By: Oliver Grigg/ ArkansasRazorbacks.com
The Hogs tagged Longhorn starter Cody Howard, who lasted just two innings on the mound, for six runs on five hits, including a double and two home runs. Kozeal blasted the go-ahead two-run homer in the first inning, his team-leading 19th long ball of the season, before belting a 450-foot three-run homer over the batter’s eye in center in the second, reaching the 20-homer mark for the year and opening Arkansas’ lead to a commanding 6-0 margin in the process.
The Razorback shortstop, who finished Friday’s game with three hits, is now slashing .317/.402/.679 through his 56 games played on the year. His 20 home runs are tied with for fifth most in a single season by an Arkansas player.
After throwing 21 pitches in the bottom of the first inning, Razorback starter Hunter Dietz departed Friday’s ballgame with a bruised shin when he was struck in the right leg by a 105 mph comebacker. The Hogs’ First Team All-SEC left-hander allowed one run on one hit and a pair of walks in his shortened outing on the mound against the Longhorns.
In relief of Dietz, Steele Eaves (2.1 IP, 5 R) and Gabe Gaeckle (6.0 IP, 9 SO) emerged from the bullpen and combined for 8.1 shutout frames with 14 strikeouts to seal Arkansas’ 8-1 win. Gaeckle matched his career long in innings pitched with his six-inning relief outing while also matching his season high in strikeouts with nine, one shy of his career high.
Along with Kozeal’s three-hit game, TJ Pompey (2-for-5, 2B, SB), Nolan Souza (2-for-4, RBI) and Maika Niu (2-for-4, 2B) each finished with multi-hit performances in Friday’s win. Souza drove in a run on a single up the middle in the bottom of the first inning, while Carter Rutenbar and Reese Robinett each collected an RBI in the Razorbacks’ two-run fifth.
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