FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas finally returned to Baum-Walker Stadium for a regular season game for the first time in nearly a year, and Jalen Battles made sure fans went home happy.
It was a rough start for Caleb Bolden, who looked brilliant in relief last week. After two walks and a hit by pitch, the bases were loaded with just one out. Bolden then gave up a RBI single, and Van Horn had seen enough, calling in Patrick Wicklander from the pen. Wicklander limited the bleeding to three runs, but by then the damage was done.
Arkansas scrapped back with the long ball. Christian Franklin launched a solo homer in the third, and Brady Slavens did the same in the fourth to cut the deficit to 3-2.
The Razorbacks couldn't do anything else offensively, and SEMO added some insurance, a two-run single allowed by Caden Monke in the eighth to make the score 5-2.
The offense finally came to life in the bottom of the ninth. Casey Opitz started the fram with an infield single, then moved to third on a one-out knock from Zack Gregory. Jalen Battles followed with a jam-shot single to make it 5-3. In stepped Robert Moore, who launched a towering flyball to right, which bounced off the top of the fence, which was ruled a single after review to load the bases. Christian Franklin followed with a walk, and the deficit was cut to one. Cullen Smith lofted a soft fly ball to left, and Battles tagged to tie the game at 5-5. Webb struck out, and it was on to extras.
In the tenth, Opitz again provided a spark, doubling with one out. Then, with the based loaded, Jalen Battles came through, a walk-off single sending Hog fans home happy
The Razorbacks go for game two Friday afternoon at 3PM, with Zebulon Vermillion getting his second start of the season.