OMAHA, NE (KFSM) – Arkansas has benefitted from home runs and big innings all season long and the Razorbacks used that exact formula to power past Texas.
Luke Bonfield’s two-run home run gave Arkansas a lead then a huge sixth inning sealed the victory as Arkansas posted an 11-5 win over the Longhorns in the opening round of the College World Series.
The Razorbacks will face the winner of Sunday night’s Florida vs Texas Tech game on Tuesday night at 6:00 p.m.
Texas led 2-1 in the fifth but Bonfield provided the first big blow of the weekend as his two-run home run to leftfield put Arkansas back in front and was the first long ball of the College World Series.
Texas lost command of the strike zone in the sixth inning after a pair of singles led off the inning. Grant Koch drew a walk to load the bases then both Jax Biggers and Eric Cole were issued a free pass to force home a run.
After Cole’s RBI walk gave the Razorbacks a 5-2 lead, the game was delayed due to lightning and then the rains came. Before the delay, Arkansas had the bases loaded with no outs. The delay last two hours and 47 minutes but it did little to slow down the Razorbacks’ bats.
Casey Martin started with a run scoring single then Heston Kjerstad blew the game open with a two run single, putting the Hogs up 8-2. Dominic Fletcher followed with a two run single then Carson Shaddy capped the eight run frame with a single that drove home another run. All eight runs were scored with no outs.
Blaine Knight improved to 13-0 despite lasting just five innings and throwing 89 pitches. Arkansas went to the bullpen to start the sixth inning after Knight struck out four and walked one while allowing four hits and two runs.