Turner Delivers Dagger, Hogs Clinch Super Regional Berth
STILLWATER, Okla. — With two outs in the top of the ninth inning, Michael Turner drilled a two-RBI double to right field to all but finish off Oklahoma State in the Regional final, 7-3, and clinch the Hogs' fourth-straight Super Regional appearance.
The Hogs benefitted off great starting pitching from Zack Morris and an ice-cold close from freshman Hagen Smith, who threw two innings of scoreless ball and notched four strikeouts to end the Cowboys' season.
With the win, Arkansas earned a spot in the Chapel Hill Super Regional next weekend against North Carolina.
Here is how everything went down at O'Brate Stadium:
Top 1st: Arkansas 0, Oklahoma State 0
Arkansas went down in order to start the game, falling victim to two strikeouts and a groundout.
Bottom 1st: Arkansas 0, Oklahoma State 0
A pair of fly outs and a groundout to deep second sat the Cowboys down in order to close the first inning.
Top 2nd: Arkansas 0, Oklahoma State 0
Chris Lanzilli drew a one-out walk to become the first baserunner of the game for either team. Lanzilli advanced to second on a Robert Moore groundout, and took third on a wild pitch. Jalen Battles struck out swinging to strand the runner.
Bottom 2nd: Arkansas 0, Oklahoma State 0
Zack Morris walked Griffin Doersching to leadoff the bottom of the frame. After a strikeout, Morris walked the always-dangerous Nolan McLean to put two runners on. Morris bounced back with another strikeout and then walked Caeden Trenkle to load the bases. An incredible throw in mid-air by Cayden Wallace was in time to get Chase Adkison for the third out.
Top 3rd: Arkansas 0, Oklahoma State 0
Ryan Bogusz earned his fourth and fifth strikeouts to go with a Peyton Stovall groundout in a 1-2-3 top of the third inning.
Bottom 3rd: Arkansas 0, Oklahoma State 0
The red-hot Roc Riggio singled to right field to end Zack Morris' no-hitter.
Peyton Stovall earned the Hogs' second web-gem in as many innings with a diving catch on a popped up bunt. Jake Thompson hit a single through the right side to advance Riggio to third.
Griffin Doersching popped up to Jalen Battles in shallow left-center and Robert Moore made a turn-around putout from deep second base to help Morris escape the inning without giving up a run.
Arkansas Communications
Top 4th: Arkansas 4, Oklahoma State 0
Brady Slavens crushed a solo homer to left-center to put Arkansas on the board first.
After a Cayden Wallace groundout, Michael Turner drew a walk to give the Hogs a baserunner. Chris Lanzilli wore a pitch off the shoulder to give Arkansas two runners on. Robert Moore groundout out to first to advance the runners to second and third.
Jalen Battles lined a two-RBI single to left and advanced to second on the throw. Peyton Stovall knocked an RBI single through the right side to put the Hogs up by four.
Oklahoma State went to RHP Hueston Morrill in relief of Ryan Bogusz, and he got Zack Gregory to flyout to end the frame.
Bottom 4th: Arkansas 4, Oklahoma State 0
Zack Morris struck out Nolan McLean to start things off. Marcus Brown hit a bunt single to first base that was followed by a Caeden Trenkle single to deep second.
Morris was pulled for RHP Kole Ramage with two runners on. He earned some support from Michael Turner, who picked Trenkle off on a throw down to first for the second out. Ramage struck out Chase Adkison to end the fourth.
Razorbacks' shortstop Jalen Battles prepares to throw to first in Sunday night's NCAA Regional final against Oklahoma State. (Walt Beazley / Arkansas Communications)
Top 5th: Arkansas 4, Oklahoma State 0
Braydon Webb led the inning off with a five-pitch walk.
The Cowboys elected to replace Hueston Morrill for RHP Victor Mederos.
After a Brady Slavens lineout, Webb stole second and after a Cayden Wallace strikeout, Webb advanced to third on a wild pitch. It was all for naught as Turner struck out looking to end the inning.
Bottom 5th: Arkansas 4, Oklahoma State 0
Kole Ramage got Roc Riggio to groundout to start the inning and then Ramage earned back-to-back strikeouts to complete the 1-2-3 inning.
Michael Morrison / allHOGS Images
Top 6th: Arkansas 5, Oklahoma State 0
Chris Lanzilli turned the burners on and single to first base to leadoff the inning, but it was quickly erased on a 4-6-3 double play.
Jalen Battles drew a two-out walk and advanced to second on a failed pick-off attempt. Peyton Stovall drove Battles home with an RBI single up the middle.
Zack Gregory struck out to end the frame for the Hogs.
Bottom 6th: Arkansas 5, Oklahoma State 1
After Ramage notched his fourth strikeout, David Mendham knocked a solo shot to right field to put the Cowboys on the board.
Ramage struck out McLean for the second time and induced a groundout to first to close the inning.
Razorbacks shortstop Jalen Battles directing a runner during an at-bat in the NCAA Regional on Monday night against Oklahoma State. (Walt Beazley / Arkansas Communications)
Top 7th: Arkansas 5, Oklahoma State 1
After a Braydon Webb strikeout and a fly out by Brady Slavens, Cayden Wallace took a pitch to the ribs to get on base with two outs. Wallace stole second, but was sent back to the dugout when Michael Turner struck out to end the inning.
Bottom 7th: Arkansas 5, Oklahoma State 3
Caeden Trenkle singled through the left side to leadoff the bottom of the seventh. Chase Adkison followed suit with a single through the right side to give the Cowboys two runners with no outs. Roc Riggio hit a ground-rule double to right-center to score Trenkle.
Kole Ramage was replaced by RHP Zebulon Vermillion.
Zach Ehrhard lined out to Chris Lanzilli, who made an incredible sliding catch in right that saved a second run from scoring. Adkison scored on the play.
Griffin Doersching hit a loud fly out to center to end the seventh.
Top 8th: Arkansas 5, Oklahoma State 3
Chris Lanzilli wore a pitch off the shoulder to leadoff the inning and OSU elected to turn to ace Justin Campbell out of the bullpen.
Jalen Battles hit a single through the right side and Lanzilli tried stretching for third, but was called out when his momentum took him off the bag. Peyton Stovall struck out swinging to close the top of the eighth.
Bottom 8th: Arkansas 5, Oklahoma State 3
David Mendham hit a leadoff single through the right side to chase Zebulon Vermillion. LHP Hagen Smith came on to pitch for the Hogs.
Smith plunked Nolan McLean on the calf with his second pitch. Marcus Brown reached first on a bunt that resulted in a fielder's choice at second to get McLean out.
Brett Brown drew a pinch hit walk to load the bases with one out, but Smith bounced back with a three-pitch see ya for the second out. Smith blew a heater right by Roc Riggio to escape trouble.
Florida Athletics
Top 9th: Arkansas 7, Oklahoma State 3
After Zack Gregory struck out to start things off, Braydon Webb hit a double to left to give the Hogs a RISP. Brady Slavens struck out after Webb's hit and Cayden Wallace drew a five-pitch walk to give Arkansas two runners on.
Michael Turner drilled a two-run double to right field to give the Hogs a pair of insurance runs. Chris Lanzilli grounded out to third to bring the inning to a close.
Bottom 9th: Arkansas 7, Oklahoma State 3
Zach Ehrhard flied out to right for the first out of the inning. Hagen Smith sat Jake Thompson down on strikes for the second out. Smith struck Griffin Doersching out to send the Hogs to the Super Regionals.
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