All Hogs

Razorbacks Sweep Gamecocks With Late Burst

Van Horn, Arkansas continues to get production from entire lineup

Daniel Shi

Arkansas Razorbacks Cam Kozeal is tagged out trying to score by South Carolina Gamecocks catcher Gavin Braland in their game at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark.
Arkansas Razorbacks Cam Kozeal is tagged out trying to score by South Carolina Gamecocks catcher Gavin Braland in their game at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. / Nilsen Roman-Hogs on SI Images
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas used a balanced offensive attack to finish off a weekend sweep of the South Carolina Gamecocks Sunday, 11-4. Center fielder Justin Thomas Jr, hit the game-winning two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth out of the No. 9 spot in the order to break a 4-4 tie.

The Razorbacks are now 23-2 overall and 5-1 in SEC play.

"It's a really good week for us,” coach Dave Van Horn said. “It's hard to beat anybody two times a week, much less three.”

All nine Razorback starters had either an RBI and a base hit.

"We're not trying to overcomplicate anything," third baseman Brent Iredale said. "If one guy's down, we've got eight other guys who can do it. Even the guys on the bench, we all can do it and we've just got everyone's back."

Arkansas' turned the eighth into a patented big inning as Iredale gave the Razorbacks all the insurance they would need with a grand slam to right field. South Carolina intentionally walked Kuhio Aloy in front of Iredale to load the bases. Coming into that at-bat, Iredale was 0-for-3 with three strikeouts.

Catcher Ryder Helfrick, who homered in the second-inning to open the scoring for the Hogs, capped off a seven-run inning in which Arkansas sent 11 people to the plate with his second homer of the day. Helfrick had not had a multi-hit game in college until earlier this week.

The two teams traded a pair of solo home runs early. Center fielder Nathan Hall gave South Carolina its first lead of the series with a leadoff shot to right on the second pitch of the game. First baseman Beau Hollins doubled the lead with another leadoff homer in the second.

Helfrick opened the scoring with his first homer in the second. In the past week, he has raised his average from .192 to .269.

Arkansas starter Landon Beidelschies did a good job limiting damage outside of the two solo homers, scattering five hits across five innings of work and striking out three.

Charles Davalan extended his hitting streak to eight games with a game-tying homer in the third.

The Razorbacks took its first lead on a sac fly to the warning track off the bat of Iredale in the fifth. He just missed a grand slam and had to wait three innings for his shot at redemption.

The one slight damper on an otherwise dominating weekend is the continued struggles of Christian Foutch. Coach Dave Van Horn went to him to start the seventh with a 4-2 lead.

Razorbacks coach Dave Van Horn in the dugout during game with South Carolina
Arkansas Razorbacks coach Dave Van Horn in the dugout during game with the South Carolina Gamecocks at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. / Nilsen Roman-Hogs on SI Images

His first pitch hit Gavin Stone. It's the fifth time in six outings that Foutch has hit at least one batter. Shortstop Will Tippett roped a double into the left field corner to put the tying run in scoring position.

Van Horn pulled Foutch after just two hitters and went to lefty Parker Coil. Coil allowed the tying runs to score but did a good job limiting the damage and keeping the parity. His season ERA is down to 0.60.

Arkansas faces Missouri State 6 p.m. Tuesday inside Baum-Walker and will be streamed on SEC+.

HOGS FEED:

• Former Razorbacks QB earns new NFL contract with old team

• Portal season will see significant differences at Arkansas this year

• As mid-tier of SEC gets sent packing, Calipari's Hogs still dancing

• Teammates, coaches continue to praise Hogs' transfer tight end

• Calipari eliminating Pitino adds special chapter to storybook season

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Daniel Shi
DANIEL SHI

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