Razorbacks get taste of "real life" on the weekends with two scrimmages

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Scrimmages don't matter. No one remembers the actual score of a preseason fall game, but Arkansas gained valuable experience in its 5-3 win over Dallas Baptist Saturday.

The Razorbacks experienced being behind on the scoreboard for the first time. After beating Arkansas-Little Rock comfortably Friday night, Arkansas managed just three singles in the first six innings against the Patriots.

DBU jumped out to a 3-0 lead thanks a run in the first and two more in the sixth. Arkansas' slumbering bats finally woke up when Kuhio Aloy and Reese Robinett led off the seventh with back-to-back solo homers.

Razorback first baseman Reese Robinett during a fall intrasquad scrimmage | Nilsen Roman-allHOGS Images

The first five hitters all reached safely and the Razorbacks scored all five of its runs in one inning. Shortstop Carson Brumbaugh hit a two-run double and center fielder Maika Niu continued his hot streak with an RBI single after homering Friday.

Arkansas also did its best to simulate a turnaround similar to the one they might face during the regular season on the weekends. Friday's scrimmage ended just past 9 p.m. with first pitch against Dallas Baptist scheduled for less than 16 hours later. Such a quick turnaround is common on a weekly basis in the SEC.

"This is real life on the weekends," coach Dave Van Horn said. "Especially on the road, it seems like you have to play, hit the sack, get up [and] play again. You got to be able to handle, especially when you win Game 1, you got to show up the next day with a little bit of an attitude and I thought our guys did a pretty good job with it."

After the bats came out lethargic, Van Horn was proud of the team's ability to put a complete inning together beyond the two solo homers.

The Razorbacks sent a total of 10 players to the plate and forced Dallas Baptist to use three pitchers in the inning.

"We rattled the pitcher a little bit," Van Horn said. "He came out and threw three balls in a row and really a fourth one, but it hit the batter in the top of the helmet. And then they went and got him, we had a lot of momentum going there, down a run, runner on. I like the way that we just didn't settle for [the two homers].

On the pitcher's mound, two huge pieces for Arkansas each put together two clean innings. Hunter Dietz threw struck out a batter and got through his two innings of work in just 28 pitches.

Steele Eaves finishes as one of two pitchers to keep a perfect 0 ERA the entire fall (Tate McGuire). Eaves struck out two in two innings on just 20 pitches.

"He's gonna pitch the back half of games," Van Horn said. "Whether he throws the seventh, eighth or ninth. "He's the guy that you don't just say, go give me one inning. If you need three, you get three. [He's] kind of got a rubber arm too. He likes to throw a lot."

Van Horn also provided an update on catcher's Ryder Helfrick's status after taking a foul ball while catching Friday. Helfrick avoided requiring surgery and was released from the emergency room after a brief stay.

Arkansas returns to scrimmages in the spring ahead of the season opener against Oklahoma State Feb. 13 in Arlington, Texas.

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