Razorbacks recover late, defeat Texas Tech in 11 innings

ARLINGTON, Texas — For a few tense minutes Sunday night, Arkansas watched a steady performance slip away.

Then the Razorbacks calmly rebuilt it.

A three-run advantage disappeared in the ninth inning, but the Hogs didn’t let the game unravel. Camden Kozeal’s two-strike home run forced extra innings, and two frames later Damian Ruiz crossed the plate on Maika Niu’s sacrifice fly to secure a 6-5 win over Texas Tech at Globe Life Field.

The result gave Arkansas a 2-1 mark at the College Showdown and locked in a winning weekend in Arlington. The Razorbacks remain in town to face Tarleton State on Monday afternoon.

What unfolded wasn’t smooth, but it was revealing.

Arkansas leaned on consistency at the top of the lineup. Batting leadoff for the first time with the program, Ruiz reached base in all six plate appearances. He finished 2 for 2 with four walks, two runs and a stolen base.

His patience set the tone in the third inning. Ruiz worked a walk, advanced on Ryder Helfrick’s single and scored on Niu’s fielder’s choice to open the scoring.

In the fourth, the Razorbacks stretched the lead with help from a defensive mistake. With two outs and the bases loaded, Helfrick hit a ground ball to third. Connor Shouse fielded it cleanly but threw wide of first base, allowing two runs to score and pushing Arkansas ahead 3-0.

The Hogs added another run in the fifth. Kozeal drew a walk and later came home when former Texas Tech infielder TJ Pompey doubled with two outs, extending the margin to 4-0.

Junior left-hander Colin Fisher controlled the early innings. He worked five scoreless frames, allowing just one hit and two walks while striking out eight.

Texas Tech didn’t record its first baserunner until a one-out single in the third inning. Fisher threw 82 pitches across five innings and stayed efficient throughout, mixing strikeouts with quick outs.

Even after issuing a walk in the fifth, he regrouped to strike out Robin Villeneuve and induce a pop-up to end his night.

Reliever James DeCremer kept the shutout intact in the sixth. After allowing a single and a walk, he fielded a sharp grounder and started a pitcher-to-shortstop-to-first double play. Shortstop Carson Brumbaugh later made a strong throw off balance to strand another runner.

Texas Tech broke through in the eighth with a sacrifice fly from Tracer Lopez, trimming the deficit to 4-1. Arkansas still carried a three-run lead into the ninth.

The Red Raiders capitalized on command issues in the ninth. Three walks, two hits and a hit batsman turned a comfortable lead into a 5-4 deficit.

Cooper Dossett issued a bases-loaded walk that forced in one run. After Steele Eaves entered, Kyeler Thompson was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Lopez followed by lining a two-strike pitch into left field, giving Texas Tech its first lead of the night.

Arkansas had trailed for only moments when Kozeal stepped to the plate in the bottom half.

Facing a two-strike count against Will Jordan, Kozeal drove a 409-foot home run over the wall to tie the game at 5-5. The swing erased the deficit instantly and restored energy to the Arkansas dugout.

Both teams were retired in order in the 10th inning. Eaves returned to the mound in the 11th and worked around a two-out walk to keep the score even.

Ruiz then started the decisive rally. He singled to center to open the bottom of the 11th and advanced to third on Helfrick’s base hit to right.

Niu followed with a fly ball deep enough to score Ruiz, ending the contest.

Arkansas didn’t overwhelm Texas Tech late. It executed.

The Razorbacks combined patience, power and situational hitting to regain control after a sudden setback. Ruiz’s ability to reach base consistently gave the lineup flexibility. Kozeal’s home run shifted momentum. Niu’s sacrifice fly finished the job.

Sunday’s win wasn’t built on one dominant stretch. It was shaped by responses — to pressure, to mistakes and to a late deficit.

The Hogs now turn their focus to Monday’s matchup, aiming to build on a night that tested both composure and resilience.

Key Takeaways

• Composure in Extras: Arkansas regrouped after losing the lead and executed in the 11th inning.
• Ruiz at the Top: Six times on base helped generate steady offensive pressure.
• Fisher’s Foundation: Five scoreless innings set up control before the ninth-inning rally.