Beideleschies keeps Diamond Hogs’ mound momentum going in four-game sweep of WSU

BY DUDLEY E. DAWSON

FAYETTEVILLE – Led by a quartet of starting pitchers filling up the strike zone during the weekend, Arkansas completed a four-game sweep of Washington State University 12-2 on Monday at Baum-Walker Stadium.

Ohio State transfer left hander Landon Beidelschies fired five innings in the win while following fellow Razorback pitchers Gabe Gaeckle, Zach Root and Gage Wood in all going that distance in their opening starts of the 2025 campaign.

Monday’s sweep for Arkansas (4-0) came after 3-2 and 14-2 victories on Friday and a 5-2 win in Saturday’s single contest.

“Just another good start,” Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn said. “Four in a row. Five innings. I think Landon pitched outstanding. I think he got a little tired there in the fifth.

“I mean, between the early in the season and the temperatures, what more could we ask from our pitchers? I think we walked five on the weekend. Maybe hit a couple, so we didn’t give them much. Just a super job there.”

Arkansas plated 5 runs in the fourth inning, 6 in the fifth and one in the sixth to end the game via the run rule in the top of the seventh.

Kuhio Aloy hit his second home run of the season on Monday while Carson Boles and Wehiwa Aloy both had two hits each as the Razorbacks outhit the Cougars 10-6.

Brent Iredale, who hit .467 during the weekend, got his team-leading ninth RBI when he got hit in the sixth.

“Good job by the offense kicking into gear there in the middle of the game,” Van Horn said. “ Put a lot of pressure. Strung together some hits. Got some walks. I mean, we took advantage of 11 walks today.

“They hadn’t walked us, really, the first three games. I think they got a little short on their pitching, and we did what we needed to do.”

Washington State head coach Nathan Choate was disappointed that his team failed to get a win on the weekend, especially falling 3-2 in 10 innings in the first game despite taking a 2-1 lead in the top of the 10th.

“I thought on Friday we played really good in Game ,” Choate said. “Obviously we didn’t close it out. I thought we played pretty good on Saturday as well. Both the second game on Friday and the middle innings of this game, we gave up those crooked numbers and it kind of got out of hand.

“I don’t think we did a good job getting it stopped. I think it shows when we play good baseball we can play with anybody, but really we beat ourselves in a couple of those innings so we just need to clean that stuff up.”

The two teams took off Sunday due to the weather.

Arkansas has the opportunity to throw 13 different pitchers during the series with the group combining for 37 strikeouts and walking just five.

Ben Bybee and freshman Cole Gibler followed Beidelschies to the mound on Monday.

“I’m glad we got the game in (Monday),” Van Horn said. “We had a couple more guys we really wanted to throw. Cole Gibler got to come in to pitch an inning. I would have liked to see Bybee, maybe another inning.

“Maybe had a guy or two down there that we were, you know, Colin Fisher jumps out at me. He was a guy we really wanted to get an inning. Been throwing the ball pretty good, but he’ll get some time here shortly. So, it was a really good weekend for us.”

Beidelschies was pleased with his performance on a chilly afternoon.

“First time out, it’s cold outside,” Beidelschies said. “Maybe the fastball isn’t going to be where you want it to be, but I promise the hitters don’t want to be in the box either.

“I was just trying to fill up the strike zone. Cutter is my pitch and threw a lot of those pretty good, had that working pretty good. Overall, just trying to throw strikes and do what the other three starters did before me.”

He was hoping to follow up the other three starters in similar fashion.

“You wouldn’t have it any other way,” Beidelschies said. “The expectation is what it is. The fact that everybody is performing and exceeded their expectation is pretty impressive to me. You know, it’s the old saying, ‘iron sharpens iron,’ and that’s exactly how our pitching staff is. Everybody just kind of feeds off each other.

“We could easily be butting heads, but everyone has the same common goal and we all try to do the same stuff, it doesn’t matter who it is.”

Choate sized up Beidelschies’ performance.

“I thought he was okay,” Choate said. “ I mean, I thought he did a good job changing speeds. Their whole pitching staff as a whole is really, really good, and so you’ve got to tip your cap.

“I mean, did a good job. We didn’t score off him, so if I’m not complimentary, I think there’s probably something wrong with me. But yeah, he did a good job.”

Arkansas will return to action next Friday at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.

The Razorbacks will face Kansas State Friday at 7, TCU Saturday at 6 and Michigan Sunday at 11 a.m.

That means one of the four starters will be coming out of the bullpen.

“I mean, I’ve done it before,” Beidelschies said. “That decision has yet to be made. I don’t take for granted any opportunity to put the jersey on and pitch for the Hogs, so whatever happens, I’m excited to keep going.”

Van Horn echoed the sentiment that the decision on starters for next weekend is yet to be determined.

“We haven’t figured that one out yet, Van Horn said. “I mean, obviously we only play three games, we start three games, next week, so we’ll just have three starters.

“But I thought all four of our starters threw well. Like I said, we got four games, we got 20 innings from our starters, five by each one. Kept them all under 80 pitches, 70 in some cases. Who knows how it’s going to end up, it’s just the beginning of the year, but they all did a great job.”

Photo by John D. James