Razorbacks Have Nightmare of a Time Against No. 15 TCU

See how it all unfolded and watch the video recap of Saturday night's action

Author:
Kent Smith
Updated:
Feb 19, 2023 2:42 AM EST
Original:
Feb 18, 2023

In this story:

ARLINGTON, Texas – It wasn't the prettiest of nights, nor the most enjoyable for the Arkansas Razorbacks against TCU in Game 2 of the College Baseball Showdown.

For those of you who cut out early, and we're sure you did, here's a video recap of what you missed out on.

Where it all started

We are here live at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas waiting on the Texas vs. Missouri game to end. We arrived during the third inning to find more Arkansas fans in the building than Texas and Missouri fans combined.

At the moment, we are in the Top of the 9th with the score tied 5-5, which means No. 8 Arkansas vs. No. 15 TCU will probably be starting late.

UPDATE: Texas brought in a relief pitcher and the Arkansas fans rained down Hogs calls the entire time. Then, catcher Dylan Leach, who recently played for the Arkansas Razorbacks, ripped a shot to left field to score the winning run.

The Arkansas exploded. It was deafening. Then they greeted him with the loudest Hog call as Leach ripped off his shirt. He then made his way over to the Arkansas fans to show his appreciation.

Once things get started, we'll keep you posted on updates, photos and videos.

UPDATE: As of 7:02 TCU has just started infield work and Arkansas is doing soft toss in right field. You can thank the Longhorns for taking too long to go 0-2 for this delay.

UPDATE #2: At 7:13 they started working on the mound and dragging and watering the field. TCU has now started its stretches and long toss also.

UPDATE #3: As of 7:20 three-fourths of the field is watered, we now have a batter's box and they are currently lining first base. Starting line-up will be announced at 7:23 p.m.

UPDATE #4: As of 7:25 the starting line-up is announced. It is posted down below. They're playing Hog Wild in the stadium. National anthem time. First pitch soon.

UPDATE #5: The umpires have officially arrived and it looks like we're about to get started. Estimated first pitch will be approximately 7:35 p.m.

To tide you over until first pitch, we've put together a video preview of tonight's game. Be sure to check back about 30 minutes after the game to see our postgame recap.

Arkansas vs. TCU preview (Game 2)

If you need to catch up on what all went down with last night's game against Texas, here's is your chance.

Arkansas vs. Texas Recap (Game 1)

Starting line-up

1. Tavian Josenberger CF

2. Peyton Stovall 2B

3. Caleb Cali 3B

4. Brady Slaves 1B

5. Jared Wegner LF

6. Jace Bohrofen RF

7. Kendall Digs DH

8. Hudson Polk C

9. John Bolton SS

P. Will McEntire

1ST INNING

(Top)

We get the live feed from Flo Sports in the press box. This may get fixed before the actual first pitch, but just in case, TCU is wearing their traditional purple and not royal blue.

Finally, after a delay of over 35 minutes McEntire is on the mound and we have our first pitch of the game. Austin Davis loops a lazy fly ball to left field on the opening pitch and the Hogs already have one down.

Hard grounder over to first, toss to McEntire and the umpire says it was a tie. Elijah Nunez is safe with a single.

Next batter walks, putting runners at first and second. Then Kurtis Byrne hit a hard grounder to short that was bobbled. Bolton was able to get the out at second, but the Hogs couldn't flip it fast enough to get the double. Runners at the corners now with two outs.

Long fly ball to the gap in left-center by David Bishop that goes to the fence and the Horned Frogs bring home a pair or runs on the stand-up double.

A hard hit through the gap to right field by Boyers brings in a third run. Bohrofen tried to make the throw to the plate, but it wasn't in time and the cut-off was unable to throw out Boyers at first. It's now 3-0 TCU and the Hogs look a bit rattled.

Cole Fontenelle hits a moon shot to straight-away center, but Josenberger is able to get on his hort and get back to settle under it to close the inning.

TCU 3, Arkansas 0

1ST INNING

(Bottom)

This just in, the Arkansas softball team threw a pair of shutout innings to hold on in Clearwater, Florida against No. 22 Louisiana, 7-6.

Josenberger just misses a potential home run. He gets too far under it and runs it up through the rafters before it finally settles in right field for the first out of the inning.

Pitch down in the dirt to Stovall and we're at a full count. He fouls one into the third deck before watching Ball 4 go by and the Hogs have their first runner of the night on.

On a side note, there isn't a section of the lower three decks that isn't either full or heavily populated throughout the entire circumference of the stadium.

Cali up to bat and he too works a full count. He goes down swinging at a pitch low and away and the Razorbacks are down to their final out with Slavens at the plate and Stovall still at first.

Slavens really lays into a line drive, but it carries into the left field bleachers along the foul line.

Slavens with a hard line drive down the left field line that one-hops into the fence in the outfield corner. Stovall makes his way to third where he gets plowed over by the third baseman. He's back up and dusted off. That brings Wegner to the plate with runners at second and third.

Wegner, hard line drive. Deep to center. It's carrying over the 410 sign and hits off the Lockheed Martin sign in the back of the TCU bullpen and we're tied 3-3.

The Razorbacks' Jared Wegner blasts a shot to deep left center for a home run in the first inning against TCU at Globe Life Field. It cleared the 410 sign and then carried to the back wall of bullpen and high off the Lockheed Martin sign. (Addison Faith / AH Media)

There's a visit to the mound and it's impossible to hear in here. I've covered Texas Rangers games with 45,000 fans and never heard it as loud as it is when these Razorback fans get worked up. No other fan base here is anywhere near as loud or rowdy.

Bohrofen gets jammed inside, he pops one up to short and the inning is over.

Arkansas 3, TCU 3

2nd INNING

(Top)

Tre Richardson hits a shot up the middle so hard that it shoots off McEntire's glove and still eats up Stovall at 2nd so fast it shoots off him. What a powerful hit for a single.

McEntire gets Brown to pop out to second on the next pitch for the first out of the inning. Richardson makes a break for second, the throw is just a little low and the double play is now out of the question.

Davis has been worked to a full count and he lines one up the middle for a single. Josenberger comes up firing and keeps TCU off the board for now.

Van Horn will make his way to the mound and it looks like we've got someone opening the door for the bullpen. McEntire will leave the game having given up five hits and three runs. He will be responsible for both runners still on as Zack Morris comes in for what the Razorbacks hope will be extended relief.

Morris will try to hold Davis close at first to keep the double play an option.

Nunez hits it hard up the middle. Stovall dives. He's got it, flips it to Bolton for the out at second. Bolton rifles it over to first, but Nunez is too fast. Davis scores and the Horned Frogs take the lead, 4-3.

Nunez is on the move. Here's the throw. It's a perfect dart, but just a tad too late.

Taylor with a powerful swing. It's a high line drive deep to right. Bohrofen is running out of room as he sprints to the wall. He leaps and squeezes just as he slams into the wall and the Hogs have minimized the damage in the second.

TCU 4, Arkansas 3

Members of the Arkansas baseball team throw up what looks a a Horns sign during their game with TCU. — Members of the Arkansas baseball team throw up what looks a a Horns sign during their game with TCU at Globe Life Field Feb. 18, 2023. (Addison Faith / AH Media)

2nd INNING

(Bottom)

Diggs steps to the plate looking to even things up. There's a high fly ball deep to right. It looks like it's got a chance. Davis goes back to the wall. He brings it down with no room to spare.

That brings up Hudson Polk for his first at-bat of the game. There's a high fast ball. Polk turns on it. It's leaving here in a hurry. And it's gone. A home run for Polk, cue "The Natural" and flash the lights. Just like that we're tied here at Globe life field. He got it on the fat part of the bat and it went as far as it could go because it never got high enough to get into the home run porch in right center.

Bolton steps in now. Hard ground ball up the middle. It squirts through. It went off the glove of Silva and Bolton is standing at first.

Josenberger gets under another one. There's a bit of confusion in center field as to who is going to call this one. Nunez finally says he'll take it and there's two away in the bottom of the second.

Stovall looking to give the Hogs their first lead of the game, gets the barrel out in front, snaps his wrist and pounds a blistering grounder down the right field line and TCU's going to have to talk about this one. Bolton was held up at third on the play and the Razorbacks have runners on the corner as Kole Klecker comes in to take over pitching duties.

Klecker makes short work of Cali and we head to the top of the third tied, 4-4.

Arkansas 4, TCU 4

3RD INNING

(Top)

Morris is back on the mound to begin the third. He battles with Byrne for a bit, before the catcher gives it a ride deep to left-center, but Bohrofen is able to get there and squeeze it for the out.

Bishop steps into the box and delivers a line drive that is able to get down in left field and TCU has a runner at first. Morris falls behind Boyers 3-1, but comes back over the plate to bring the count to full.

He gets Boyers to fly out to right. Bohrofen tries to double up Bishop at first, but the throw sails wide right. Fortunately for the Hogs, Bolton was in position to avert disaster.

Morris gets Fontenelle to fly out to Center and we finally have our first goose egg of the game.

Arkansas 4, TCU 4

3RD INNING

(Bottom)

Slavens leads off with a slow grounder to first. That brings up Wegner who got the fireworks going with a monster shot of a home run earlier in the game.

'Wegner hits a routine grounder through the gap between short and third and the Razorbacks now have a chance to take the lead for the first time tonight.

Bohrofen strikes out swinging on a high pitch and it's now up to Diggs to put the Hogs on the board.

Diggs pops up for what appears to be the final out of the inning. However, as everyone clears the field, the umpire calls everyone back on and asks for a review. After a bit of a delay, it is ruled that the catch wasn't made and we keep playing.

However, Polk pops up to almost the exact same spot and this time it is ruled a catch. Inning over.

Arkansas 4, TCU 4

4th INNING

(Top)

Richardson hits a routine grounder to second base and it's almost as if this has settled into a rather normal game all of the sudden. Morris strikes out Silva.

Davis walks and the Horned Frogs now have speed on first.

Grounder back up the middle, Morris makes the snag, throws to first, and the Hogs head to the bottom of the fourth still tied.

Arkansas 4, TCU 4

4th INNING

(Bottom)

Bolton and Josenberger both fly out to start the inning.

Stovall hits a hard grounder up the middle, but Richardson makes an acrobatic catch, spins and gets Stovall on a close play at third to end the inning.

Arkansas 4, TCU 4

5th INNING

(Top)

Morris gets Taylor to ground up the middle, but the ball sticks in Bolton's glove, delaying the throw, and he is unable to get it to first in time. Taylor is credited with the hit because of the difficulty to get to the ball in the first place.

Byrne up to bat. A couple of pitches in, the umpire steps around to the front of the plate, clicks his hands together a couple of times and signals Byrne out, sending him on a long, slow, confused walk back to the dugout.

So, with that, there's one away and Morris gets ahead 1-2 to Bishop. Bishop rips a hard grounder to third that Cali scoops up, fires over to Stovall at second who then makes the throw to first, but it's just a hair late and we've got two out with Bishop standing at first.

Arkansas catches a terrible break. Bishop takes off running so Stovall makes a break for the bag and Boyers hits a slow grounder to the exact spot Stovall was standing for a single that puts Bishop on third.

That will do it for Morris. Van Horn signals for the pen and it looks like Gage Wood, a freshman righty from Batesville will come in with a ton of pressure on him. Wood's first pitch is a straight fastball out over the plate that gets blasted into left field, driving home Bishop and TCU reclaims the lead at 5-4.

Wood goes to 3-0 on Richardson on a double steal. Wood looks afraid to throw a strike now. He's called for a balk to load the bases and out comes the pitching coach to try to calm the young pitcher down.

Wood gets a slap on the back from just about everyone asking him to trust that they have his back. The first two pitches to Silva are balls and the freshman is working quick and anxious now. He's able to slip a strike in there, but goes to 3-1 on the next pitch.

The TCU crowd gets loud and it's too much for Wood. He throw a wild pitch in the dirt to score a run and Van Horn has seen enough.

Austin Ledbetter, the sophomore right-hander out of Bryant is now in the game to try to get this final out and keep this game from getting out of hand. Ledbetter gets Davis to ground out to short, but the damage is done. The Hogs will have some ground to make up as we have reached the halfway point.

TCU 6, Arkansas 4

5th INNING

(Bottom)

Cali leads off from the three hole. He's looking for his first hit of the season. He battles, fouling a few off, but strikes out swinging.

Slavens comes up and takes a hard hack on a high pitch, but it dies in right-center and the Hogs have two down and no one on base. That is until Wegner, who has been killing the ball tonight, turns his hips and rolls one down into the left field corner for a double.

It's to no avail though. Bohrofen goes down and we're headed to the top of the fifth.

6th INNING

(Top)

Ledbetter stays in the game and he will open the inning pitching to Nunez. He has a single and a pair of ground balls on the night. Add a walk to that total as he watches ball four go by on a 3-1 count.

Taylor hammers one through the right side into right field and TCU now has runners at the corners with zero outs. This one may be able to get out of reach for the Razorbacks.

Byrne with a hard grounder that gets out into right field to drive in Nunez. That will generate another call to the bullpen for Arkansas as the Razorbacks burn through bullpen arms trying to find someone who can get an out. It's 7-4 as freshman Parker Coil steps to the mound.

The Razorbacks appear to get a strikeout throw out from the freshman as the throw from Polk to third was absolutely perfect. However, the excitement was short-lived as it turns out ball four was called and instead, the bases are loaded with no outs.

The lefty gets a pair of strikes on the next hitter and looked like he had the K on a 2-2 that went over the outside corner. The punch-out never came and another run walked in on the following pitch. The Horned Frogs have now doubled up the Razorbacks, 8-4, still with no out in sight.

Coil gets Fontenelle to fly out to right for the first out of the inning. Another run comes in on the sacrifice and it looks like the lefty will get his experience the hard way.

He goes low to Richardson who pops it up for another sacrifice fly to center and it's now 10-4 TCU. Coil forces a slow hopper from Silva and he gets a loud show of appreciation from this Razorback crowd for mercifully bringing the top of the sixth to an end.

6th INNING

(Bottom)

Diggs leads off the sixth and he's worked up a full count. There's a low line drive to right. It keeps carrying. It looks like it might go. And Diggs just brought a bit of life into this crowd as he hits his first home run of the season. That ball never got higher than a few feet above the fence, but it just never dropped. When it hit the bleachers in right, it was still on an even plane. It's now 10-5.

Polk pops out on a high wobbler to center, then Bolton is asked to sit down by the umpire as he is declared out by whatever this new hitting rule is that has gotten so many hitters the last two days.

That brought up Josenberger and if Arkansas fans weren't letting him hear it enough before, they certainly are now. Three strikes are called that Razorback fans didn't think were close and it's getting chippy with this Arkansas crowd.

TCU 10, Arkansas 5

7th INNING

(Top)

The Arkansas fans are now booing the ump on every pitch and have now started to let Davis get an ear full as he takes his time disarming and rearming himself. The fans then start chanting "Refs you suck!" Davis then steps to the plate and parks a shot deep to left field.

He knew it was gone right away, so he watched it go. Then, once it landed, he flipped his bat way into the air into the infield and the Arkansas fans have lost it.

For the record, this is the rule that has gotten Arkansas fans in a rage beyond the inconsistency on calling pitches. It's caused several outs the last two days.

The 20-second time limit (or clock) starts when the pitcher receives the ball on the mound and stops when the pitcher begins his pitching motion. (For the first pitch each half-inning, the 20-second clock begins when the puts the ball into play.)

Nunez walks, but gets caught in a run down on the pick-off move. He's thrown out sliding into second, so there's now one out.

Taylor follows with a ground single to right and Van Horn is back to the mound once again. Pretty soon the Razorbacks are going to go through so many pitchers that they're going to have to start asking for volunteers from the stands.

Dylan Carter, a sophomore from Bentonville West, comes into the game and immediately gets Byrne to fly out to center. He then tosses a pair of two-out strikes to Bishop. He gets Bishop to ground out to Bolton who nearly flips it over Stovall's head, but the second baseman recovers at the last second to get the out and send us into the 7th inning stretch.

7th INNING

(Bottom)

Stovall to lead off as Ben Abeldt comes in to pitch. He drives a grounder hard into the dirt that slowly bounces between third and short. It bounces out of Taylor's glove and Arkansas has a runner on to start the bottom of the 7th.

Jayson Jones then comes in to pinch hit and pops up to center field, keeping Stovall stuck at first. Slavens then watches strike three go by for out No. 2. He disagreed with the call, but clearly it didn't matter.

Wegner hits a grounder to short and it's a close play at first. Arkansas fans wanted to see a replay, but it didn't happen so we move on to the top of the eighth with opportunities to come back beginning to run short for the Razorbacks.

8th INNING

(Top)

Carter is back on the mound for the Hogs and he immediately jumps out to a 1-2 count on Boyers. Boyers fouls a couple off, but Carter is able to get him on a pitch that broke late down low for the strikeout.

Fontenelle gets hit by a pitch and Richardson singles up the middle to put runners at first and second. TCU is running hard on any contact right now.

Grounder to Bolton for the force out and there are two down with runners at second and third. Davis hits a line drive just out of reach of Wegner in left field and it bounces off the wall. Two runs come in and Van Horn is back out on the mound.

It's 13-5 and there's not many people left to consider, but freshman left Sean Fitzpatrick will now try his hand on the mound. Fitzpatrick appears to be a sidearmer.

Fitzpatrick gives up a high bouncing single to short that drives in a run and it's now 14-5 with two outs. That's followed by.heavy line drive to right field by Taylor and it's pretty much just a round of batting practice at this point. TCU now has 17 hits on the night.

Fitzpatrick gets a strikeout on a full count fastball and and mercifully the top of the eighth has finally ended.

8th INNING

(Bottom)

Harold Coll comes in to pinch hit. He gets punched out on a pitch that nearly removed his knee caps as he had to lead out of the way. Looks like they're trying to get this one over with.

Diggs walks on four straight pitches and gets a smathering of applause from the few people left who haven't decided to go home and rest up for the early slate of games tomorrow.

Polk hits a hard liner to right, but Davis charges forward and lays out to barely scoop it up off the turf for the second out of the inning. Bolton then hits a painful sounding roller to third and the Hogs are now three outs away from their first loss of the season.

9th INNING

(Top)

Dossett is now in the game. If math is still my friend, I believe that is eight pitchers now. Bishop greets him with a line drive to left and Boyers draws a walk. Arkansas pitchers have now thrown over 200 pitches as the chants of "Overrated!" pour in from the TCU fans along the third base side.

Dossett manages to strike out Fontenelle for the first out of the inning.

Dossett just hit Richardson up around the head and neck area. He's down and visibly angry while the TCU fans let out a loud boo. However, Silva makes things better for the crowd with a line drive over shortstop that brings in a pair of runs to make it 16-5 on 19 hits.

He battles back by striking out Davis and the Hogs are now one out away from what will surely be an 11-run ninth inning to give us a little extra baseball. Dossett walks Nunez to load the bases and the loud countdown with every pitch as part of the new rule is becoming incredibly annoying. This is one rule that can't be long for the world as it has managed to create confusion and annoyance in only two games.

Silva walks and it's now 17-7. Arkansas will now bring in its ninth pitcher of the game. Now fans will have a chance to sample the pitching prowess of Ben Bybee. He comes in and promptly hits Byrne on his first pitch.

If anyone has ever seen the movie "Major League" and recalls Bob Ueker's character at the beginning of the movie, that's kind of how it feels right now. "Juuuuuuust a bit outside!"

There's a strikeout for Bybee and at 11:29 p.m., four and half hours after the schedule start for this game, the Hogs have finally presumably reached the last half inning of baseball.

9th INNING

(Bottom)

Josenberger strikes out.

Stovall lines out to short.

Jayson Jones of Savannah, Texas, a short jaunt down Fishtrap Road from Windsong Ranch, hits a hard line drive into the left field bleachers and the handful of fans who are left are showing him love with a Hog call.

Slavens flies out and that's a wrap.

TCU 18, Arkansas 6

NOTE: We have finished filming the recap, but because it's so late and they're in a hurry to close down the stadium, we're going to head back to the hotel and we will have it up as soon as possible.

Thank you for your patience.