Jalen Battles hit a two-race home run at the top of the tenth entry and No. 1 Arkansas recovered from a three-race deficit at the end of the season to beat Louisiana Tech 9-7 on Friday at Love Field in Ruston , Louisiana.
The Battles homer against Bulldog substitute pitcher Cade Gibson appeared to bounce off an apartment building well beyond the 315-foot wall in the left field. He scored Jacob Nesbit, who was racing for Charlie Welch after Welch had a double-hit to open the inning.
Gibson threw three straight balls before Battles took a hit. Battles was looking for a fastball in a 3-1 count.
“I arrived at a hitter’s count,” said Battles on Razorback Sports Network’s post-game radio show. “He made a mistake and I made him pay for it.
“I was expecting a heater. I’m glad he played one. “
Right-handed Arkansas freshman Jaxon Wiggins eliminated Louisiana Tech No. 2 and 3 hitters Hunter Wells and Parker Bates to end the game after Taylor Young caught up with a walk. It was Wiggins’ second defense this season.
The Razorbacks (11-0) lost 7-4 after seven starts, but tied the game with an eighth game of three races that included just one hit. Arkansas walked through the bases full before Zack Gregory was hit by a pitch to force a run and narrow the gap to 7-5.
Robert Moore followed up with a single of two races and two eliminated to tie the game.
Arkansas has recovered from a deficit of three or more races for the fifth time this season, including for the fourth consecutive weekend opening. The Razorbacks also won for the fifth time this year, losing in the eighth or ninth place.
“I think sometimes when you start winning and come from behind, you just believe that you can come from behind and you can do it,” said Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn. “Obviously, it would be nice to play a little more with the lead, but we didn’t perform well outside the (bullpen) tonight.
“It is good when things are not going well that we have enough firepower to be able to go back.”
The 11 consecutive wins are Arkansas’ most wins to start a season since their 1996 team started with 18-0. The Razorbacks have won 15 consecutive games since last season, which is also the longest streak since 1996.
Louisiana Tech (8-4) kept the Razorbacks on high for most of the game. The Bulldogs scored four runs in the fifth round against Arkansas titleholder Peyton Pallette and appeaser Ryan Costeiu to take the 4-3 lead.
Bates, a pre-season All-American, had a triple of two runs to the left against Costeiu to tie the game 3-3. Bates scored on Steele Netterville’s sacrifice to fly to the center to give the Bulldogs a 4-3 lead.
Cayden Wallace homered at the top of the sixth to tie the game 4-4, but Louisiana Tech pushed another run at the bottom of the sixth on Jorge Corona’s RBI single to score Manny Garcia and make the score 5-4.
The Bulldogs scored two more runs to take the 7-4 lead in seventh place, when Ben Brantley hit a two-race single with two knockouts against Elijah Trest. Both races were charged to Patrick Wicklander, who allowed 3 runs out of 6 hits in 1 1/3 innings.
Wicklander made one of the game’s most important defensive moves in the sixth inning, when he covered the home plate in a shot to the backstop. Catcher Casey Opitz launched for Wicklander, who eliminated Brantley trying to score from third base with loaded bases.
Wicklander eliminated Wells moments later, leaving the runners in goal. The Bulldogs overcame the Razorbacks by 13-9, but left 11 runners at the base.
Kevin Kopps launched the eighth and ninth goalless entries to win his third victory for the Razorbacks. Kopps bypassed a hit on both entrances and intentionally ran over Bates in the eighth to set up a fight from right to right with Netterville, who stopped to arrest two base runners.
Neither team hit Matt Goodheart’s home run to the center-right field in the fourth round. Goodheart scored Christian Franklin, who missed.
Wallace doubled on the next hit and scored on an RBI single by Brady Slavens to give Razorbacks a 3-0 lead with no inning outs. Wallace finished the game 2 to 3, reached the base 4 times and scored 3 runs.
“I just think they have nine real hitters,” said Louisiana coach Lane Burroughs. “It is a difficult line to navigate.”
Pallette threw more than 4 entries and allowed 2 runs in 2 strokes and 2 walks. He hit five.
“He is by far the best arm we have faced all year. It’s not even close, ”said Burroughs. “He’s a real Friday night guy. I really like him.”
Louisiana Tech holder Jonathan Fincher threw 6 entries and allowed 4 runs in 5 strokes and 2 walks, and eliminated 8.
The Bulldogs struggled with the command throughout the game. Louisiana Tech issued six strides and a pair of relievers, Greg Martinez and Gibson, combined to hit three hits on the final three entries.
“I want our program to be elite and we had program # 1, the country team on the ropes and we need someone to move forward and be our closest,” said Burroughs. “At the moment, that’s what we’re missing. Many goodies right there at the end of the game. “