[ad_1]
HawgBeat’s coverage of the Diamond Hogs’ Road to Omaha is brought to you by CJ’s Butcher Boy Burgers, which has locations in Fayetteville and Russellville.
FAYETTEVILLE — After a night in which they managed only one run, the Razorbacks’ bats woke up in Game 2 of their series against Alabama.
It was a 12-hit outburst that propelled Arkansas to a 9-1 win Saturday night at Baum-Walker Stadium, a much-needed performance following Friday’s 16-1 beating.
Beginning in the third, the Razorbacks’ leadoff man reached base in five of six innings – leading to at least one run each time.
“Seemed like most of our hits by our leadoff man were with two strikes,” head coach Dave Van Horn said. “It’s just the guys fighting a little bit. They knew this was a game that we needed to have.”
Eight of Arkansas’ nine starters had a hit Saturday, with Casey Opitz and Cayden Wallace notching three apiece.
Opitz actually got things going for the Razorbacks with a solo home run deep over the right field wall and added two more singles later in the game.
Having struggled to play with a lead during a three-game skid, Van Horn said the long ball was a big swing for Arkansas because “it kind of fired us up a little bit.”
“He threw me that first pitch, which was a fastball and away, so I got to see it,” Opitz said. “He threw a fastball over the plate and I ended up hitting it out.”
Even left fielder Braydon Webb got in on the hit parade with a leadoff double in the eighth inning. It was just his second hit of the season, as he came into the game 1 for 24.
Van Horn said that hit could be exactly what he needs in order to get him going at the plate.
“He’s got a lot of talent,” Van Horn said. “He can really play defense, run, throw. He’s hit his whole life and if we could get him going, man, that would be huge for our offense.”
Grabbing an early lead also contributed to starter Zebulon Vermillion’s eight-inning gem on the mound.
“It’s definitely a big energy booster,” Vermillion said. “I just try to do my best to get the energy back in my dugout and let our hitters work.”
After getting blown out in Game 1, Van Horn said it was apparent in the dugout that everyone knew how important it was to even the series and force a rubber match.
“There’s always a game within the game and I feel like everyone was into it tonight,” Van horn said. “Up and down the lineup, 1-9, everybody contributed. It was a really good team win.”
First pitch Sunday is scheduled for 2 p.m. CT and the game will be televised on the SEC Network.
College Students, get a year of HawgBeat coverage for just $11.95. Request details via email from your school account (.edu) to [email protected].
[ad_2]
Source link
