Arkansas clinches series at Vanderbilt with 6-4 win in 10 innings

BY DUDLEY E. DAWSON

Now that the series is clinched, a Nashville sweep can be dreamed about overnight.

Cam Kozeal’s two-run homer, Justin Thomas’ solo blast and two perfectly executed bunts were among the highlights as Arkansas downed Vanderbilt 6-4 in 10 innings on Saturday,.

Aiden Jimenez (3-0) also pitched great in relief as the No. 3 Razorbacks (25-3, 7-1) assured themselves of the first series win in Nashville since 2010.


“It feels good to win the series and have a chance to win all three at Vandy,” Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn said. “I’ve never done that, one of my teams. It’s tough to win a series here, it’s tough to win a game here.

“Hats off to the players. A lot of guys contributed.”

It also handed the Commodores (20-7, 4-4) their second straight home loss after winning 16 straight before Arkansas’ 9-0 win on Friday night.

“It was just a really good win for the team,” e Van Horn. “Last night’s game, you know on paper it looks like we blew them out, but we really didn’t. It was a lot closer game than the final score (indicated).

“Today we knew it was going to be a dogfight. We got to a two-run lead, but we left some runners out there. We just didn’t get that big two-out hit that could have doubled it or even extended it.

“We knew they were going to come back and they did. Just a well-played game by both teams.”
The Commodores rallied from 2-0 and 3-2 deficits to force the extra inning.

Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin was not surprised this team got back in after not scoring for the series’ first 13 innings.

“As the game got closer, I felt like we were going to win, and I think the kids did too,” Corbin said. “But, you know, you get into a situation like that at the end, you’ve got to take care of the ball, and if you don’t take care of the ball, then a good team like that’s going to take advantage of it. And they did.”

Arkansas immediately positioned itself to win in the top of the 10th as Wehiwa Aloy reached on an error and Logan Maxwell singled him to third.

Kuhio Aloy fanned for the first out of the frame, but Brent Iredale’s RBI single gave Arkansas a 4-3 advantage.

Kozeal, a Vanderbilt transfer who has three home runs, five hits and eight RBIs so far this weekend in his return to Nashville, then went small ball on his old team.

Kozeal and Ryder Helfrick both bunted in runs to make it 6-3.

Vanderbilt would bring the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the 10th, but Jimenez shut the door to hand his team the win.

Arkansas starter Gabe Gaeckle pitched 5 2/3 innings while allowing two runs on six hits, fanning seven and not walking a batter.

Carson Wiggins got the final out of the sixth before giving up the tying run in the seventh.

In between that, Thomas launched a homer to put Arkansas up 3-2 in a game and weekend so far where it has not trailed.

Jimenez worked out of a Wiggins’ jam in the seventh and then finished off the final three inning while allowing one run on three hits, striking out four and not walking anyone.”

Photo courtesy of Razorbacks Communications