HOUSTON — Arkansas is one win away from advancing to an NCAA Super Regional.
The Razorbacks have an impressive pitching performance to thank for it, too.
Arkansas pitchers Ryne Stanek and Barrett Astin combined to shut out Rice on Saturday night, leading the Razorbacks to a 1-0 win in front of an announced crowd of 3,689 in Reckling Park. Stanek allowed just five hits in seven innings, while Astin retired the final six batters to record Arkansas’ ninth shutout of the season and move the Hogs into the driver’s seat in the Houston Regional.
“Stanek did a tremendous job,” Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said. “I thought that was one of his better outings of the year and it came at the right time. And Barrett came in in a tough situation and does what he does, and that’s throw strikes and make you earn it. I’m proud of those guys for getting after it.”
Stanek (7-4), who hurled a complete game against Charlotte in the Tempe Regional last season, turned in the second strong NCAA Tournament start Saturday. He had solid control of his fastball, mixed in breaking balls, and frustrated Rice’s offense all night.
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“I got to know how the atmosphere was in a regional in a big game (last season) and in a game that was a must win for us,” Stanek said of how his experience in last season’s regional helped him Saturday night. “To handle the pressure a little bit was big for me.”
It didn’t go without some nail-biting moments with Arkansas (41-19) clinging to a lead. For example: the Owls had two runners on base in the fourth, fifth and seventh innings. But each time, Stanek and Arkansas’ defense found a way to buckle down and keep Rice scoreless.
Arkansas — which had a handful of defensive blunders against Sam Houston State — turned a double play to end the fourth inning. Stanek got a pop out and fly out to end the fifth inning. He managed to get another fly ball to center field to end the seventh inning.
“You know you have to go out there and just be on your game from the start,” Stanek said. “Every pitch has to have max focus. And every pitch has to be with a purpose and to a spot and executed well to keep it where it’s at.”
Rice’s inability to come up with clutch at-bats also helped. The Owls, who have endured some similar struggles as the Razorbacks at the plate, went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position Saturday. They are 0-for-17 this week.
“We’ve got to start hitting with runners on base,” Rice coach Wayne Graham said. “That’s all there is to it. You can’t win (otherwise).”
Arkansas did find a way Saturday night, though, despite collecting only two hits.
Arkansas’ only run came in the second inning, when first baseman Dominic Ficociello led off with a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from by Brian Anderson. Two batters later, outfielder Derrick Bleeker hit a sharp grounder off Rice’s Austin Kubitza (6-5) and the ball was misplayed by third baseman Shane Hoelscher.
Ficociello scored on the error and the unearned run proved to be the only one.
“I’m happy I threw well, but I’m not happy with the loss,” Kubitza said of his 7 1/3 innings. “It’s nice to be able to throw well, but I’m not satisfied unless we win.”
Bleeker, who later singled, went 1-for-3 to lead Arkansas. Shortstop Tim Carver — who was thrown out at the plate trying to score in the sixth inning — also went 1-for-3.
“I’ve been in a game where we won 1-0 and got one hit and it was a home run,” Van Horn said, looking back on Arkansas’ struggles. “But that was when I was coaching junior college ball. So I don’t remember one at the four-year level.”
Arkansas’ 1-0 win was its first in the NCAA Tournament since 1989, when the Razorbacks beat Arizona State. It also was Arkansas’ seventh shutout in an NCAA Tournament game and was Van Horn’s 400th win in 10 years with the Hogs.
The Razorbacks now wait for its opponent tonight. Rice (41-18) plays Sam Houston State (39-21) in an elimination game at 1 p.m. The winner will play Arkansas at 6 p.m.
If Arkansas loses tonight, the teams will play a deciding game Monday night.
The Razorbacks put themselves in good position to win a road regional thanks to the pitching performance from Stanek and Astin. But Bleeker said Arkansas knows its work isn’t done.
“It’s nice, but we still have to go out and win because 2-0 doesn’t get you out of a regional,” Bleeker said. “3-0 gets you out of it. So we just have to come out, be ready to play (tonight) and go nine whole innings.”