ARLINGTON, Texas — Arkansas didn’t dominate Sunday evening. The Hogs simply endured.
For eight innings at Globe Life Field, the Razorbacks controlled the tempo. In the ninth, that control vanished. And in the 11th, the Hogs calmly took it back.
After surrendering four runs in the top of the ninth, Arkansas answered immediately and then finished the job two innings later, slipping past Texas Tech 6-5 to close its third game of the College Showdown.
The win moved Arkansas to 2-1 on the weekend and guaranteed a winning record in Arlington.
The Razorbacks stay in Texas for a Monday afternoon matchup against Tarleton State. Fans can hear the game on ESPN Arkansas 99.5 in Fayetteville, 95.3 in the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs and 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home.
It was a game defined less by one moment and more by how the Hogs handled several.
Lead Built on Patience, Key Hits
Before the late chaos, Arkansas pieced together a steady performance. Damian Ruiz, batting leadoff for the first time with the program, reached base in every plate appearance.
He went 2 for 2 with four walks, scored twice and added a stolen base.
Ruiz helped ignite a third-inning rally by drawing a walk and later scoring on Maika Niu’s fielder’s choice.
In the fourth, the Razorbacks capitalized on a two-out throwing error by Texas Tech third baseman Connor Shouse that allowed two runs to score.
Arkansas added another in the fifth when Camden Kozeal worked a walk and eventually came home on a two-out double by TJ Pompey, a former Red Raider. That pushed the margin to 4-0.
On the mound, junior left-hander Colin Fisher handled the early innings with efficiency. He gave up just one hit and two walks across five scoreless frames while striking out eight. The Red Raiders didn’t record their first baserunner until the third inning.
Fisher threw 82 pitches, rarely falling behind. Even after issuing a walk in the fifth, he regrouped, recording a strikeout and a pop-up to end his outing.
Reliever James DeCremer preserved the shutout in the sixth, turning a sharp grounder into a double play and stranding a runner at third. Shortstop Carson Brumbaugh contributed twice with throws made off balance to prevent additional damage.
Texas Tech finally scored in the eighth on a sacrifice fly, cutting the deficit to 4-1. Arkansas still carried a three-run cushion into the ninth.
That’s when the rhythm shifted.
Ninth-Inning Drama
The Red Raiders strung together a rally against two of Arkansas’ late-inning arms. Three walks, two hits and a hit batsman flipped the score.
Cooper Dossett issued a bases-loaded walk that forced in a run. After a pitching change, Steele Eaves hit Kyeler Thompson with a pitch, bringing Texas Tech within one. Moments later, Tracer Lopez lined a two-strike offering into left field, putting the Red Raiders ahead 5-4.
It was the first time Arkansas trailed all night.
Instead of unraveling, the Hogs responded quickly.
With one out in the bottom of the ninth, Kozeal fell behind 0-2 against right-hander Will Jordan. On the next pitch he drove a 409-foot home run, tying the game and quieting any lingering doubt in the Arkansas dugout.
Both teams were retired in order in the 10th. Eaves returned for the 11th and worked around a two-out walk, keeping the game even.
That set up the final push.
Small Ball Seals It
Ruiz opened the bottom of the 11th with a single to center field. Ryder Helfrick followed with a base hit to right, allowing Ruiz to advance to third.
With the infield drawn in, Niu lifted a fly ball deep enough to bring Ruiz home, ending the contest.
The Razorbacks didn’t pile on hits in the final frame. They simply executed.
Arkansas finished the night having scored in four different innings and using both power and situational hitting to secure the outcome.
Kozeal’s home run reset the scoreboard. Ruiz’s consistency at the top created opportunities. Niu’s sacrifice fly provided the final margin.
The Hogs learned something about themselves, too. After struggling to close out TCU a night earlier, they corrected course against Texas Tech.
Early mistakes were limited, starting pitching held firm and defensive plays prevented the game from turning sooner.
Sunday wasn’t perfect. It didn’t need to be.
Arkansas proved it can respond when momentum shifts and remain steady in extra innings. In a three-day stretch filled with tight finishes, that steadiness mattered most.
The Razorbacks will try to carry that approach into Monday’s matchup, looking to finish the College Showdown on another strong note.
