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Zach Root and Gabe Gaeckle combined to hold Tennessee to just 2 hits in a 4-3 Arkansas win on Saturday to open the Fayetteville Super Regional.
Root was dominant at times, even a little unhinged. The Razorbacks fed off it. Tennessee had no answer for his heat or his emotion. The Arkansas starter worked a no-hitter through the first 4 innings of the game and finished with 6 strikeouts. He did get tagged for a 2-run home run in the top of the fifth that briefly gave the Vols a lead, but he got a double-play from his defense to end a fiery sixth scoreless and quell the momentum.
Tennessee’s Andrew Fischer hit a solo shot off Gaeckle in the top of the ninth to claw back within a single run of the Razorbacks, but Gaeckle ended the day on a swinging strikeout. Gaeckle earned his second save of the season after giving up 1 hit and 1 earned run with 2 punchouts in 2 innings of work.
Arkansas struck first in the second inning when a wild pitch brought a runner home. The Razorbacks answered Tennessee’s 2-run fifth with a 2-run spot of their own in the bottom of the frame. Ryder Helfrick took the first pitch of his at-bat over the left field wall to score 2 and put the Hogs back on top.
A 2-out single from Charles Davalan in the bottom of the sixth scored Brent Iredale and gave the Razorbacks an insurance run.
That proved to be the difference.
Game 2 will take place on Sunday, with superstar Tennessee pitcher Liam Doyle set to take the mound for the Vols. Tennessee, last year’s College World Series winner, needs a victory to force a winner-take-all Game 3. First pitch in Game 2 is set for 3 p.m. ET.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
