Diamond Hogs defeats Creighton and advances to the super area
The 3rd seed Arkansas razorbacks (45-13, 20-10 SEC) beat Fayetteville's Baum-Walker Stadium 8-3 and the super-regional after 8-3 beating Creighton Bluejays (43-16, 17-4 Big East).
Right-handed Gage Wood matched his own dominant outing after a masterful performance against Creighton’s ace Ace Zach Root on Saturday. The junior completed a career-high 6.0 innings, recording a career-best 13 strikeouts but without hitting.
The only allowed wood is the fourth top when Bluejay shortstop Ben North fired three bombs on the left field wall.
Gabe Gaeckle's relief was excellent as he scored 2.2 innings with seven punches and zero walks on 42 courts.
On the offensive side, the Homelands Parade in Arkansas. Logan Maxwell entered two long balls, while Ryder Helfrick and Justin Thomas Jr. hit one. The pigs only had 3 strikeouts out on the plate.
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The first game:
Gage Wood's days began with a strikeout on a curveball. He used a heater to pull the swing out of two holes in Creighton and gave up one. The plane retired the Blue Jays.
Charles Davalan freezes on a nasty speed force, making him look. Wehiwa Aloy didn't succumb to the inside court as he sent one over the third baseman's head. Logan Maxwell then gave Arkansas a lead with two rounds of OPPO explosions.
A full walk to Ryder Helfrick prompted Creighton's visit. After that, Cam Kozeal fell into a limited doubles.
The second game:
Wood cruised second on just 10 courts. He collected the fourth strikeout and completed the first 1-2-3 frame of the day.
Kuhio Aloy took root on the first court he saw after struggling on the plate yesterday. Brent Iredale took a walk in his bat race before Reese Robinett hit the second baseman's glove at 108 mph. Justin Thomas Jr. was around the corner and smashed his ninth home run into the left midfield, with the Pigs leading 5-0.
The inning ended with Davalan's ground and Wehiwa Aloy's strikeout.
The third round:
Like the second, Wood quickly finished the Blue Jays’ quick work in the third inning. He beat two batsmen and forced a game to keep Creighton organized.
After Maxwell played, Helfrick scored 6-0 and Arkansas shot to the left midfield with lasers. Kozeal doubled the left center and then ranked third on the ground at Kuhio Aloy. Creighton took right-hander Jimmy Burke out of the bullpen to the final.
Burke beat Iredale with pitch but sent the pig back to the canoe after a central field snatch in the smoked Robinett rave.
The fourth game:
Creighton finally countered Wood's dominance in Game 4. After back-to-back strikeouts, Wood allowed a hitter and then marked 6-3 with the first stop left center bomb after a mound visit, Pig. He entered No. 9 strikeout to get out of the frame.
Thomas retired on the line driving straight to the right field, Davalan dropped in the same way, but set to the first base. Wehiwa Aloy walked away but he was thrown at second base to start finishing the game.
Fifth round:
Wood returned to track for the fifth time, winning his 10th night and being organized.
On the second time in the game, Maxwell sent a 422-foot ball on the right wall as a home run. This gave the pigs a 7-3 lead. Helfrick escaped and Kozeal nearly walked away, but a hit on the wall saved the run again. Kuhio Aloy is rooted in the shackles.
The sixth round:
Not to be an echo chamber, but Wood once again dominates the sixth time. In the 91st goal, he listed his third frame 3-pointer and maintained the 13th place in the game to keep the game moving forward.
Iredale was eliminated again to lead the second half of the game. Robinett moved iredale to second base with a nearly hit short strike. Thomas fell in second place, lifting Iredale to third.
Davalan almost home runs, but the ball hits from the top of the right center wall, with the Canadians ranked third. Iredale scored 8-3 in the game, Hogs. Wehiwa Aloy's fly ball leads to a third one.
The seventh round:
Wood's days were finished as right-handed Gabe Gaeckle brought the mound to Arkansas in seventh place. It was no big deal, though, as Gaeker hit two batsmen and pulled out a flight with a 1-2-3 frame.
Creighton made another change to right-hander Noah Klein, who put the pig down.
The Eighth Game:
Gaeckle seems to be back in his preseason form as he strikes out three straight games in the eighth explosion.
Kuhio Aloy won a much-needed single to lead the bottom of the eighth inning. Iredale fell into doubles, but Robinett left. Thomas took root to finish the game.
The ninth round:
Gaeckle needs to win three more games to win and advance to the super game, and catch Bluejay before giving up a single game. The second consecutive singles Blue Jays were around the corner, but Gaeckle bounced back with another swing and missed the game.