STILLWATER, Okla. – It might be cliché, however the previous adage that offense wins video games whereas protection wins championships has been confirmed once more.

Till Monday evening, Oklahoma State held sway as probably the most intimidating workforce in baseball. By no means earlier than has a bunch of gamers dominated on the plate to such a level that groups up by double-digits nonetheless felt like they have been dropping. 

By means of 4 video games, the Cowboys had but to be held to single digits. Even a purpose of conserving Oklahoma State below 20 appeared a frightening job. 

Saturday’s 20-12 win by Arkansas felt like a miracle from God, and, following an emotional rollercoaster of a recreation Sunday evening leading to a sequence tying 14-10 loss, planning conferences across the All Hogs places of work drifted to soccer protection as a Razorback loss felt inevitable.

Nonetheless, what appeared like an impossibility got here to fruition as Arkansas pulled off a 7-3 stunner in Stillwater and it was 100% about protection – the up, up, down, down, left, proper online game selection. 

The willpower to win led to Razorbacks making performs that not solely defied physics, however required psychological sharpness and preparation that straddled the effective line between genius and insanity.

Phrases

 As spectacular because the play under by third baseman Caden Wallace to take potential OSU runs off the board is, a play that we do not have proved much more spectacular. With runners at first and second, Wallace got here up with a ball hit to an analogous spot the place he rifled a throw to second to gun down Neal McLean. 

Not solely did it require a robust precision throw, however shortstop Jalen Battles needed to know forward of time the ball can be coming to him on a power, which is never the case in that scenario. 

The psychological synchronization and ideal execution was the distinction within the recreation because it made it potential for Arkansas to carry off a rally within the backside of the eighth whereas clinging to a 5-3 lead.

Regardless of the place the ball was hit, pictures that led to runs the whole thing of the regionals for Oklahoma State changed into outs. 

Whereas Zach Gregory stuffed the highlights with internet gems that even included him sacrificing his face into the wall, his locate a tough try at a line drive in Sunday evening’s recreation left him in search of redemption. When the prospect lastly got here within the first, he wasn’t about to cross up the chance.

With that sort of defensive backing, it got here all the way down to one thing nobody had been capable of do towards Oklahoma State all weekend – pitch.

Whereas it wasn’t the final out, Hagen Smith’s emphatic strikeout of Roc Riggio might have been the sweetest pitch within the eyes of Arkansas followers all season as “The Swag of Stillwater” was dropped at his knees.

At that time, it was Smith who turned inevitable.

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