No. 5 Arkansas (35-7, 13-5 SEC) had no problem run ruling the Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans (18-21, 7-7 OVC) in seven innings on Tuesday night at Baum-Walker Stadium, 10-0, in the first game of a two-game midweek series. The Razorbacks remain undefeated against in-state competition at 4-0 and are 10-1 in midweek games.
Arkansas baseball vs UALR: Game one
Arkansas scored the game’s first run with a leadoff solo home run by 3B Brent Iredale in the bottom of the second inning to put the Hogs in front, 1-0. The Razorbacks later loaded the bases with one out on a single by 2B Gabe Fraser and back-to-back walks by C Ryder Helfrick and CF Justin Thomas Jr. LF Charles Davalan drove in Fraser with an RBI sacrifice fly to left field to extend the lead to two.
SS Wehiwa Aloy was hit by a pitch to reload the bases with two outs. RF Logan Maxwell rocketed a two-run single to right to score Helfrick and Thomas, while Wehiwa Aloy moved over to third base. Wehiwa Aloy scored on an error by RHP Zach Busick on a failed pickoff attempt at first to cap off the five-run rally.
Iredale led off the bottom of the third by getting hit by a pitch. 1B Camden Kozeal singled to right field off of RHP Gage Haley and advanced all the way to third on a fielding error by RF Ryan Geck while Iredale scored to boost Arkansas’ lead, 6-0. Fraser cashed in Kozeal with an RBI sacrifice fly to right to extend the lead to seven for his 11th run driven in of the year. Helfrick followed up with a one-out double to left field to continue his hot month.
Thomas plated Helfrick with a triple to left center and scored on a throwing error by SS Alex Seguine, with the ball going into the visiting dugout to give Thomas the Little League home run. UALR committed a total of three errors in the inning, with Wehiwa Aloy adding the third one on a throwing error by Seguine with two outs before Maxwell grounded out to end the frame.
The Hogs kept adding on in the bottom of the fourth, with new 3B Reese Robinett reaching on an out single. Kozeal laced a double to right field to place runners in scoring position. Fraser dumped an RBI single to right to score Robinett to put Arkansas up by 10, but Kozeal was thrown out at home for the second out of the inning. Fraser went on to steal second base and moved up to third on a throwing error by C Cade Martin for the Trojans’ fifth error of the game. Helfrick flew out to center to prevent any further damage.
RHP Tate McGuire was terrific in his fourth start of the season (12th appearance) with a career high of five innings of shutout ball. He allowed three hits and two walks while carving up five batters on 67 pitches (40 strikes). RHP Dylan Carter took over on the mound to begin the top of the sixth and tossed a clean 1-2-3 inning on nine pitches (six strikes). RHP Carson Wiggins was inserted in the bump in the top of the seventh and hurled a perfect frame while striking out all three batters he faced on 13 pitches (nine strikes).
The Razorbacks and the Trojans will finish up the two-game midweek series on Wednesday at Baum-Walker Stadium. The first pitch is slated for 5 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.