Arkansas catcher Ryder Helfrick entered Friday night’s game against Auburn as a defensive replacement, but the catcher made a massive statement with his bat.
Helfrick gave the Razorbacks a 6-5 lead in the top of the ninth inning with a towering home run that soared over the 37-foot left field wall at Plainsman Park in Auburn. The true freshman turned on a 90-mph fastball from pitcher John Armstrong and sent it more than 400 feet.
A video of the towering shot went viral.
Arkansas had a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth to seal the 6-5 victory.
Helfrick was the unexpected star of the Razorbacks' game. In addition to hitting a moonshot that turned out to be the game-winner, he also threw out Auburn’s leadoff hitter at second in the bottom of the eighth inning.
No. 1 Arkansas will go for the series sweep over Auburn on Saturday.
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