Best Razorback Games Of 2007-08 — Rockin’ The House

This week marks the end of the 2008 ‘fiscal year’ for Razorback sports.  And while most media outlets write their recap stories at the end of December, we actually think it’s more appropriate to do it now before a new set of seasons give us new highs and lows to live through and discuss.

It’s certainly an understatement to say that momentous changes have occurred in Razorback athletics off the field over the past 12 months.

But each day this week we’ve chosen to focus on the moments on the field that we’ll all remember in the years ahead…the best Razorback games of the 2007-08 seasons.

Coming in at #5 is the only baseball game of our countdown.  And with Coach Dave Van Horn and his program going through a rebuilding year in 2008, it turned out to be one of the few highlights in what was mostly a season to forget.

With nine conference games remaining, the Diamond Hogs entered their series in early May against #13 South Carolina with a below .500 conference record.

And things weren’t looking very promising for the home team during the crucial Friday night opening game after the Gamecocks built an 11-8 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth inning.

With two outs and down to their last strike, Hogs’ junior outfielder Chase Leavitt beat out an infield single to load the bases and set up the heroics of freshman pinch hitter Jacob House.

South Carolina vs. Arkansas 2008

It was the second year in a row that a pinch hitter had provided the biggest bang on fireworks night at Baum Stadium.  In 2007, outfielder Wayne Hrozek hit a two-run double in the 10th inning to clinch the Western Division title for the Razorbacks.

After the biggest hit of his life, House was humble when interviewed after the game:

“I’m just trying to get it to the next guy,” House said. “I just wanted to get a hit somewhere and keep the inning going, but then it went out of here.”

“When I hit it, I thought ‘man that felt good.’”

The Gamecocks never recovered that weekend after the ninth inning collapse.  The Hogs would go on to record their only conference series sweep of 2008.