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Kjerstad’s homer in bottom of ninth gives Hogs series win over South Alabama

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FAYETTEVILLE — With two outs in the ninth inning Sunday, Arkansas got a two-out homer from Heston Kjerstad for a 5-3 victory in Sunday’s series finale against South Alabama at Baum-Walker Stadium.

The two-run bomb was Kjerstad’s sixth of the year and marked Arkansas’ first walk-off win of 2020. It is the first walk-off homer for the Razorbacks since James McCann’s against LSU on April 9, 2011.

Kjerstad’s 353-foot dinger came with two outs in the ninth, as Christian Franklin kept the inning alive with a first-pitch single through the left side of the infield to bring up the Amarillo, Texas, junior.

Facing a 2-2 count, Kjerstad uncorked a pitch over the right field wall to put a bow on a series win for the Razorbacks (9-5). Franklin (three) and Kjerstad (two) made up five of Arkansas’ six hits in the game, with junior outfielder Braydon Webb tallying the other knock.

Junior right-handed pitcher Kole Ramage started Sunday’s contest against the Jaguars, going three innings with three runs allowed on six hits, walking one and striking out four.

He gave way to RHP Elijah Trest, who entered with the game tied at three in the fourth. He tossed three scoreless, racking up four strikeouts with two walks and a hit batter.

Another righty, Zebulon Vermillion took over in the seventh with the game still tied at three. He worked three shutout frames of his own, striking out six, earning his first win of the year in the process.

The duo of Trest and Vermillion did not allow a hit beyond the fourth inning of Sunday’s game.

For the third time in the series, South Alabama struck first with a run in the opening frame. Ethan Wilson sent a one-out single to left-center field, moved to second on a wild pitch, then scored on a single from Reid Powers made it a 1-0 game.

The Hogs got the run back in the bottom half of the inning thanks to a leadoff triple to right field from Franklin, followed by a sacrifice fly to deep left field from Matt Goodheart to even the score.

After a scoreless second inning, the Jags added two runs in the third to take a 3-1 lead. An RBI triple from Kaleb DeLaTorre, plus an RBI groundout from Dakota Dailey put South Alabama ahead by two.

Once again, Arkansas answered with two of its own in the home half of the third to knot it up at three.

Franklin smacked a solo homer 382 ft. and over the left field wall to make it 3-2, then a two-out single with runners on the corners from Webb brought in Kjerstad from third to bring the score to 3-3.

The two sides played five shutout frames before Kjerstad’s walk-off home run in the ninth inning.

The Razorbacks continue their six-game home stand with a two-game set against Grand Canyon with the Hogs’ first night-time game, starting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.

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2024 Razorbacks Football

Thu, Aug 29vs UAPB (Little Rock)W, 70-0
Sat, Sep 7@ Oklahoma StateL, 31-39 2OT
Sat, Sep 14vs UABW, 37-27
Sat, Sep 21@ AuburnW, 24-14
Sat, Sep 28vs Texas A&M (Arl)L, 21-17
Sat, Oct 5vs TennesseeW, 19-14
Sat, Oct 19vs LSUL, 34-10
Sat, Oct 26@ Mississippi StateW, 58-25
Sat, Nov 2vs Ole MissL, 63-35
Sat, Nov 16vs Texas11:00 AM
Sat, Nov 23vs Louisiana TechTBD
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Sat, Nov 30@ MissouriTBD
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2024 High School Rankings

Following is the Arkansas Sports Media High School Football Poll including the Overall Top 10, the top five in Classes 7A, 6A, 5A, 4A, 3A and 2A, plus the top three in the 8-man division, as voted by a panel of sports media from around the state for the week ending August 24. Ranking is given with first-place votes received, records, total points and ranking from last week's poll:
OVERALLRecordPtsPrv
1.Bryant (18)8-02521
2.Conway (6)8-02302
3.Greenwood (2)8-02103
4.Little Rock Parkview7-11714
5.Bentonville5-31416
6.Benton7-11265
7.Fayetteville6-21008
8.Pulaski Academy6-2757
9.Rogers5-3459
10.Shiloh Christian6-24010
Others receiving votes: Marion 13, Valley View 9, Joe T Robinson 8, Mountain Home 4, Cabot 3, Elkins 3.
CLASS 7A
1.Bryant (20)8-01241
2.Conway (6)8-01052
3.Bentonville5-3753
4.Fayetteville6-2455
5.Pulaski Academy6-2354
Others receiving votes: Rogers 5.
CLASS 6A
1.Greenwood (26)8-01301
2.Benton7-11022
3.Shiloh Christian6-2713
4.Marion7-1524
5.Mountain Home7-131
Others receiving votes: Little Rock Catholic 4.
CLASS 5A
1.Little Rock Parkview (23)7-11271
2.Joe T Robinson7-1902
3.Valley View (3)8-0803
4.Hot Springs Lakeside7-1484
5.Farmington7-130
Others receiving votes: Camden Fairview 4, Maumelle 4, Morrilton 3, Greenbrier 2, Harding Academy 1.
CLASS 4A
1.Elkins (19)8-01161
2.Arkadelphia (5)6-2792
3.Little Rock Mills (1)8-0703
4.Warren6-2404
5.Malvern (1)8-0315
Others receiving votes: Dardanelle 22, Southside Batesville 11, Mena 8, Bauxite 7, DeWitt 4, Highland 2.
CLASS 3A
4.Bismarck (15)8-01054
5.Fordyce (4)8-0765
Prescott (3)7-1531t
1.Osceola (2)6-149
3.Mayflower (1)8-036
Others receiving votes: Booneville (1) 31, Rivercrest 19, Mansfield 14, Charleston 4, Rison 3.
CLASS 2A
1.Carlisle (21)8-01211
2.Conway Christian (4)8-01042
3.Des Arc7-1663
4.Bigelow (1)6-2455
5.Murfreesboro6-230
Others receiving votes: Marked Tree 10, Mineral Springs 6, Junction City 5, Cross County 1, Mount Ida 1, Poyen 1
8-MAN SANCTIONED
1.Strong-Huttig (25)5-0761
2.Midland (1)7-0502
3.Cedar Ridge7-1253
Others receiving votes: Rector 5.

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ESPN ARKANSAS 99.5 IN FAYETTEVILLE, 95.3 IN THE RIVER VALLEY, 96.3 IN HOT SPRINGS, 104.3 IN HARRISON-MOUNTAIN HOME.