FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas pitchers surrendered four home runs through three games, two against Missouri State on Saturday and two more against Oral Roberts in Sunday's early game.
Oral Roberts broke a 12-inning scoreless streak against the Razorbacks at the regional on Summit League player of the year Noah Cummings' solo home run to left field in the fourth inning, and Brent Williams followed with an opposite field shot over the right field wall on the next pitch from Kacey Murphy.
The Razorbacks hit 10 home runs in five games at the once-spacious Hoover Met during the SEC Tournament, but the long ball dried up for the Hogs through the first two games at their home NCAA regional. Chad Spanberger ended Arkansas' 30-inning homerless streak in the seventh inning Sunday with a solo shot against Trevor McCutchin.
Arkansas is 8-9 in games in which it did not hit a home run. The Razorbacks are 36-9 in games in which they hit home runs.
Back to No. 1
Missouri State first baseman Justin Paulsen got his regular No. 1 back for Sunday's late game against the Arkansas Razorbacks.
Paulsen, a 6-foot, 215-pound first baseman, didn't have his normal jersey during Saturday's 5-4 victory over the Universtiy of Arkansas, Fayetteville because of his own slip-up.
"We write our jerseys on the white board in the locker room and I didn't see we were supposed to bring white jerseys," Paulsen said. "So when I got the text saying we were going to wear white jerseys I was like 'Oh man.' So I texted our ops guy and he said 'I've got a jersey for you. It's a size 52.' And I wear a 46. So, yeah, it was a little heavy today."
Paulsen hit a two-run home run in the third inning but he wants his regular jersey back.
"Nah, I'm not that superstitious," Paulsen said. "I prefer the No. 1 over 25 so I think I'll stick with No. 1. Unless we wear white, then I have to be 25."
Missouri State Coach Keith Guttin said the Bears would be in a darker uniform for Sunday's night game so Paulsen could relax.
Playing confident
Missouri State shortstop Hunter Steinmetz said the Bears played loose against No. 12 Arkansas to win Saturday's late winner's bracket game.
"None of us were really tense," said Steinmetz, a sophomore from Springfield, Mo. "We were loose, we were having fun. I think we knew we were going to win that game. We knew we were going to pull it out, so we were confident the entire game."
Alma mater mash
Oral Roberts Coach Ryan Folmar got his first NCAA Tournament victory Saturday with a 14-6 victory over Oklahoma State, his alma mater, in an elimination game.
The Golden Eagles, who entered the regional with a 42-14 record, lost twice to Arkansas at Baum Stadium, by scores of 3-0 and 4-3.
"The bottom line is I've been at ORU for 15 years, so I'm a long time removed from Oklahoma State," Folmar said. "I'm proud of where I'm at. Whether we're playing Arkansas, Oklahoma State or Missouri State, we're just trying to win. ... It's not my win. I didn't get a chance to play. Our kids put it on the line and ended up winning the game. I promise you that wasn't my win."
No base for Luke
Instant replay appeared to show Arkansas' designated hitter Luke Bonfield was hit on the pants leg by a pitch with no outs and Chad Spanberger at first base in the ninth inning of the Hogs' 5-4 loss to Missouri State late Saturday.
Bonfield began to casually head to first base after the pitch, but when home plate umpire Brandon Cooper told him to come back to bat, Bonfield immediately began protesting that he was hit.
"I think what you guys probably all saw, it was pretty self-explanatory," Bonfield said. "I thought it hit me. He obviously didn't. So that's what happened and that's how the game went."
Bonfield struck out on a check swing on the next pitch.
"I need to do better there," Bonfield said. "I definitely let that dictate the rest of the at-bat for me."
Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn hustled onto the field to discuss the call with Cooper.
"I've never really seen Luke react like that before," he said. "So I felt confident that the ball clipped him. The umpire said he didn't see it and didn't hear it. And I said, 'Well, you should have seen it.' And he said, 'I didn't see it or hear it.' There was really nothing we could do at that point. It's his judgement."
Dominic Fletcher grounded into a double play two pitches later to end the game.
Facing Knight
Missouri State's Hunter Steinmetz and Justin Paulsen each turned around Blaine Knight fastballs for home runs during the Bears victory late Saturday over Arkansas.
Stenmetz's home run came on the second pitch of the bottom of the first.
"We knew he had a lot of velocity," Steinmetz said. "In my at-bat, I was up in the count 1-0 and I knew he was going to try to throw a fastball to even the count. I was just looking for fastball and timed one up good."
Paulsen came up in the two hole wanting to duplicate Steinmetz's feat "but he blew me away," he said.
Paulsen launched a deep two-run home run after Steinmetz's single a few yards inside the foul pole in right field in his second plate appearance.
"I was able to adjust and catch up to one," Paulsen said.
Diving grab
Missouri State kept the Razorbacks at bay in Saturday's late game with strong defense in the late going.
Third baseman Jake Burger threw out Jake Arledge with a good stop, and first baseman Justin Paulsen made a strong scoop on a short hop. Then second baseman John Privitera timed his jump perfectly and was horizontal when he hauled in a scorched line drive by Evan Lee.
Key peg
Arkansas left fielder Jake Arledge made one of the best defensive plays at the regional late Saturday when he ranged into the gap in deep left-center to bring in Justin Paulsen's seventh inning single, then wheeled and fired a strike to second baseman Carson Shaddy who tagged Paulsen out on a bang-bang play.
Shaddy spiked the ball after the play since it was the final out of the inning.
"I knew he was a slow runner, a first baseman, I think ... so I knew I had a chance and got it quickly and turned and threw," Arledge said. "So I just went as hard as I could and picked the ball up and threw it as hard as I can. It was a good throw, I guess, and got him out."
Nine-hole ninja
In each of Arkansas' first three games of the regional, the nine hole batter posted the first Razorback hit in the third inning. Third baseman Jack Kenley did it with singles on Friday and Saturday, while outfielder Jake Arledge hit a triple with two outs in the third inning against Oral Roberts on Sunday.
Slump buster?
Grant Koch's fifth inning single against Oral Roberts on Sunday broke the Arkansas catcher out of an 0 for 15 slump that extended to the Razorbacks' 9-2 victory over Mississippi State last Friday at the SEC Tournament.
Koch finished the game 1 for 4 but centered up three of the balls he put into play, much better than his three strikeouts Saturday night.
"I mean he hit two or three balls hard in the game but he had only one hit to show for it," Coach Dave Van Horn said. "I think he lined out to center once and then flew out deep. That ball had a little bit of topspin when it left the bat. We thought it might get out of the park. It kind of sunk at the end, but yeah, it's nice knowing when you get down there in the order there's a guy who can hammer the baseball."
Around the horn
• Arkansas pitchers Josh Alberius and Jake Reindl combined to retire the final 14 Oral Roberts batters in the Hogs 4-3 victory on Sunday. Reindl got outs on all seven batters he faced, including three on strikeouts. Alberius, who picked up the victory while throwing three innings, retired his final seven batters.
• Arkansas Coach Dave Van juggled his lineup again for Sunday's early game, moving catcher Grant Koch to the eight hole, re-inserting Jared Gates back into the lineup at the seven hole and pushing shortstop Jax Biggers all the way up to the five hole. Gates went 1 for 3 and drew a walk.
Sports on 06/05/2017