Arkansas' bats explode in Game 1 blowout over Alabama
Heston Kjerstad’s home run in the first inning was just a preview of things to come for Arkansas on Friday night.
The Razorbacks followed it up with a six-run second inning and Isaiah Campbell was dominant in a 12-3 win over Alabama. The victory helps them remain perfect in SEC play and improve to 4-0 for the third straight season.
Back-to-back singles by Matt Goodheart and Jack Kenley got the big inning started, but it wasn’t until there were two outs that Arkansas scored. Following an RBI single by Christian Franklin, Kjerstad cleared the bases with a three-run single and Trevor Ezell and Dominic Fletcher drove in runs with a double and single, respectively.
Including the midweek series at Texas, the Razorbacks have now scored 16 runs in the second inning across their last three games.
Two of the Razorbacks’ hottest hitters helped them tack on another in the third inning, as Goodheart led off with a double and Jacob Nesbit knocked him in with a double of his own.
With a 3-for-5 performance against Alabama, Goodheart is now 9 for 19 since visiting the eye doctor and getting a stronger contacts prescription last week.
Meanwhile, Nesbit is riding a 12-game hitting streak and 19-game on-base streak. Before the Texas series, all 19 of his hits had been singles, but he’s had a double in each of the last three games and hit the first home run of his career in the eighth, a two-run shot that made it 10-0.
For good measure, Fletcher hit a solo home run and Kenley added an RBI single in the ninth to give the Razorbacks 12 runs, which was three more than they scored in the entire Missouri series.
That was plenty of run support for Arkansas’ ace, as Campbell threw seven scoreless innings for the second straight week. Although he didn’t rack up quite as many strikeouts, finishing with seven, he was incredibly efficient. Through four innings, Campbell had thrown just 42 pitches and he ended his night after 91.
The outing pushed his scoreless innings streak to 16 2/3 and he has now allowed only two earned runs in 27 innings over his last four starts. That has lowered Campbell’s ERA from 5.23 after two starts to 1.93 currently. He is also 5-0, marking the 20th consecutive decision won by Arkansas’ Friday night starter.
One benefit of the offensive outburst by Arkansas is that it didn’t have to use any of its key bullpen arms. Freshman Elijah Trest, who gave up three earned runs to get the loss at Texas on Wednesday, bounced back by retiring all three batters he faced on just 12 pitches.
In the ninth, head coach Dave Van Horn went with freshman Evan Taylor and he struggled again with a couple of walks and a hit that loaded the bases. All three of those runners eventually scored, with Marshall Denton being asked to get the final out of the game.
By comparison, Alabama starter Sam Finnerty - who entered the day with a 2.03 ERA - lasted only four innings, giving up seven earned runs on nine hits. With the game so out of hand, the Crimson Tide were able to save their top bullpen arms, as well, as Casey Cobb ate up four innings and Dylan Smith threw one.
The Razorbacks will try to clinch the series at 2 p.m. Saturday. The game will be streamed on SEC Network-plus, meaning it can be watched on ESPN3.com or on the WatchESPN app.
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