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Reeling Razorbacks Routed at Auburn, Drop Fifth Straight Game

Helfrick's heroics wasted but Arkansas' catcher still garners national attention for top-notch skills
Bob Stephens|
Arkansas Razorbacks pitcher Gabe Gaeckle against the Auburn Tigers.
Arkansas Razorbacks pitcher Gabe Gaeckle against the Auburn Tigers. | Arkansas Communications

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Arkansas Razorbacks

AUBURN, Ala. — In the space of just seven days, Arkansas' proud baseball program went from a confident club worthy of its No. 4 national ranking to a group that seems as overmatched as Iran.

Since last Friday, the usually reliable Razorbacks have faced three different teams. They've failed to beat any of them.

Granted, its only five consecutive defeats but matters seem to be getting worse with each game.

For an hour Thursday night, it looked like the Razorbacks might be back on track. Now ranked 17th, they hung tough for four innings against No. 18 Auburn before the roof caved in again and coach Dave Van Horn's team stumbled to its fifth loss in a week's time.

It wasn't totally unexpected that the Hogs lost as Auburn's sensational sophomore Andreas Alvarez threw another gem to earn the victory.

What was disappointing to Van Horn and his troops was the final score of 10-2, especially since the teams were at a 1-1 standoff through four frames.

Arkansas dropped to 19-12, 4-6 in the SEC while Auburn improved to 21-8, 5-5 in the conference.

Amazing Auburn arm is difference-maker

Alvarez, who leads the SEC in ERA and is fourth in the nation, allowed the visitors just one earned run in six innings. That actually raised his earned run average, which stood at an eye-popping 0.85 prior to the first pitch.

Alvarez won the pitching duel with Arkansas junior Gabe Gaeckle, who was sharp early while holding Auburn scoreless through three innings.

Gaeckle gave up one run in the fourth and fell apart in the bottom of the fifth when the Tigers took control with a seven-run outburst.

That chased Gaeckle, who allowed four earned runs. Reliever Cole Gibler got only one out while surrendering four more runs, three earned, as Auburn's rowdy crowd of ?,??? at Plainsman Park celebrated the home team's 8-1 dominance.

Auburn's ace moundsman struck out 10 Razorbacks while walking two and allowing six hits.

Arkansas catcher Ryder Helfrick put the Hogs ahead 1-0 in the top of the fourth with his team-leading 10th home run of the season.

The lead was short-lived as Bub Terrell led off Auburn's fourth with a double and Gaeckle walked the next two hitters to load the bases. Ethin Bingamin's sacrifice fly knotted the score.

Razorbacks receiver gains national attention

Helfrick finished the night 3-for-3 with a walk and the home run to the opposite field. The junior from Discovery Bay, Calif., has been the Hogs' hottest hitter of late.

The home run was his third in three games, his fourth in the last five -- all Arkansas losses -- and the fifth in seven games for the 6-foot-1, 210-pounder.

Helfrick slugged 15 long balls last season when he helped lead the Hogs to the College World Series. He earned Most Valuable Player honors in the Fayetteville NCAA Regional at Baum-Walker Stadium.

Those were the glory days for the Hogs -- now seeming so long ago -- when Helfrick ripped three home runs in three games as Arkansas walloped North Dakota State and Creighton twice by a cumulative score of 26-6 to advance to the Super Regional, where they topped Tennessee twice to earn another trip the CWS in Omaha, Neb.

Helfrick is know for more than his bat, as he's considered one of the country's finest defensive catchers and throwers, He's even on the midseason watch list that will produce the national player of the year.

Guevera leads Tigers' balanced attack

Auburn third baseman Eric Guevera, batting fifth for the home team, was the Tigers' hitting star as he was 3-for-3 with a solo home run, walk, two RBIs and two runs scored.

His solo blast in the sixth inning increased Auburn's advantage to 9-1 and gave the home fans one more reason to cheer.

All nine Tigers managed at least one hit as they combined for 13 safeties against six Hog hurlers. Seven Auburn hitters knocked in a run and six touched home plate.

Meanwhile, Alvarez (5-1) combined with reliever LJ Cormier to stymie the Hogs' hapless hitting attack. Cormier notched his first save with three innings of work, allowing just a ninth-inning run when Arkansas leadoff man Carter Rutenbar and Nolan Souza smacked back-to-back two-out doubles.

The teams square off in game two of the three-game set Friday at 6 p.m. at Plainsman Park. The game will be streamed on SEC Network+.

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Bob Stephens
BOB STEPHENS

Bob Stephens won more than a dozen awards as a sportswriter and columnist in Northwest Arkansas from 1980 to 2003. He started as a senior for the 1975 Fayetteville Bulldogs’ state championship basketball team, and was drafted that summer in the 19th round by the St. Louis Cardinals but signed instead with Norm DeBriyn's Razorbacks, playing shortstop and third base. Bob has written for the Washington Post, Chicago Sun-Times, San Diego Union-Tribune, New Jersey Star-Ledger, and many more. He covered the Razorbacks in three Final Fours, three College World Series, six New Year’s Day bowl games, and witnessed many track national championships. He lives in Colorado Springs with his wife, Pati. Follow on X: @BobHogs56

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