ARLINGTON, Texas — Arkansas had traffic on the bases. It just couldn’t bring enough runners home.
That proved decisive Saturday night as TCU held off the Razorbacks 5-4 in a top-10 Arkansas vs TCU baseball matchup at Globe Life Field.
The announced crowd of 22,384 set a record for a college game at the Texas Rangers’ stadium.
The Hogs finished 1 for 19 with runners on base and 1 for 13 with runners in scoring position. Those numbers told the story more than any single swing.
Arkansas loaded the bases in both the third and fourth innings but managed only one run in that stretch. Maika Niu’s fielder’s choice in the third brought home Damian Ruiz to cut the deficit to 4-1, yet a larger inning never materialized.
TCU had already built its edge behind Chase Brunson. The center fielder delivered RBI doubles in the first and second innings, helping the Horned Frogs move ahead 4-0.
Rob Liddington added an RBI single in the first, and Cole Cramer later contributed an RBI single in the fourth.
Hunter Dietz made his first career start for the Razorbacks and showed strikeout ability with five in two innings. Still, he allowed four runs on three hits and three walks, throwing 30 strikes in 57 pitches.
Once Arkansas went to the bullpen, the tone changed.
Tate McGuire entered in the fourth inning and retired all 15 batters he faced over five innings. His outing gave the Razorbacks repeated chances to climb back into the game.
They nearly did.
In the fifth, Camden Kozeal scored on a passed ball, and Reese Robinett followed with an RBI double to make it 5-3. Kuhio Aloy then opened the seventh with a 445-foot home run into the second deck in left field, trimming the lead to 5-4.
The Razorbacks put the tying run in scoring position in the eighth when Ruiz walked and advanced on a wild pitch. But Kozeal struck out swinging, and the opportunity slipped away.
Against a steady TCU bullpen that included three scoreless innings from reliever Noah Franco, Arkansas couldn’t deliver the final hit it needed.
The Razorbacks showed power and depth on the mound. What they lacked was one more timely swing.
