off the bat and just kept carrying. 

Harrison would go on to hit two batters and walk one in the inning before Kuhio Aloy cleared the bases with two outs. The walk looked to be a pitch around of his brother Wehiwa. 

Rylan Galvan finally got Texas on the board in the series with a solo shot in the fourth, but they would get nothing else against Gage Wood, Gabe Gaeckle, and Aiden Jimenez. 

Wood continues to look very impressive as he works his way back from injury. He allowed just the solo home run in 4 innings with 9 strikeouts. 

The play that encapsulated the weekend for Texas came in the seventh when two runners forgot how many outs there were and took off on a pop-up that resulted in an inning-ending double-play. 

Game 3: Arkansas 13, Texas 8

This looked like it was going to be the game for Texas as they started Max Grubbs on the mound and jumped out to a 3-0 lead off Landon Beidelschies. 

But it turned into a slugfest, and Arkansas kept answering with home runs. 

After Jalin Flores picked his team off the mat with a 3-run shot in the third inning, Kuhio Aloy answered with a 2-run shot in the bottom half. 

Texas added a run in the top of the fourth, and then Reese Robinett and Justin Thomas Jr. answered as both hit 2-run shots in the bottom half. Both of those home runs came after walks. 

Will Gasparino – who got benched in the previous game for forgetting how many outs there were - delivered with a big home run to give Texas the lead in the top of the fifth. 

But then Robinett answered again with a 3-run homer in the bottom half. 

Charles Davalan finally killed the will of Texas with a 3-run home run in the seventh inning off Dylan Volantis. 

What’s Next: 

• Arkansas' difficult road to end the regular season continues as they travel to face LSU next weekend. 

• Texas will try to recover back home where they’ve been great all season against a Florida team that is fighting for its postseason chances.

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