Huge sixth inning lifts Arkansas over Texas
Through five innings of the first game of Day Two, the Razorbacks and Longhorns looked as if the team who batted last would decide the game. Then the rain came.
The neck-and-neck game reached the peak of its excitement prior to the rain delay after Luke Bonfield hit a two-run blast to give Arkansas a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning – the first home run of this year’s College World Series.
After the Razorbacks began the sixth inning with two straight singles, Parker Joe Robinson came in relief for Longhorn starter, Nolan Kingham, and the downward spiral began for Texas. The Longhorns proceeded to walk three straight batters, going through two pitchers, and gave up two free runs in the process.
With the bases loaded and no outs, the dark clouds started to roll in.
A storm developed over TD Ameritrade Park and the inclement weather caused a 2 hour and 49 minute rain delay. At the conclusion of the delay, Arkansas picked up right where they left off.
Arkansas put up five more hits in the inning, scoring six more runs, and went through three more Texas pitchers in the process, leaving the sixth inning with an 11-2 lead.
Texas would score two runs in the eighth inning and one more in the final frame. This would cut the deficit to 11-5, but would not overcome the damage done by Arkansas from the sixth inning.
Heston Kjerstad went 3-5 with three RBI’s and scored two runs for the Razorbacks. Dominic Fletcher and Luke Bonfield added two RBI’s a piece. Tate Shaw went 3-3 with a triple for the Longhorns.
Texas will face Florida in the consolation bracket at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, and Arkansas will take on Texas Tech at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.
Texas Tech outlast defending champions, Gators
The Florida Gators lost only one game in last year’s College World Series and took home the schools’ first national championship. They were defeated in their first contest of the 2018 College World Series.
Early in the contest, Kansas City Royals’ first round draft pick, Brady Singer, was dealing for the Gators. Through three-innings, Singer had three strikeouts and had only given up two hits.
Then the Red Raiders bats came to life.
Texas Tech, aided by Gabe Holt’s two-RBI single in the fifth and back-to-back RBI’s from Zach Rheams and Michael Davis in the sixth, scored five runs over the next three innings to open up a 5-1 lead over the defending national champions heading into the seventh-inning.
Nelson Maldonado responded with a two-run home run that brought Florida within striking distance, making the score 5-3. After giving up the home run, Ryan Shetter and Ty Harpenau closed the game out strong for the Red Raiders, and gave up no more runs. Texas Tech added one more insurance run in the ninth-inning to cap off a 6-3 victory over Florida.
Gabe Holt went 2-5 with three RBI’s, and Grant Little went 3-3 with an RBI for Texas Tech. Maldonado had a home run and two RBI’s for the Gators.
Florida will take on Texas at 2 p.m. in the consolation bracket on Tuesday. Texas Tech will face off against Arkansas at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.
Written by Matt Kirkle
