Arkansas pulled off a wild comeback against Nebraska to win the Fayetteville Regional and punch their ticket to the Super Regional. The game was tied 2-2 in the bottom of the eighth with Nebraska just one out away from sending it to the ninth. Arkansas outfielder Chris Franklin worked a long at-bat, fouling off multiple pitches and eventually drawing a walk. That kicked off a meltdown on the mound for Nebraska. The next batter also walked, followed by two more straight balls to the next hitter. The Arkansas crowd started counting each ball aloud, adding pressure with each pitch. Nebraska’s coach pulled the struggling pitcher mid-count and brought in Jake Buns, who immediately threw two more balls, making it nine straight.
Arkansas pinch hitter Charlie Welch stepped in with the bases loaded. He was already 7-for-11 on the season in pinch-hit appearances. A wild pitch on the first offering let the go-ahead run score, giving Arkansas its first lead of the game. The crowd erupted, and Welch’s at-bat kept the momentum going. The energy in the stadium peaked as Arkansas closed the inning and held on to win. It was a dramatic finish in front of a fired-up home crowd and a reminder of just how intense college baseball can be in the postseason.