Root shoves in Arkansas' Game 1 win vs. Tennessee

The No. 3-seed Arkansas Razorbacks (47-13, 20-10 SEC) are one win away from playing in the College World Series after defeating the 14-seed Tennessee Volunteers (46-18, 16-14 SEC) on Saturday, 4-3, at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville.

Ace Zach Root was excellent in 7.0 innings pitched, as he held the Volunteers to one hit and struck out six batters with only two walks. Tennessee scratched off two runs while Root was on the mound with a two-run homer in the top of the fifth.

Bullpen righty Gabe Gaeckle relieved Root in the eighth and finished the final two innings with two strikeouts, no walks and one hit allowed — a solo blast by Andrew Fischer.

Offensively, the Diamond Hogs finished 10-for-32 at the plate with multi-hit days from Charles Davalan, Logan Maxwell and Brent Iredale. Ryder Helfrick's two-run bomb gave Arkansas the lead in the bottom of the fifth and the Razorbacks struck out seven times.

First Inning:

In front of a ravenous crowd at Baum-Walker Stadium, Arkansas ace Zach Root started his Super Regional outing with a first-pitch, ground ball out. Root's second pitch? A caught flyball in center field. He completed a six-pitch first frame with a nasty hammer curve for a strikeout.

Charles Davalan watched four outside pitches pass him by to leadoff the bottom of the first with a walk. Wehiwa Aloy got behind 0-2 quickly and was retired on a flyball in right field. On the very next pitch, Davalan stole second base. Logan Maxwell slapped a ball right off the shortstop's glove, which resulted in an infield single. The promising inning came to an end after Ryder Helfrick grounded into a double play.

Second Inning:

Using his mid 90s fastball, Root struckout Tennessee's leadoff man in the second. Root's curveball drew a weak swing for a simple groundout, then another groundball to Cam Kozeal and subsequent throw to first base capped the frame.

Speaking of Kozeal, he went down 0-2 but battled back with a center field single to leadoff the Hogs' half of the inning. Then Kuhio Aloy went down 0-2, but reached first base with a swinging bunt down the third base line.

Brent Iredale got ahead 3-1, missed a chest-high fastball and watched another chest-high fastball to strike out looking. After a called ball to Reese Robinett, some chirping from Tennessee's dugout earned coach Tony Vitello a warning. Robinett grounded out and advanced both runners for Justin Thomas Jr.

The second pitch to Thomas bounced a few feet away from the dish, and Kozeal used a fantastic jump at third base to score at home, which gave Arkansas a 1-0 lead. Thomas struck out to cap the inning.

Third Inning:

A well-hit ball up the middle found the glove of Kozeal, who was shifted over and finished the play for out No. 1. Wehiwa Aloy fielded the next groundball somewhat deep in the six-hole, but a good pick at first base retired the batter. The third out came via a flyball to Maxwell in right field.

Davalan sent an 0-1 pitch into right field for a leadoff single. Wehiwa Aloy went down swinging at an 0-2 slider. Maxwell also got down 0-2, but after multiple throw-overs to first base, Arkansas' three-hole sent a changeup up the middle for a base hit. After a Helfrick hit-by-pitch, the bases were loaded for Kozeal, who grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Fourth Inning:

For the second time of the game, Tennessee leadoff man Gavin Kilen grounded out to start an inning. Root then faced Andrew Fischer, who got ahead 3-1, then swung and missed at back-to-back high-cheddar fastballs for a K. A flyball caught at the wall retired the Vols in order.

Kuhio Aloy headed back to the dugout after a first-pitch groundout, but Iredale singled to give the Hogs a baserunner. After a failed bunt attempt, Robinett went down swinging on a 95 MPH fastball. Iredale stole second, but was stranded on a Thomas groundout.

Fifth Inning:

A hard hit ball bounced off Robinett's glove at first and rolled into foul territory for an error, and Tennessee had its first baserunner of the game. In a 3-2 count, Dean Curley sent a ball into the jet stream for a two-run homer. Tennessee then led 2-1.

Root fought back to record two outs, a strikeout and groundout, before getting a called strike three to end the frame.

Davalan was retired for the first time in the fifth, a groundout to first. Wehiwa Aloy followed that up with a hard-hit groundout of his own before Maxwell worked a four-pitch walk. With two outs, Helfrick handed the Hogs the lead right back with a two-run shot that just went over the left-field wall. Kozeal struck out looking to end the inning.

Sixth Inning:

Despite a late jump in right field, Maxwell made an easy catch for out No. 1. Root just missed on back-to-back balls to walk a batter. After getting down 3-0 to Fischer, Root fought back and drew a groundout to end the frame.

Kuhio Aloy's weak groundout started the bottom of the sixth, but Iredale backed him up with a left-field single. That prompted a Tennessee pitching change to lefty Dylan Loy, who allowed a first-pitch single to Robinett. That forced another pitching change to righty Brayden Krenzel.

Thomas made solid contact, but it was caught for the out in right field. For the third time in the inning, Tennessee called upon a new pitcher, this time lefty Brandon Arvidson. Davalan immediately made Tennessee pay for that decision, as the Canadian slapped a slider into left field to drive in a run and make it 4-2, Hogs.

A hard-hit ball was nearly a homer for Wehiwa Aloy, but a stellar catch at the wall ended the inning.

Seventh Inning:

Root took the mound again for Arkansas in the seventh. He only needed three pitches to strikeout the Vols' leadoff batter. Robinett handled a groundball at first base for the second out. After a four-pitch walk, Root drew a first-pitch swing for a flyball out.

Maxwell grounded out on a bunt attempt to start the bottom of the seventh, then Helfrick watched strike three for out No. 2. Kozeal grounded out for Arkansas' first 1-2-3 frame of the game.

Eighth Inning:

Bullpen righty Gabe Gaeckle's name was called upon for Arkansas in the eighth, and he quickly got two outs with a strikeout looking and groundout to third base. The third out of the frame was a high popup to Davalan in left field.

Tennessee turned to right-hander Tanner Franklin in the eighth. He retired Kuhio Aloy with one pitch, a hard-hit grounder to first base unassisted. Iredale struck out looking on an outside offspeed pitch. Robinett grounded out back to Franklin on the mound to end the inning.

Ninth Inning:

Tennessee had its top three hitters up in the ninth, but Gaeckle got leadoff man Kilen to foulout for out No. 1. Tennessee made it 4-3, Hogs, after Fischer homered to right field. A huge 2-0 groundout put the Hogs one out away from the win, and Gaeckle did just that with a strikeout.