Hogs Survive Shocking Challenge from Grambling

Arkansas never led until its last at-bat against mid-week SWAC foe

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Welcome to Baum-Walker Stadium, where today the No. 9 Arkansas Razorbacks get set for their home opener against Grambling this Tuesday afternoon.

WHO TO KNOW

Get to know newcomer Jared Wegner, who has blown the doors off in his first three games as a Razorback.

WHAT'S NEW?

Since this will be the first game of the year for many Arkansas fans, you really need to know about this horrible clock rule. Even Dave Van Horn doesn't like it.

1ST INNING

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Freshman Ben Bybee is on the mound today for the Razorbacks. He's  6-6, 235 righty.

(Andy Hodges / allHOGS Images)

Bybee walks Burrell to start. He then hit the second hitter Walker on the wrist. However, a bit of controversy to begin the game as the umpire refuses to let Walker take his base.

Eventually Bybee comes back and gets the strikeout on a pitch that was really high as Walker bailed him out by swinging.

The wind is blowing in at Baum-Walker, but Bybee hangs a curve ball out over the plate and Trevor Hatton makes him pay with a line shot over the left field wall for a 2-run home run and the Razorbacks are down 2-0 early. 

(Andy Hodges / allHOGS Images)

The replay showed that HBP was legitimate and that the runner should have been sent. He did not lean into it as the umpire suggested. This could be a 3-0 deficit if that call is correct.

Bybee gets Bufford to ground out for the second out of the inning, but gets a bit wild for the next at-bat and puts Keylon Mack on with a walk after being battled to a full count.

The Hogs finally get out of the inning after Bybee gets Murphy to ground out on a high chopper and Arkansas escapes down only 2-0.

Grambling 2, Arkansas 0

 1ST INNING

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Tavian Josenberger continues to lead off for the Razorbacks. Boudreaux throws a lot of really slow junk pitches. Josenberger isn't throw off though as he chops a ball up the middle for an easy single to get the game started.

Stovall takes a soft shot to the body and he's on first while advancing Josenberger on a hit-by-pitch. That will bring up Wegner.

Wegner with a solid pop that sails into the stands in right field. Van Horn puts on the double-steal on what looks like it was a hit-and-run. Wegner swings wildly and strikes out, but the Razorbacks are safe at second and third with only one out.

Brady Slavens comes up and hits a pop-up to the hole between third and left field with a lot of forward spin. If it gets down, the Razorbacks tie it up. Hatton is on his horse.

What a catch by Hatton in left field. He gets his feet under him and it's an easy double-play at second and the Razorbacks will head to the second still trailing.

Grambling 2, Arkansas 0

2nd INNING

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Bybee strikes out Ware swinging on three straight pitches and the freshman appears to be regaining his composure. He threw 31 pitches in the first inning. He then throws five strikes to Frederick on six pitches before Frederick tips it back into Parker Rowland's glove for a second consecutive strikeout.

A soft grounder up the middle by Vargas skips through for a single and Grambling is looking to extend this lead.

Relatively light crowd today. Weather is fairly nice. Mid-60s, a little cloudy.

Bybee throws it straight and over the middle of the plate. Burrell gets a good shot on it as it lines out toward right field. Jace Bohrofen sprints over toward the foul line and he's able to squeeze it to get Arkansas out of the inning with no damage. Had that ball gotten past him, it definitely would have scored another run.

2nd INNING

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Now Kendall Diggs, the designated hitter, will come to the plate. He gets a slow, high curve ball that he jumps on, but this junk for Bordeaux kills the ball on hard swings. It has a chance to drop in over second base, but the speed of Burrell in the outfield costs the Razorbacks another potential hit.

Bohrofen watches as Boudreaux drops a crooked one on inside edge of the plate that was framed up perfectly by the catchers. Bohrofen is down on strikes and Arkansas has quickly collected a pair of outs.

Freshman third baseman Jayson Jones comes up and almost snaps his neck swinging so hard at one of these slow pitches. However, he settles in and lays off balls out of the zone the rest of the way to draw the walk.

The Hogs are looking for a two-out rally as Rowland comes to the plate. Boudreaux goes for the pick-off and Jones gets caught running. However, he beats the throw to second as he never looked up and never slowed down and the Razorbacks have a player in scoring position.

Rowland lifts a shot deep to center. It looks like it's got a chance, but that wind blowing in did just enough to keep it from leaving the yard. Burrell catches it at the track and we're heading to the top of the third with Arkansas still unable to get on the board.

3rd INNING

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Senior lefty Zach Morris coming in for Arkansas now. Looks like Van Horn isn't willing to take a chance on this one.

Walker with a line drive just over the head of Stovall at second and Walker is on with a lead-off single.

Morris becomes the first pitcher to keep Hatton in the yard as he blows one by him on a powerful swing and there's now one down. However, it might as well have been a sacrifice fly as a balk sends Walker to second.

Morris immediately pays for it. Bufford lines an outside pitch down the line in left and Walker comes around to score to make it 3-0.

Morris comes back strong with a strikeout of Mack while looking at a pitch low in the zone. However, Murphy singles to right and Bufford moves into scoring position at third base.

The senior gets Ware to swing despite the 2-0 count and Bohrofen is able to corral the line drive in right once again to get the Razorbacks out of a jam.

Grambling 3, Arkansas 0

3rd INNING

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The Razorbacks finally make it to the bottom of the line-up. John Bolton comes in and watches a 66 mph pitch on the corner go by and then takes a half-hearted swing at a ball that runs out of momentum and just falls down at the plate.

Bolton grounds out to second on a slow chopper to short and the Hogs have a single hit the first time through the line-up.

Josenberger manages a 3-1 walk and Stovall moves him over to third with a grounder up the middle that kicks up off second base.

That brings up Wegner with the power to tie this game if he gets a solid lick on one. Wegner lifts a high shot to shallow center and Josenberger taking the risk by running to third on the grounder pays off. Wegner gets the RBI and it's now 3-1.

The Hogs have a run pic.twitter.com/x6ecNFK0FB

— Arkansas Baseball (@RazorbackBSB) February 21, 2023

Stovall takes off trying to eliminate the double play and he slides over the bag at second. He then dives back in and it looks like the tag was a little high. While he appears to be safe, the real concern is that Stovall got up holding his finger like he hurt it extending it out into the side of the base.

Review rules he is safe at second.

Boudreaux becomes the first victim of the day with the clock rule. He doesn't get the pitch off in the 20 second time limit. In Baum-Walker the clock is behind the pitchers in the outfield. As stated in the story linked at the top, really dumb rule. 

Doesn't matter though as he gets Slavens and we're coasting on to the fourth with the Razorbacks still trailing.

Grambling 3, Arkansas 1

4th INNING

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Morris back out to pitch the fourth and he's low on his first two pitches. He walks Frederick on four straight pitches and here come the Tigers once again.

Vargas grounds back to Morris who decides to go to first for the easy out and there's one down. Burrell then hits a high chopper to Bolton who is able to get the out at first, but Frederick moves to third on the play.

Walker with a hard liner up the middle and Frederick comes home on the single to cancel out that Arkansas run and make it 4-1. He then steals second on the next pitch and looks determined to get a good jump on third.

Hatton with a hard low liner that Hatton turns on and it is just out of the reach of the glove of Jones at third, and with the Grambling lead extended to 5-1, Van Horn has gone to the bullpen.

Will McEntire is on to pitch and it doesn't seem to matter. Hatton steals second and advances to third on a bad throw that sails into the outfield. Bufford then crushes a high hanging curve ball off the wall in left and Grambling scores another run. 

Rowland gets redemption for the throwing error by gunning down Bufford easily at second and Arkansas is able to get out of the inning, but not before Grambling puts the baseball world on notice with a 6-1 lead in the home of the nation's No. 9 team.

Grambling 6, Arkansas 1

4th INNING

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Diggs with a very slow chopper to second and there's a close play at first. Diggs is called out and Van Horn wastes no time in demanding a review.

The review goes in favor of the Hogs and Diggs almost immediately takes advantage of the clock rule, using it to get an easy early jump for a steal at second.

Bohrofen with a hard grounder that is just outside the reach of of a diving second baseman that gets enough carry into the outfield. It not only brings Diggs in, but Bohrofen is able to stretch what normally would have been a single into a double.

Hustle RBI double by Jace pic.twitter.com/3QqaXQTD1I

— Arkansas Baseball (@RazorbackBSB) February 21, 2023

Grambling stops down for a meeting at the mound, but Boudreaux isn't going anywhere. He's given Arkansas too much trouble to not stick around.

Jones is at the plate and he draws a 3-0 count before Boudreaux gets called for a balk that will move Bohrofen over to third. Jones then pops one up well above the lights, but it doesn't make it out of the infield, so Bohrofen remains at third.

Boudreaux comes with a 65 mph hook that throw Rowland off so hard that he swings in a full Bugs Bunny twist-em-up and then watches the ball cross the plate over his back shoulder. He was way out front of that one.

Rowland with a grounder to short and Grambling has no play at the plate. The throw goes to first and the Hogs give up an out, but put another run on the board. It's now 6-3. 

Bolton lines a ball to right and the inning is over, but not before Arkansas can make a little bit of dent into this Tigers lead.

Grambling 6, Arkansas 3

5th INNING

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Mack turns on a ball that is heading deep to right. It looks like it could go. No. The wind knocks it down at the last second and it hits off the top of the fence. A ball that on a normal day would have easily cleared the fence is converted into a long single thanks to Mother Nature.

McEntire gets Murphy to pop up to shallow right and Mack will be held at first.

Ware then walks on four straight pitches and Grambling has runners at first and second with one out.

Frederick gets a ground single to left that was just outside the reach of Bolton and Jones. Arkansas was fortunate the Tigers didn't send Mack as he could have scored.

That won't be the gift Arkansas hoped it might be though. Vargas comes up by riding an opposite field hit to left for a single that brings Mack in and it's now a 7-3 game. 

Van Horn is headed back out and there will be yet another pitching change. Not exactly the pitching day the Hogs' skipper envisioned. 

That brings on Koty Franks for this third appearance of the season. 

Franks gets Burrell to hit a grounder up the middle that has been a hit all game, but Stovall snags it going to his right deep behind the bag, sprints for the force at second and throw on the run for the double play. What a play by the second baseman to possibly save this game for the Razorbacks.

Grambling 7, Arkansas 3

5th INNING

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After struggling mightily against Boudreaux, Arkansas will finally get a look at a different style of pitching. However, sticking with the non-traditional theme, Grambling brings on a long, looping left-handed sidearmer in Ethan Bates.

Bates walks Josenberger in five pitches, so that will bring up Stovall. 

Stovall rights off a pair of 1-2 pitches before hitting a hard shot to center that moves Josenberger over to third. Wegner then comes up and drives a ball into the ground so hard that it shoots up and carries deep into right field. 

That brings in Josenberger and Wegner gets his 10th RBI in less than four games.

Slavens then turns hard on an inside pitch with a line drive slicing down the right field line. Frederick dove and had the ball in his glove as Wegner was almost all the way to third. It would have been a double play. However, Frederick's elbow hit the turf, jarring the ball out of his glove. 

Brady brings us back within two pic.twitter.com/eDNVzP25ic

— Arkansas Baseball (@RazorbackBSB) February 21, 2023

Stovall scores. Wegner moves to third, Stovall is at second, and the Hogs are cooking here in the fifth. It's now 7-5 with Diggs coming up. 

Bohrofen walks and here come the beer hats. Jones comes up to the plate with bases loaded. He had a home run in his first at-bat as a Razorback in Arlington over the weekend.

Jones hits a high chopper up the middle. Vargas is able to field it from his shortstop position with his foot on the bag. That makes for an easy throw to first for the double play and the Arkansas threat passes here in the bottom of the fifth.

The Razorbacks get a pair of runs in the inning and we're off to the sixth.

Grambling 7, Arkansas 5

6th INNING

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Frank gets Walker to ground to third. Jones is able to get up out of the dirt over there and make a throw that Slavens is able to dig out for the first out of the inning.

He then strikes out Hatton and Rowland is able to throw him out at first on the dropped third strike. Frank then gets Bufford to check his swing, resulting in a weak roller back to the pitcher toward first base and Frank greets him for the easy tag.

After several innings of chaos for Razorback pitchers, Frank has gotten everything to even out, giving Arkansas a chance to come back and take the lead.

Grambling 7, Arkansas 5

6th INNING

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Rowland fights off a high fast ball in on his hands for his first official hit as an Arkansas Razorback.

Bolton drives one into the ground that bounces up and Vargas makes a difficult play to get Bolton out at first. That moves Rowland to second, bringing the potential tying run to the plate in Josenberger.

Josenberger takes an outside pitch to the gap in right-center to drive in Rowland. Josenberger then sprints hard for second and is in with a double. In four at-bats, Josenberger is 2-for-2 with a pair of walks for a perfect day.

That's our leadoff hitter pic.twitter.com/FmNnqcQrko

— Arkansas Baseball (@RazorbackBSB) February 21, 2023

The Hogs have now cut it to one with one out and a runner on second for Stovall. 

Stovall makes contact. Its a floating line drive that looks like it's going to carry over second, but Walker extends at second base to snow cone it and easily doubles up Josenberger at second to end the Hogs' threat here in the sixth.

Grambling 7, Arkansas 6

7th INNING

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Grambling has a surprising 11 hits against this Arkansas staff. Frank is out on the mound once again for Arkansas.

He continues working an efficient game by getting Walker to ground out to short on two pitches.

Frank gives up his first baserunner of the game with a pitch off the plate on a 3-2 count to Murphy. However, he works the edges to Ware and gets him swinging after three straight foul balls for the second out of the inning.

Frank throws one high on the outside edge of the plate and gets Frederick swinging to give Arkansas its best shot of the day at claiming a lead.

Grambling 7, Arkansas 6

7th INNING

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Kendrick Bershell now comes in to pitch for Grambling in hopes of holding onto the lead for the Tigers. This will be the fastest and most traditional pitcher Grambling has throw out. He throws just over 20 mph more than the starter Boudreaux.

Bershell works Wegner to a full count and then puts him on with a pitch low and outside. Slavens comes to the plate representing the potential leading run.

Bershell is also the first right-handed pitcher Arkansas has faced today, so this is as close to normal as the Hogs are going to see.

Slavens swings at Ball 3 as he misses a high fast ball for the striking, giving the Hogs their first out of the inning. Diggs watches a ball low and away and the Razorbacks have Wegner and Diggs at first and second with one out.

The umpire just came out and motioned Wegner and Slavens over. It looks like another balk on Grambling.

First pitch to Bohrofen and it's a hard line drive to center. It gets to Burrell in a hurry, but it's just a little too far into the outfield for there to be a play at the plate and we're tied at Baum-Walker for the first time since this game began.

All even now pic.twitter.com/sHSxILvhuI

— Arkansas Baseball (@RazorbackBSB) February 21, 2023

McLaughin comes on to pinch hit, grounds out and we're headed to the eighth tied at 7-7.

Arkansas 7, Grambling 7

8th INNING

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Closer Brady Tygart is in and Van Horn is definitely not messing around anymore. Tygard was as filthy as they come against Texas last Friday.

Tygart throw a ball to start against Vargas, but comes back with three straight strikes that left Vargas in all kinds of confusion.

Rinse, lather, repeat as Tygart throws consecutive strikes 4, 5 and 6 to mow down his second Tiger in a row.

Walker gets a soft grounder between first and second that looked like Stovall and Slavens weren't sure who was supposed to make the play. That puts the go-ahead run on first.

Tygart with a wild throw to first that sails into foul territory and Walker not only takes second, he keeps trucking to third.

That brings up Hatton, who shocked Arkansas with a huge home run in first inning.

Tygart settles in knowing that a mistake could cost the Razorbacks this game. He comes in with hard movement and Hatton pops up high to the infield. Slavans squeezes it and the Razorbacks will bring up Rowland, Bolton and Josenberger to try to get their first lead of the game when we resume.

Arkansas 7, Grambling 7

8th INNING

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The Hogs will have to mount this comeback facing Javier Martinez, a KJ Jefferson size pitcher who at least looks rather intimidating standing on the mound.

Rowland hangs in to draw a full count and eventually the walk and Van Horn will bring in a pinch runner for his catcher.

Bolton gets grazed on the shoulder while trying to bunt and the Razorbacks now have runners at first and second. Now Josenberger shows bunt and there's another off-target pitch. This one gets by the catcher off his mit and as runners move to second and third, it feels like this can break open at any moment.

Josenberger up and he crushes one to deep center. Burrell is all the way back to the warning track and Holt scores on the sacrifice fly to give Arkansas its first lead of the game.

Stovall puts a charge in a hard shot to center that looks like it could drop. What a great diving catch by Burrell to get the out and keep the Razorbacks in check. However, Bolton scores and Arkansas now holds a 9-7 lead.

Wegner comes up looking to extend the lead, but he takes an 0-2 pitch up the middle for a ground out to end the inning.

We'll head to the ninth where Arkansas will look to slam the door on Grambling.

Arkansas 9, Grambling 7

9th INNING

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Tygart will stay in, but Van Horn will make a change at catcher. He will bring in Polk who caught Tygart in the Texas game.

Grambling will start with its clean-up hitter in Bufford and he immediately plants a hard single to left.

Tygart gets Mack to strike out. Bufford moves to second on a passed ball, but Arkansas wasn't trying to hold him.

Murphy gets ahold of one deep to right field, but it stays in and Arkansas has the second out of the inning while Bufford moves to third.

Ware comes up and Tygart isn't messing around. The count is now 1-2. 

There's a nasty breaking ball that just bombed the back of the plate, Ware swings and we're done here in Baum Walker.

The Razorbacks survive a huge scare, 9-7, and move to 3-1 on the season.