Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Four runs in 8th save Razorbacks
Arkansas finally caught up to Grambling State’s pitchers.
Eric Cole’s two-out liner to right field capped a fourrun eighth inning as the No. 3 Razorbacks rallied to fend off pesky Grambling State 7-6 in front of 8,470 at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock.
Carson Shaddy scored from first on Cole’s hard-hit shot through the right side of the infield, taking advantage of a bobbled ball by right fielder Nick Wheeler.
The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville (25-9) won its sixth consecutive game and improved to 8-1 in North Little Rock.
The Tigers rallied for four runs in the top half of the eighth inning to take a 6-3 lead, but right-hander Daniel Wilson — the seventh of the Tigers’ eight pitchers — failed
to retire any of the four batters he faced.
Junior Ryan Evans, Grambling’s final pitcher, managed to get two outs before giving up Cole’s game-winner.
Grambling ( 16-17) came into Tuesday’s contest with a team ERA of 7.12 and had given up at least eight runs in its past five games, but the Tigers’ use of quantity almost turned into unexpected quality. The Tigers held the Razorbacks to five hits through the first six innings.
Jackson Rutledge (3-0), the third Arkansas pitcher, picked up the victory. Sophomore Matt Cronin worked a perfect ninth inning for the save.
Dominic Fletcher, who led the Razorbacks with three hits, led off the eighth with a double. Jared Gates drove in Fletcher with a single and freshman Casey Martin followed with a single and Shaddy with a walk. Jax Biggers drove in the second run of the inning with a sacrifice fly.