No. 2 Arkansas (33-5, 12-3 SEC) crushed four home runs to run-rule the UAPB Golden Lions (8-27, 6-6 SWAC) in eight innings, 13-3, on Tuesday night at Baum-Walker Stadium. The Razorbacks are now a perfect 3-0 against in-state competition and 9-1 in midweek games.
Arkansas baseball vs UAPB
Arkansas started out by plating three runs in the bottom of the first inning to take an early lead. SS Wehiwa Aloy reached on a one-out single to right field and stole second base. After DH Logan Maxwell drew a walk, RF Kuhio Aloy drove in his older brother with an RBI single to right field while Maxwell sprinted to third.
2B Camden Kozeal scored Maxwell with a sacrifice fly to left in foul territory. 3B Brent Iredale drew a walk to put runners on first and second, and LF Carson Boles cashed in Kuhio Aloy with an RBI single to center field to cap off the rally while giving the Hogs a 3-0 lead.
UAPB responded with a leadoff solo shot by Brant Voth off of RHP Tate McGuire to cut the lead to two.
Arkansas immediately put up another three-run rally in the bottom of the second to build its lead to five, 6-1. After CF Charles Davalan reached on a one-out single, Wehiwa Aloy blasted a two-run home run to right center for his 13th dinger of the season. Maxwell singled to left center, and the Golden Lions replaced RHP Chris Bedgood with RHP Cole Kenyon. Maxwell moved up to second base and later scored on an RBI single by Kuhio Aloy.
UAPB would not go away so easily with 2B Collin McLemore leading off with a single to right field. LF Gavin Terry made his way on with a one-out single to put runners in the corners. As Terry stole second base, McLemore came sprinting from third to steal home in a rare feat to cut the lead to four.
CF Eli Gries-Smith kept the inning going with a single to right field to move up the runner to third, and DH Carlos Rodriguez-Velez brought in Terry on an RBI fielder’s choice to second. Rodriguez-Velez also moved up to second base on the play on a throwing error, but McGuire forced Voth to ground out to end the frame.
The Razorbacks went on a tear in the bottom of the fourth thanks to some power. LHP Jayden Brown was brought out of the bullpen to open up the inning and gave up a leadoff single to 1B Reese Robinett. C Zane Becker unloaded with a two-run bomb to left field for his first career collegiate home run.
After Davalan and Wehiwa Aloy both flew out, Maxwell legged out an infield single to second base. Kuhio Aloy followed up by hammering a two-run homer to left center to put the Hogs ahead by seven, 10-3, for his 11th home run of the year.
Arkansas Pitching Performances
McGuire went three innings in his third start of the season (11th appearance) while allowing three runs and four hits with five strikeouts on 50 pitches (33 strikes). LHP Colin Fisher relieved him to begin the top of the fourth and fired two scoreless frames while striking out a batter on 27 pitches (14 strikes).
RHP Will McEntire was brought on in the fifth and hurled two perfect frames of his own while tallying three strikeouts on 29 pitches (20 strikes). RHP Steele Eaves tossed a scoreless frame in the top of the eighth while picking up a strikeout on 10 pitches (eight strikes).
Arkansas ended the game early in the bottom of the eighth with Kuhio Aloy getting on with a one-out single. Kozeal followed up with a two-run home run to right field to put the Hogs ahead by nine. RHP Steffan Fak relieved Brown with two outs in the inning, and Kendall Diggs pinched hit for Boles.
Diggs, who has been struggling at the plate as of late, made his way on with a single to right field to give himself some confidence. Robinett drove him home with a double to right center to end the game and seal the victory.
The Razorbacks will stay home to welcome the Texas A&M Aggies to Baum-Walker Stadium for a three-game series starting on Thursday. The first pitch is slated for 7 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.