Live Blog: Arkansas vs. Michigan
ARLNGTON, Texas – Welcome to Arlington and the home of the MLB world champion Texas Rangers where the Arkansas Razorbacks get set to close out the Kubota College Baseball Series with the Michigan Wolverines.
Michigan is currently 2-4, gives up a ton of runs, and by my count, has a total of four fans in the building. However, what they do have is sleep. Our crew hit the pillow at 2 a.m. after last night's 14 inning romp, so there's no telling what time the Razorbacks got to bed and how early they had to get up to get to the stadium this morning.
Need to Familiarize Yourself with This Year's Team?
Take time to look through our in-depth coverage of everything fans could ever want to know about this year's Razorbacks. You will not only catch up on the latest developments, but will have tons of opportunities to get to know a lot of the new players fans will see today.
Read Key Stories
PITCHING CARRYING LOAD FOR HOGS NO NEED FOR CONCERN
ARKANSAS FALLS SHORT IN 14-INNING PITCHING DUEL AGAINST OK STATE
Starting line-up:
Top 1st:
Edmunson starts things off with a four-pitch walk. Diggs grounds into a fielder's choice. Expect Arkansas to put the bat on the ball a lot more today. This Michigan pitching staff gives up a ton of runs and already looks a bit shaky from the first pitch.
Van Horn has moved around the line-up to try to cover up some of the holes that have developed now that scouting reports have gotten out on a few of the new guys. Plus, he's looking to get a few players swings today who haven't had a chance yet.
McLaughlin with a hard line drive to left field that is curving hard back toward the line. The left fielder dives and it shoots under him. That's going to be a double for McLaughlin and the Hogs have already equaled last night's total.
Sprague-Lott gets hit by a pitch and we already have a meeting at the mound. Lovich follows up with a hard grounder to first that gets eaten up. It's a 3-6-1 double play and the inning is over. The good news for Arkansas is the Hogs are getting the bat on the ball and hitting it hard. It will be interesting to see if the Michigan bats look as easy to take advantage of as the pitching.
Arkansas 1, Michigan 0
Bottom 1st:
Molina gets the lead-off Hrustich looking and the pitching staff starts off exactly where it's left off the past two record breaking days. This is a dominant staff if they can stay healthy. If Van Horn can figure out how to get this group any kind of run support, this could be a huge season for the Razorbacks.
Molina gets a pop-up to short and then gets Voit to swing and miss badly at three pitches to end the inning. This may be one of the worst teams Arkansas plays all season. I know it's a cold weather destination, but UCA looks out of the Wolverines' league right now by a mile.
Arkansas 1, Michigan 0
Top 2nd:
Aloy starts out the game by grounding out to second. Then Souza walks on four straight pitches. The Arkansas fans get to chanting Ball 7 before Vigue throws a strike to Parker Rowland. However, he threw an eighth ball right after for his second consecutive walk and the Hogs have runners at first and second with one out.
Vigue throws a wild pitch to Wilmsmeyer and the runners move up to second and third. He battles back to strike out Wilmsmeyer though and gets Edmunson to ground out to the edge of the grass at short to get out of the inning.
Arkansas 1, Michigan 0
Bottom 2nd:
Molina adds a strikeout to his total with the lead-off, Kim. Then he plunks the DH Stanton hard in the back to give Michigan its first base runner of the day.
Molina sends Caruso back to the dugout looking and if my math is correct, that's 52 strikeouts for the Razorbacks so far this weekend. They had 23 against Oregon State, 25 against Oklahoma State and four so far today. Make that 53 strikeouts as Molina gets Dernedde swinging to end the second. Three batters. Three Ks.
Arkansas 1, Michigan 0
Top 3rd:
Diggs gives one a ride to the warning track in right-center, but he needed a few more feet on that one. He hit a hard line drive that didn't quite have the height it needed to carry. McLaughlin then hits a hard grounder that gives Voit trouble at first base, but he recovers in time to get the out.
Sprague-Lott then rips into a hard line drive to center, but Kim has just enough speed to catch it off his shoelaces to end the inning. Arkansas is being aggressive and putting the bat on the ball, but they just can't get a hit. It seems like with a little patience, the bases could be loaded pretty easily, but everyone seems determined to finally get a home run out of here instead.
Arkansas 1, Michigan 0
Bottom 3rd:
Leitgeb leads off with a full count walk. However, he gets a little too far at first and almost gets thrown out by Rowland. Pace tries to get away with a Sac bunt, but the Razorbacks aren't letting that hurt them today like it did last night. Molina gets the out at second after going full windmill to make the throw.
Rowland short-hops what looked like a good throw down to second on the steal, but it skips into the outfield and Pace will advance to third, giving Michigan the chance to tie this up with a well placed foul ball.
Molina gets Hrustich swinging on a full count and he's an out away from getting out of this inning. That's six now for Molina, but his pitch count is really getting high. He's already up to 50. He adds a seventh strikeout to the ledger and keeps the Wolverines off the board as he gets Counsell swinging at a 1-2 pitch.
That's not 55 strikeouts by Arkansas pitchers this weekend.
Arkansas 1, Michigan 0
Top 4th:
Lovich swings three times, misses all three. At some point the Razorbacks are going to have to start hitting the ball or getting some walks. This game shouldn't be close right now.
And Aloy gets hit hard in the shoulder blade. We're in the rafters and that was loud up here. That was a solid, meaty hit by pitch.
Aloy steals second and that was the ugliest steal ever. It looked like the ball beat him and he should have been tagged out. However, he apparently got past the tag. But then he slid all the way over the bag and got tagged again. He was ruled safe a second time as he tried to stretch his toes back to the bag, but they're going to review it.
They determine Aloy was somehow safe at second, then Souza walks to put runners at first and second with one out. Rowland then walks and the bases are loaded. Finally, the Razorbacks are showing a little patience at the plate and it's ratcheting up the pressure.
Wilmsmeyer strikes out swinging on four pitches and Arkansas is down to its final out. There are a few beer hats that have made the trip to North Texas today.
Edmunson takes a all off the right shin and that will bring in Aloy. Good thing he was wearing a shin guard because that would have hurt a lot. Vigue misses low and inside to Diggs. It wasn't by much, but that will bring in a third run as he takes his base.
That will bring forth a pitching change. Will Rogers will take the mound for Michigan with the beer hats still in effect.
McLaughlin hits a one-hop grounder to a diving Voit at first and he is able to get back up in time to make the throw to end the inning.
Arkansas 3, Michigan 0
Bottom 4th:
Former Texas Rangers pitcher Derek Holland is up in the press box wearing Michigan gear. Molina gets Voit to hit a soft grounder to third for the first out of the inning. He then gets Kim to ground to second as he's able to save his arm a little bit by getting these Michigan hitters swinging early.
Molina freezes Stanton on a breaking pitch over the heart of the plate and that's strikeout No. 8 for the ex-Texas Tech Red Raider.
Arkansas 3, Michigan 0
Top 5th:
Sprague-Lott lines the first pitch he sees into the gap in left-center for a double and the Hogs are in business with no outs.
But, the momentum is gone. Lovich hits a hard liner that almost clears the infield, but Counsell makes a leaping catch to his left and doubles up Sprague-Lott who couldn't get his body going back toward second in time. Aloy then hits one off the pitcher that is bare-handed by Counsell to get the final out of the inning. Lots of promise to start, but no points for the Razorbacks in the fifth.
Arkansas 3, Michigan 0
Bottom 5th:
Keep in mind that this is a Michigan team that gave up 49 runs their first six games of the season. This pitching staff is amazing, but if Arkansas can't hit off the Wolverines, fans are in for a frustrating season, not to mention all those golden arms on the mound.
Molina gets strikeout No. 9 as he gets Dernedde swinging and very quickly Michigan has two outs without the slightest threat of a hit. He's now in double-digits. Leitgeb swings and misses at a full count pitch and the Razorbacks are closing in on 60 strikeouts this weekend as the Hogs are now up to 58.
Arkansas 3, Michigan 0
Top 6th:
Souza strikes out on three pitches to start the inning. Then Rowland strikes out to quickly bring Arkansas to its final out of the inning.
Wlmsmeyer takes a ball to the back to put a runner on base. Edmunson strikes out looking on a full count and the frustration at the plate continues.
Arkansas 3, Michigan 0
Bottom 6th:
We now get a second look at Will McEntire this weekend. He was brilliant last week against James Madison, but got a bit wobbly in relief of Hagan Smith in the opener this weekend against Oregon State. It will be good for him to get out there and log a little more work to shake that off.
Pace hits a hard ball down the line in right. Lovich does a good job of getting over there quickly and making the acrobatic catch on the run. Hrustich then floats a lazy fly ball to center for the second out.
McEntire misses high to Timbrook and the Wolverines have a runner on first off the walk. He comes back to get Voit to fly out to right to end the inning without any damage.
Interesting choice Razorback baseball. perhaps they were focused on the fingerstache and didn't notice what the other hand was doing.
Arkansas 3, Michigan 0
Top 7th:
Diggs gets one to center with the outfielders playing back and the sliding attempt to catch it doesn't work out. Diggs is around first and he will be in safely at second to start off the inning.
McLaughlin immediately follows up with a grounder to the right side gap that Counsell makes a ridiculous diving play on. However, he tries to throw McLaughlin out from his back and throws the ball away. Diggs will score from second on the throwing error to make it 4-0.
Now Sprague-Lott drops a perfect bunt down the third base line. That's going to be trouble. Caruso tries to barehand it and it slips from his hand. Everyone's safe as McLaughlin moves to third with no outs.
Lovich goes down swinging on a breaking pitch inside for out No. 1.
Lots of confusion now. Aloy hit a ball down the left field line that the left fielder gave up on as if it were a foul ball. They go review it to see and they stick with the call. Not sure how you change that if it were ruled it hit the line. Aloy then goes down swinging at a pitch on the outer edge of the plate.
That brings up fellow Hawaiian Dylan Souza to try to bring another run in from third. He strikes out swinging at a pitch just off the plate also and that will do it for the seventh as we go to our third 7th inning stretch in 18 hours.
Arkansas 4, Michigan 0
Bottom 7th:
ˆOne pitch by McEntire, one out as Kim grounds back to the mound for the out. Priest then pops up to third for out No. 2 before Caruso makes things interesting with a double into the right field corner.
A grounder to short ends the inning and we're getting much closer to a rather quick Razorback win if the pitching can hold up.
Arkansas 4, Michigan 0
Top 8th:
Rowland starts off the 8th with a lead-off walk. Wilmsmeyer flies out to right and Edmunson grounds into a double play to short to end the inning.
Arkansas 4, Michigan 0
Bottom 8th:
It's a routine grounder to Sprague-Lott, but his throw is wide and goes into the dugout to give Michigan a runner at second with no outs to start things off.
Then McEntire gives up a hit to Navarro into shallow left field to score the Wolverines' first run of the game and this once sleepy game is now a bit more interesting.
Another grounder to Sprague-Lott at third. He double-clutches, delaying things just enough for the Hogs to not be able to turn the double play at second. However, they get one out and bag that double play on the next batter as Aloy scoops it up, steps on the bag and makes the throw to first in plenty of time to end the threat.
Arkansas 4, Michigan 1
Top 9th:
Diggs grounds out to second on a full count pitch to start things off. McLaughlin grounds to second also for out No. 2. Sprague-Lott flies out to right to end the inning and it will now be up to the pitchers to hold onto the lead to close this weekend out.
Arkansas 4, Michigan 1
Bottom 9th:
Koty Frank comes on to close this out and Voit immediately rips the first pitch right up the middle to center. Kim then hits into a fielder's choice that looked like it would be a double play, but he was able to beat the throw to keep it to a single out.
Frank strikes out Stanton for K No. 59 of the weekend if I didn't miss one in my count. That puts the Hogs an out away from another win.
Caruson hits a ground single through the gap into left field and a run will score to cut the lead to two. Dernedde with a hard bunt down the line. Sprague-Lott picks it up on the run and the throw pulls McLaughlin off the bag and it gets past him and another run will score to make it 4-3.
It should be noted that before both runs, the Razorbacks let a runner simply walk to second base without so much as a look. They wanted to focus on the out at the plate and it bit them in the backside both times.
Now here's a single up the middle by Rogers and Arkansas is now a swing of the bat away from a tie or possibly losing this game.
Frank forces another potential game-winning grounder to second and the Hogs commit another error. That will load the bases. We would be tied if Michigan had sent the runner when Souza booted the ball back into the infield. Big break there.
Hrustich flies out to right and this one is mercifully over. This game should have never been close and Arkansas almost gave it away at the end. But it's over. Hogs win and raise their record to 5-2 on the season.
Arkansas 4, Michigan 3