Arkansas downs Missouri State, finishes season perfect in midweeks
FAYETTEVILLE — The No. 2 Arkansas Razorbacks (39-7) secured a perfect 12-0 mark in midweek games with an 8-5 win over Missouri State (18-25) on Wednesday evening at Baum-Walker Stadium.
Arkansas plated seven runs across the fifth, sixth and seventh innings to gain enough run support. Junior second baseman Peyton Stovall was 5-5 at the plate with five singles and an RBI, while catcher Parker Rowland had two hits, three runs scored and an RBI.
Sophomore right-hander Ben Bybee twirled a gem in the start for the Razorbacks. The 6-foot-6 hurler threw four scoreless innings and allowed just three hits, walked none, and struck out six on 57 pitches.
The Razorbacks out-hit the Bears 10-8 in the contest, and the visitors did make it interesting with three runs in the top of the ninth, but that was too little, too late.
Bybee hit his first batter of the season with one out in the top of the first, but the big right-hander bounced back with straight outs to strand the runner. Stovall led the bottom half off with a single, but he was also stranded after three straight outs recorded by Bears' starter Hunter Day.
The only action for either team at the plate in the second inning was a leadoff single for the Bears in the top half that Bybee left on base by retiring the next three in a row.
Again in the top of the third, Bybee faced one more than the minimum against the Bears. The Hogs finally got something going in the bottom half when a run scored on an error by Missouri State on a ball hit to third from Jared Sprague-Lott. That play chased Day and brought on reliever Reed Metz, who struck out Kendall Diggs to close the frame.
Bybee faced the minimum in the top of the fourth and picked up his sixth strikeout in the process. The Hogs then went down in order with three ground ball outs in the bottom half.
Arkansas turned to right-handed reliever Dylan Carter in the top of the fifth and he gave up a leadoff solo homer to Bryant native Logan Chambers that tied it 1-1. Carter was able to regroup and get out of the frame without allowing any more damage.
After earning a leadoff walk, Rowland scored his second unearned run over the game after a one-out single from Stovall and a throwing error turned into a 2-1 lead for Arkansas.
The Bears turned to righty reliever Eric Loomis with one out and two runners on, and he immediately loaded the bases with a walk. Diggs drove in Arkansas' third run with an RBI sacrifice fly, but the Hogs stranded three after shortstop Wehiwa Aloy struck out in a 12-pitch at bat.
Carter looked much better in a 1-2-3 top of the sixth inning for the Razorbacks. Loomis had to exit with an arm injury after recording one out in the bottom half, and he was relieved by Missouri State righty Jake Syverson, who was instantly taken deep to left for a solo home run from Holt.
The Razorbacks plated another run via an RBI single from Stovall that made it a 5-1 lead after six full innings. Missouri State earned one back with an RBI sacrifice fly from Tyler Epstein off Arkansas right-hander Koty Frank, who relieved Carter and limited the damage to one run to make it a 5-2 lead.
Missouri State reliever Curry Sutherland got just one out before he was replaced by Michael Lindsey with bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh. Lindsey's first pitch was hit high to center by freshman Nolan Souza and the centerfielder couldn't find the ball before it dropped for a two-RBI single that made it 7-2. Arkansas scored its eighth run courtesy of an RBI sacrifice fly from Rowland, but Souza was also thrown out at third on the play to finally close the frame.
Frank worked a perfect top of the eighth with two punchouts for the Hogs, who couldn't capitalize on a one-out single from Stovall in the bottom half.
Things got dramatic in the top of the ninth with Frank giving up a leadoff homer and then two more runs that made it 8-5 before he could pick up three outs and close the game down.
Up next, the Razorbacks will hit the road for a weekend series at No. 8 Kentucky from Friday-Sunday. First pitch in the series opener Friday is set for 5:30 p.m. CT and the game will be streamed live on SEC Network+ from Kentucky Proud Park in Lexington, Kentucky.
Box Score
