Jalen Battles scored a double in the top of the tenth innings and Arkansas, no. 1, got a three-run deficit to beat Louisiana Tech Friday 9-7 at Love Field in Ruston, La.
The battle of Battles against the Bulldogs auxiliary pitcher, Cade Gibson, apparently jumped an apartment building far beyond the 315-foot wall in the left field. It scored Jacob Nesbit, who ran into a pinch for Charlie Welch after Welch had a knockout to divert from the innings.
Gibson throws three balls straight before Battles strikes. Battles were looking for a fast ball on a 3-1 score.
“I got a hitter score,” Battles said on the Razorback Sports Network radio program. “He made a mistake and I made him pay for it.
“I was expecting a heater. I’m glad he threw one. ‘
Arkansas’ first right-hander Jaxon Wiggins hit the No. 2 and 3 holders of Louisiana Tech, Hunter Wells and Parker Bates to close out the game after Taylor Young reached it with a one-time move. It was Wiggins’ second save this season.
The Razorbacks (11-0) were 7-4 behind after seven overs, but tied the game with an eighth three runs that included just one stroke. Arkansas walked the loaded bases before Zack Gregory was hit by a sheet to force a run and reduce the deficit to 7-5.
Robert Moore follows with a two-run, two-out single to level the game.
Arkansas has trailed by three or more runs for the fifth time this season, also for the fourth consecutive starting weekend. The Razorbacks also won for the fifth time this year when they were trailing in the eighth or ninth innings.
“I think sometimes, when you start winning and coming from behind, you just believe you can come from behind, and well,” Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said. ‘Of course it would be nice to play a little more with the lead, but we did not play well from the (bullpen) tonight.
“It’s nice when things are not going well, that we have enough firepower to come back.”
The 11 consecutive wins are Arkansas’ most to start a season since the 1996 team started 18-0. The Razorbacks have won 15 consecutive games since last season, which is also the longest series since 1996.
Louisiana Tech (8-4) kept the Razorbacks on their toes for much of the game. The Bulldogs scored four runs in the fifth inning against Arkansas frontman Peyton Pallette and Ryan Costeiu, who had to take a 4-3 lead.
Bates, an All-American preseason, had a triple-left campaign against Costeiu to level the game 3-3. Bates succeeded Steele Netterville’s sacrificial fly to the center to give the Bulldogs a 4-3 lead.
Cayden Wallace scored in first place of the sixth to tie the game 4-4, but Louisiana Tech scored another run in sixth place on Jorge Corona’s RBI single to score Manny Garcia and to make the score 5-4.
The Bulldogs scored two more runs to take a 7-4 lead in the seventh, when Ben Brantley struck out a two-run double with Elijah Trest. Both runs were given to Patrick Wicklander, who allowed 3 runs on 6 shots in 1 1/3 innings.
Wicklander made one of the most important defensive games in the game in the sixth inning when he covered the home plate at a pitch to the backstop. Catcher Casey Opitz threw to Wicklander, who marked Brantley out trying to score from the third base with the base loaded.
Wicklander battled Wells moments later to get the runners in the points position. The Bulldogs outscored the Razorbacks 13-9, leaving 11 runners at their base.
Kevin Kopps scored the eighth and ninth innings without points to secure his third win for the Razorbacks. Kopps turned around a hit in both innings and deliberately walked Bates into the eighth run to put on a right-to-right match with Netterville, who won two basic runners-up.
Neither team had a hit, until Matt Goodheart had the two-pointer in the fourth innings to the center-right field in two runs. Goodheart scored Christian Franklin, who made a mistake.
Wallace doubles in the next innings and signs on an RBI single by Brady Slavens to give the Razorbacks a 3-0 lead without playing in the innings. Wallace finishes the match 2 for 3, reaches the base 4 times and scores 3 runs.
“I just think they have nine real players,” Louisiana coach Lane Burroughs said. “It’s a difficult series to navigate.”
Pallette hit 4-plus overs and allowed 2 runs on 2 strokes and 2 runs. He strikes out five.
“He is by far the best arm we have had to deal with all year. It is not even close, ”said Burroughs. ‘He’s a real old man from Friday night. I really like him. ”
Louisiana Tech starter Jonathan Fincher struck out 6 innings and allowed 4 runs on 5 shots and 2 runs, hitting 8.
The Bulldogs struggled with command throughout the game. Louisiana Tech has issued six touchdowns and some relievers, Greg Martinez and Gibson, have hit a total of three batsmen in the last three overs.
“I want our program to be elite, and we had the number 1 program in the country on the ropes and we need someone to act and get closer to us,” Burroughs said. “Right now, that’s what we’re missing. There is too much free at the end of the ball game. ‘