TAKING THE LEAD
Arkansas beats Oregon State
OMAHA» Arkansas scored four fifth-inning runs against a faltering Luke Heimlich and moved a step closer to its first national championship in baseball with a 4-1 win over Oregon State in Game 1 of the College World Series finals Tuesday night.
The finals opener, delayed a day because of rain, seemed to have a little bit of everything — a fly ball lost in the sun that went for a ground-rule double, a runner interference call against Oregon State and an overturned foul call on a ball hit down the right-field line.
Then there was the sudden collapse of Heimlich, who looked so good, and then so bad.
After failing to get out of the third inning in both of his previous CWS starts, the Beavers’ ace was in full command while striking out five and limiting the Razorbacks (48-19) to one hit through four innings.
In the fifth, though, the senior left-hander issued a walk, hit two batters, gave up two hits and got a bad break when second baseman and first-round draft pick Nick Madrigal fumbled the ball trying to make a throw.
Arkansas starter Blaine Knight (14-0) went back to the mound with a 4-1 lead, pitched another inning and left having allowed seven hits with six strikeouts. Barrett Loseke and Matt Cronin combined to pitch three scoreless innings of relief.
Kwan returns.
Steven Kwan, Oregon State’s All-Pac 12 center fielder, was in the starting lineup for the first time since injuring his left hamstring June 18. The Cleveland Indians’ fifth-round draft pick had pinch hit in two games and played one inning in the field prior to returning to the lineup Tuesday.
Up next.
Game 2 is Wednesday. The winner of Game 1 has won 11 of the 15 finals since the best-ofthree format began in 2003.