No. 5 Arkansas (37-8, 14-6 SEC) put up a huge six-run fifth inning rally to even the series against the Florida Gators (29-16, 7-13 SEC), 7-0, Saturday evening in Gainesville, Fla., at Condron Family Ballpark. The Razorbacks have shut out their opponents in three of their last four games and momentarily hold sole possession of second place in the Southeastern Conference Standings.
Arkansas Baseball vs Florida: Game 2
RHP Gage Wood went three innings in his fourth start of the year while allowing just one hit with five strikeouts on 42 pitches (26 strikes). He was relieved by RHP Gabe Gaeckle to begin the bottom of the fourth inning, who went on to fire 3.1 scoreless frames of his own while surrendering a hit and four walks with two strikeouts on 60 pitches (32 strikes).
After the first four innings of scoreless baseball, Arkansas lit a fire in the top of the fifth with a huge rally. 2B Gabe Fraser led off the frame by getting hit by a pitch, and CF Justin Thomas Jr. reached on a fielding error at third base. LF Charles Davalan threw down a sacrifice bunt to put the runners in scoring position, and SS Wehwia Aloy was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out. DH Kuhio Aloy ripped a single through the left side to score Fraser and Thomas for the game's first runs. Both Aloy brothers moved into scoring position on the play after an error was committed by LF Blake Cyr.
RF Carson Boles followed up by driving in Wehiwa Aloy on an RBI sacrifice fly to left field to extend the Hogs’ lead, 3-0. 3B Brent Iredale plated Kuhio Aloy with a ground-rule double to left to keep the rally going. RHP Aidan King was relieved by RHP Jackson Barberi for Florida, and Camden Kozeal was brought in as a pinch hitter for 1B Rocco Peppi to face the new pitcher. Kozeal launched a two-run home run to right field on the second pitch of the at-bat for his 10th homer of the year to cap off the six-run rally.
Arkansas threw up another run in the top of the eighth with Fraser singling up the middle and Thomas getting hit by a pitch to start the frame. Davalan reached on a fielder’s choice, with Thomas getting thrown out at second base, to place runners on the corners with one out. Wehiwa Aloy scored Fraser with an RBI sacrifice fly to center to give the Razorbacks a comfortable 7-0 lead.
Charles Davalan and Wehiwa Aloy connect for a run-saving play
In the bottom of the eighth with one out, Gators 3B Bobby Boser got on base with a single to center field. 1B Landon Stripling roped a double down the left field line in hopes of scoring Florida's first run of the game. Boser made his way around third and was called safe at home after Davalan fired the ball to Wehiwa Aloy from left, who then threw the ball at home to C Ryder Helfrick. After reviewing the call, Boser was declared out at home to maintain the shutout. RHP Aiden Jimenez struck out 1B Brendan Lawson to end the inning and keep the Gators scoreless.
Jimenez finished off the game with 2.2 innings to complete the shutout. He allowed three hits while carving up three batters on 39 pitches (26 strikes). This is the first time in program history the Hogs have thrown a shutout against Florida.
The Razorbacks and the Gators will decide the series in a rubber match on Sunday at Condron Family Ballpark. The first pitch is slated for noon, and the game will be streamed on SEC Network+.