Good Swing Deposits Good Pitch Over Wall and Vandy Downs Hogs
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas is in a hole but don't be too hard on anybody.
Reliever Brady Tygart was trying to give the Razorbacks a chance to walk it off in the 10th against Vanderbilt on Friday night but Enrique Bradfield Jr. had another idea.
Tygart threw a 1-2 curve that ended up bouncing off the Hunt Center in right field and the Commodores had a 9-6 lead that held up to start the last homestand of the season.
Robert Moore at the plate in the first game of Arkansas' series-opening loss Friday night against Vanderbilt. (Arkansas Communications)
“I swing at a first pitch curve ball, which I saw really well," Bradfield said later. "The fast ball was next and I was just honestly looking for a fast ball again on 1-2. When you are looking for a fast ball, you can react to a curve ball and that’s what I did.”
Vandy quickly got the Hogs out in the 10th and it was over before the second-largest crowd of the season at Baum-Walker Stadium.
"Just kind of a crazy game," Hogs coach Dave Van Horn said later. “Give Bradfield credit. He just hit a good pitch.”
All of it deflated what had for all the world looked like a huge comeback for Arkansas in a game where they got down 5-0 and ended up leading at one point.
Arkansas left fielder Jace Bohrofen draws a bead on a fly ball in Friday night's 9-6 loss to Vanderbilt. (Arkansas Communications)
After tying the game at 5-5, the Hogs squandered a chance to get more. They left the bases loaded with one out in the sixth inning and couldn't push any more runs across the plate.
"We had a chance and were one big swing away from having a two or three-run lead," Van Horn said.
It's a problem this team has had nearly all season.
If you're frustrated, you probably aren't on an island by yourself.
Van Horn is, too, but it's all history now. There are five games left in the regular season and that's all he's focused on.
Arkansas outfielder Jace Bohrofen looks at a fly ball while on third base in the Hogs' 9-6 loss to Vanderbilt in the first game of the series opener Friday night. (Arkansas Communications)
That was the message to the team.
"It's a tough loss because were down and we had a chance to win it," he said. "Told 'em to get some rest, tomorrow's another game and it's a big game."
That could be an understatement at this point of the season.
First pitch Saturday night is 6:30 and the Hogs will put Hagen Smith on the mound.
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