Logan Maxwell’s very first grand slam sends Diamond Hogs to Omaha
FAYETTEVILLE– Logan Maxwell remained in and out of the Diamond Hogs’ lineup throughout the season, and now that he’s healthy, his stimulate in the postseason has actually pushed Arkansas to the guaranteed land.Maxwell, a TCU
transfer, is completely recovered from a hamstring injury that hindered him off-and-on for the majority of the season. However in the postseason, he’s been on a tear. In the 5 games the Hogs have actually played between the Regional and Super Regional rounds, he’s gone a blistering 9-for-20 with 3 home runs.Neither of the other first 2 home runs was more crucial than his last one, however. In Game 2 of the Super Regional against Tennessee, the Hogs were gift-wrapped a bases-loaded chance in the 4th inning.
Maxwell came up to bat after back-to-back songs by second baseman Camera Kozeal and first baseman Reese Robinett. The Volunteers elected to intentionally walk left fielder Charles Davalan– who struck a two-run crowning achievement the inning prior– and shortstop Wehiwa Aloy was hit by a pitch.
After he fell down 0-2 in the count, Maxwell resisted and slapped his very first profession grand slam just barely over the left field wall and into the visitor’s bullpen.
“I knew he had a good heater, a lot of carry, type of plays up, and I swung through the first 2 fastballs,” Maxwell said after the game. “Then he went off speed, so I kinda figured he was going to go back to it. He made an excellent pitch, and I just put the bat on the ball and contended.”
Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn said he wasn’t entirely sure if Maxwell’s hit was going to clear the field. The ball took a trip 330 feet and had an exit speed of 90 miles per hour.
“When he initially struck it, I thought it was going,” Van Horn stated. “Then about halfway, I didn’t think it was going to go. Then I simply need to watch their outfielder, and I believed he was going to catch it right at the fence. When it went out … rather of a three-run lead, all of a sudden (we’re up six). Certainly it was big.”
Van Horn went on to state Maxwell has actually striven all season to get to this point, and when the game went final and the last out had been taped, he wanted his best fielder to be on the field.
“He’s a hard out,” Van Horn said. “He fouls off pitches, he can bunt, he’s simply type of that guy. He can strike, and he can hit left-handed pitchers. You don’t need to move him due to the fact that left-on-left scenarios down the order.
“To have him hammer out it, he actually wished to play. This is his last season, he wanted to get healthy. He rehabbed hard, and he ‘d be up front with me if it was bothering him … I suggest, I might have put in another outfielder for defense that might be a little faster than him, but I simply seemed like I desired him to be on the field when we won. I wanted him to celebrate.”
Now, the Diamond Hogs will need Maxwell to continue that stretch of strong play if they want to dogpile in Omaha at the end of the season. Arkansas will play in the College World Series this coming weekend.
The first challenger will be conference opponent LSU, which removed West Virginia in the Super Regional round on Sunday night. Date, time and broadcast info will be available later. Stay tuned to HawgBeat for more coverage of Arkansas baseball.