Although No. 24 Arkansas baseball (28-15, 10-9 SEC) once again demonstrates that since the series sweep victory against No. 13 Alabama (29-14, 10-9 SEC) in Tuscaloosa it can make dramatic comebacks, the Razorbacks do not need to make it a habit to have to overcome early deficits as they had to in Game 1 of the three-game series in Columbia against the Missouri Tigers (20-22, 3-16 SEC), winning 5-4.
Arkansas baseball vs. Missouri: Hunter Dietz was shaky early
In the first inning, Missouri sent a clear, loud message to Arkansas that it was here to pull off an upset. Hunter Dietz, the Razorbacks' ace pitcher, got the start on the mound. He did not, however, look like the team's ace pitcher in the first inning, given that his first few pitches were scorched, surrendering three runs and three hits, two of which were home runs.
Such an unfortunate start for the Hogs runs counter to how they need to perform to win games in this series and in the remaining ones. When the Hogs' starting pitching does not set the tone on the mound, they put intense pressure on their batters to score runs, leading them to swing for the fences in every plate appearance rather than play small ball, which is crucial to their success.
Fortunately for the Razorbacks, Dietz settled in beautifully, delivering six scoreless innings after the first. He moved on to 5-2 on the season, finishing with 7.0 innings pitched, three runs, seven hits, and one walk surrendered, and had eight strikeouts. In the eighth inning, Gabe Gaeckle entered to relieve Dietz. He pitched 1.0 innings, allowed no hits, only one run, one walk, and had three strikeouts. In the final 1.0 innings, Ethan McElvain got the save, holding the Tigers scoreless and permitting only one hit, and produced one strikeout.
Zack Stewart emerges as the Razorbacks' hero
After Missouri held Arkansas scoreless for the first four innings, in the fifth inning, TJ Pompey homered to right-center field to reduce the Tigers' lead to 3-1. In the seventh inning, Carter Rutenbar singled up the middle and drove in Kuhio Aloy and Reese Robinett, tying the game at 3-3. Therefore, just as he delivered for Arkansas against Missouri State in the previous game, he delivered again in Game 1 of this series.
The eighth inning is beginning to be owned by the Hogs. Against Missouri State, Arkansas scored eight runs on its way to a 12-4 victory. Zach Stewart hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning, scoring Nolan Souza, capturing a 5-3 lead. The Tigers scored one run in the bottom of the ninth inning, ending in a 5-4 win for the Hogs in Game 1 of the series.
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