FAYETTEVILLE, Ark (KATV) — The “OmaHogs” are back.
The No. 3 national seed Arkansas Razorbacks are going to the College World Series for the first time since 2022 after beating the No. 14 national seed Tennessee Volunteers 11-4 Sunday afternoon.
The Razorbacks swept the series against the Vols in their home Super Regional to book a trip to Omaha.
Arkansas continued its hot hitting at the plate after getting 10 hits Saturday afternoon.
Hogs’ left fielder Charles Davalan got the game started with a two-run homer to right field in the third inning.
The Hogs poured it on Tennessee in the fourth.
After a wild pitch by Tennessee’s Brayden Krenzel scored Cam Kozeal, Logan Maxwell opened it up.
With the bases loaded, the Hogs’ right fielder smashed the ball over the left field fence for a grand slam, making it a 7-1 game.
Arkansas continued with another high-scoring inning in the seventh. After an RBI single by Wehiwa Aloy scored Maxwell, Tennessee struggled getting out of the inning.
Tennessee’s pitching staff walked four straight batters in the top of the seventh, two coming with the bases loaded. Arkansas ended up with three runs in the seventh to make it a 10-1 ballgame.
The Volunteers responded quietly in the eighth with an RBI single by Dean Curley. Arkansas wasn’t done, though.
Hogs’ third baseman Brent Iredale hit a solo home run to left center field to match the Volunteers’ run from the previous inning.
Arkansas had a solid afternoon from its pitching staff. Hogs’ ace Gage Wood pitched 3.1 innings and allowed one earned run off three hits. Relief pitcher Cole Gibler entered and pitched 2.2 innings and allowing one hit and striking out four batters. Gibler got the win for the Hogs.
Coach Dave Van Horn rotated three more out of the bullpen to close the game out.
Christian Foutch struck out two batters in the ninth, but allowed a double from Chris Newstrom and then a two-run home run by Tennessee’s Jay Abernathy with two outs to make it 11-4.
Foutch struck out the final batter of the game to spur the late Volunteer comeback and send the Razorbacks to the College World Series.
The Men’s College Baseball World Series begins Friday, June 13, and runs through June 22, or 23 if needed.
