Arkansas' first step to College World Series powered by Omaha kid

"We got a couple of big hits," Van Horn said. "Or should I say Cam did. That was the difference in the game."

The second baseman got a third of the team's nine hits, and finished the day just a triple shy of the cycle.

For Kozeal, he's from Omaha, Neb., the place that all 64 teams in the NCAA Tournament want to ultimately end up for the College World Series.

It's only fitting that he played the pivotal role in the Razorbacks' first step.

His first regional experience didn't go well. As a freshman at Vanderbilt, the Commodores went 0-2 in the regional and were sent packing by High Point in an elimination game that Kozeal didn't start.

"You grow up watching baseball in October wanting to be in those shoes," Kozeal said. "Or you watch the College World Series wanting to be in those shoes. You don’t need to outdo yourself or do anything extra, but just be yourself and have fun and play baseball."

The matchup against the starter Nolan Johnson was a good one for Kozeal and one that Van Horn identified.

"The fastball runs back into the lefties," Van Horn said. "He’s [Johnson] trying to throw it out over the plate, other side, it can run down the middle. It takes away maybe his offspeed a little bit as far as the changeup."

Kozeal hit a slider out to expand a 4-2 lead into 6-2 to give the Hogs a bit more breathing room, and the Hogs needed it. No one else had and RBI base-hit. The other two runs came around to score on sac flies.

"I would have loved to have had 11 or 12 runs," Van Horn said. "4-2 was a little stressful. Cam got the big hit. That was a big relief for us."

According to Kozeal, some of the credit belongs to designated hitter Kuhio Aloy, who hit in the five-hole in front of him and went 1-for-3 with a walk.

"Kuhio sees a lot of pitches and it’s kind of fun to hit behind," Kozeal said, He’s a great hitter too. I can bounce ideas around [off Charles] Davalan and [Logan] Maxwell a lot. Two really good left-handed hitters. But just seeing the ball. Seeing the ball out of the pitcher’s hand and make it feel like slow motion."

The pitchers that Arkansas used behind the starter Aiden Jimenez may not have changed without his homer.

Parker Coil and Landon Beidelschies likely would have still followed Jimenez in relief, but it prevented any shenanigans in a day where multiple hosts have already survived close calls.

Vanderbilt, Kozeal's former school, was pushed all the way by the Wright State Raiders as the No. 1 overall seed. The Commodores won a one-run game, 4-3, after Wright State carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning.

Arkansas will try to avoid shenanigans of their own by beating Creighton 7 p.m. Saturday in the winner's bracket game. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.

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