No. 5 Arkansas (3-0) used the long ball to take the series over Washington State (0-3) on Saturday afternoon, 5-2, in Baum-Walker Stadium. The field may have been soggy, but the Razorback bats stayed on fire.
Arkansas got on the board first in the bottom of the second inning to take a 1-0 lead. With two outs and RF Kendall Diggs on second base, C Zane Becker laced a double to center field in his first career collegiate at-bat to give the Hogs the early advantage.
Washington State rallied back in the top of the fourth with Ricco Longo hitting a triple to center field to score Logan Johnstone with one out. Longo scored moments later on a sacrifice fly by Ryan Skjonsby to put the Cougars in front, 2-1.
3B Brent Iredale helped the Razorbacks respond immediately with a solo shot to left field to lead off the bottom half of the fourth, 2-2, for his first career home run as a Razorback. RHP Gage Wood kept the momentum going by retiring the side in order in the top of the fifth.
Wood tossed five innings in his fourth career start while striking out a career-high seven batters. He allowed two runs on two hits and allowed a walk while hurling 77 pitches (48 strikes).
Iredale mashed another solo home run with one out in the bottom of the sixth to give Arkansas the lead back, 3-2, on a 401-footer to left field.
The Cougars threatened in the top of the sixth on a leadoff double by Skjonsby off of RHP Dylan Carter. Carter forced 2B Ollie Obenour to and made C Will Cresswell fly out to right, but Skjonsby advanced to third. Southpaw Parker Coil was summoned on the mound and got pinch hitter Jonah Shull to ground out to third to get the Razorbacks out of the jam.
After CF Charles Davalan led off the bottom of the eighth with a double, SS Wehiwa Aloy whacked a two-run homer to right center to extend the Hogs’ lead to three for his first dinger of the season.
RHP Carson Wiggins picked up the save in his first career collegiate appearance. The flame-throwing freshman from Roland, Okla., allowed one hit and struck out Cresswell to end the game.
The Razorbacks and the Cougars will have the day off on Sunday and will finish the four-game series on Monday. First pitch is scheduled for noon and will be streamed on SEC Network+.