Credit: Arkansas Razorbacks
FAYETTEVILLE, Ar. (KNWA/KFTA) – With a 2-0 lead and arguably the best pitcher in the country on the mound, Arkansas appeared to be in great shape Saturday night in the NCAA Fayetteville Regional Tournament at Baum-Walker Stadium .
However, things quickly changed just after Razorbacks ace Hagen Smith walked Kansas State’s first two batters in the bottom of the fifth.
The Wildcats would continue to manhandle Smith, hitting while scoring six runs and the stopper was Kaelen Culpepper’s three-run explosion in what became a 7-6 victory over the Razorbacks.
Chuck Ingram and Jaden Parsons both delivered RBI singles with two strikes before a sacrifice fly hit another before Culpepper’s explosion.
Those were three of just five hits Kansas State had in a game in which Arkansas (44-15) had 10.
The victory moved Kansas State (34-24) into Sunday night’s 6 p.m. game against the winner of a 1 p.m. elimination game between Arkansas (44-15) and Southeast Missouri State (35-26).
The Wildcats only need one more win to advance to the Super Regional, while the Razorbacks will now have to win three or the season will come to an end.
It was the most runs given up in any game, let alone an inning, this season by Smith, who entered the contest with a 1.48 ERA.
Arkansas had just taken a 2-0 lead in the top of the fifth with a rally that began with Ty Wilmsmeyer and Peyton Stovall hitting consecutive one-out singles.
Wilmsmeyer and Stovall made a double steal with an error that allowed Wilsmeyer to run home with the first run of the game.
Hudson White’s RBI single pushed that lead to 2-0 and Jared Sprague-Lott followed with a single, but Kansas State starter and winner Jackson Wentworth retired Ben McLaughlin and Wehiwa Aloy to limit the damage.
The Hogs cut into Kansas State’s lead in the top of the seventh after a solo home run by Jared Sprague-Lott to make it a 6-3 game.
Ben Bybee and the Hogs defense hold off the Wildcats with another scoreless frame, and the Razorbacks enter the top of the eighth still trailing by three.
Hudson White manages to cut the lead a little more with an RBI double, but Kansas State limited the damage to that.
The Wildcats extended their lead a little further in the bottom of the eighth when Nick English hit a solo home run to make the score 7-4.
However, Arkansas continued to fight and in the top of the ninth, Peyton Holt hit a two-run bomb to left field to bring the Hogs within one run of the Wildcats.
However, the comeback was not enough for the Hogs to win, as they fell to Kansas State 7-6.
The Hogs had 13 hits in the matchup and stranded 13 runners, while Kansas State had five hits and stranded only two.
The Razorbacks will face Southeast Missouri State in a 1 p.m. elimination game on Sunday at Baum-Walker Stadium.
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