The No. 5 Arkansas Razorbacks (36-7, 13-5 SEC) completed a two-game sweep of the Little Rock Trojans (18-22, 7-7 OVC) with an 4-0 victory Wednesday evening at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville.
After earning a 10-0 run rule win over the Trojans on Tuesday, the Razorbacks didn't have as much success on offense Tuesday. Razorback batters tallied just eight hits against the Trojans, and only one of those knocks came with runners in scoring position.
Arkansas starting pitcher Colin Fisher was nearly flawless through two scoreless innings with just one hit allowed, no walks and two strikeouts. Freshman lefty Cole Gibler struck out six batters of his own across the fifth and sixth innings for the Hogs, while the trio of righties Ben Bybee, Christian Foutch and Will McEntire closed the final three innings with only one hit combined plus six punchouts.
On the other hand, Little Rock pitchers were less-than-stellar with a combined six free passes in the contest compared to six strikeouts.
Fisher began the top of the first inning with a strikeout, and he finished it with his second punchout of the game to strand Little Rock right fielder Ryan Geck, who recorded a two-out single off the Hogs' lefty. Arkansas left fielder Logan Maxwell drew a two-out walk in the bottom half of the first, but he was left stranded.
After it took Fisher just eight pitches to retire the Trojans in order in the top of the second, the Hogs stranded a pair in the bottom half following a one out single from third baseman Brent Iredale and a walk by second baseman Gabe Fraser.
Arkansas turned to freshman right-hander Steele Eaves in the top of the third inning and he gave up a leadoff single to start his outing, but the Lonoke (Ark.) native responded with three straight outs.
Little Rock starting pitcher Noah Burkey gave up back-to-back singles to Charles Davalan and Wehiwa Aloy to leadoff the bottom of the third inning. Burkey managed to force a pop out and foul out before he was relieved by lefty Hunter Royal, who issued back-to-back walks to bring the Hogs' first run across in the form of an RBI walk for Iredale. Burkey let another run cross via a wild pitch before he got out of the frame.
Eaves worked around a one-out single with no problems in the top half of the fourth inning, while the Razorbacks went down in order in the bottom half for the first time in the game. Gibler took over in the top of the fifth and earned four straight outs — three strikeouts — due to a dropped third strike.
Little Rock turned to righty reliever Malcolm Brown for the bottom of the fifth inning and he was relieved by Blake Van Cleve with runners on the corners and two outs in the frame. Van Cleve walked Iredale to load the bases, but forced the third out before the Hogs could drive in a run.
Gibler started the top of the sixth with two more strikeouts before allowing a two-out single that he quickly erased with, you guessed it, another strikeout. Van Cleve faced the minimum against the Arkansas lineup in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Ben Bybee didn't waste any time when he debuted on the mound in the top of the seventh, tallying back-to-back strikeouts before giving up a single. Little Rock brought in a lefty pinch-hitter to face Bybee, who drew a fly ball for the final out.
Arkansas got an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh when Wehiwa Aloy rocketed an oppo home run to make it 3-0, Hogs.
Christian Foutch entered the game in the top of the eighth and pumped his usual high-90s heat, but it was his nasty offspeed that earned his first strikeout for out No. 2. A full-count, two-out walk gave the Trojans a glimmer of hope, but Foutch shut it down with another strikeout.
Funky side-armer Josh Beezley greeted fellow Australian Iredale with a popup to begin the eighth. Fraser picked up a left-field single, then stole second base. Diggs was intentionally walked to set the double play back up, and Helfrick struck out in a full-count. Davalan made it 4-0, Hogs, with a base hit to right center.
New Trojan pitcher Robert Bavon came in to face Wehiwa Aloy and got him out swinging to end the inning.
Veteran Will McEntire was tasked with closing the game in the top of the ninth, and he got things started with a three-pitch strikeout, then retired the second batter with a full-count swing and a miss. McEntire capped off the win with an induced groundout.
Up next, Arkansas and will hit the road for a conference series against the Florida Gators this weekend at Condron Family Ballpark in Gainesville, Florida. First pitch for the series opener Friday is set for 5:30 p.m. CT and it'll stream on SEC Network+.
