The No. 1 Arkansas Razorbacks (32-3, 12-1 SEC) scored 13 unanswered runs to power past the No. 7 Georgia Bulldogs (30-6, 8-5 SEC) for a series-opening 13-3 win Friday night at Foley Field in Athens, Georgia.
It wasn't until a three-run top of the fourth inning that the Razorbacks got on the board. Despite the game being tied entering the seventh inning, Arkansas added 10 more runs across the seventh, eighth and ninth innings — including seven in the ninth — for a late surge to earn what ended up being an easy victory by the time it was over.
Freshman Gabe Fraser's RBI triple in the top of the seventh inning was a clutch swing that was the first of many run-scoring knocks for the Hogs. Shortstop Wehiwa Aloy reached base four times, scored three times and drove in three runs, including one on a solo homer. His brother Kuhio Aloy, the Razorbacks' designated hitter, drove in three of runs and logged three of Arkansas' 12 hits in the game.
Arkansas starting pitcher Zach Root tossed 5.2 innings and allowed three earned runs on five hits with three walks and seven strikeouts. Right-handed reliever Aiden Jimenez added 2.1 innings of scoreless, hitless relief and Dylan Carter closed things down with a scoreless bottom of the ninth inning.
Georgia starting pitcher Brian Curley began his outing with two straight strikeouts in a 1-2-3 top of the first, which was followed by a scoreless bottom half from Root.
After Curley once again retired the Hogs in order in the top of the second inning, Root issued a one out walk and then allowed the game's first hit — a double to Bulldogs' catcher Daniel Jackson — to put two runners in scoring position. Georgia centerfielder Devin Obee hit an RBI groundout to score the first run of the game before nine-hole hitter Kolby Branch drove a two-run home run to center that made it a 3-0 deficit for the Hogs.
The Razorbacks finally found life on offense in the top of the fourth inning. Wehiwa Aloy drew a hit by pitch to become the team's first baserunner of the game, and he was promptly driven in on an RBI double from Logan Maxwell. Brent Iredale added an RBI single right after, and Kuhio Aloy tied the game with a run-scoring single but then ended the frame by sliding too far past second base in the same sequence.
Curley avoided trouble in the top of the fifth, as Hogs' second baseman Nolan Souza drove a one out double to left field but he was thrown out at third not long after and his day was ended after he suffered a shoulder injury on the play (freshman Gabe Fraser replaced Souza).
In the bottom half of the fifth inning, Root struck out the side but he did it while working around a leadoff single and a one out double that put pressure on with a pair of runners in scoring position.
Despite the Bulldogs turning to reliever JT Quinn in the top of the sixth, the Hogs couldn't capitalize on a leadoff walk from Wehiwa Aloy, who was thrown out trying to steal third base in a scoreless frame.
Root ran into a pair of two out base runners and he was relieved Jimenez, who left the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth inning to keep the game tied.
After Kuhio Aloy drew a walk to leadoff the top of the seventh, Fraser drove him home with a one out RBI triple to give the Razorbacks a 4-3 lead. Jimenez tossed a three up, three down bottom half to keep the Bulldogs' lineup quiet.
Georgia turned to right-hander Eric Hammond in the top of the eighth inning, and he allowed just his second homer of the game to Wehiwa Aloy to leadoff the frame and make it a 5-3 lead for Arkansas. Jimenez tossed a second-straight perfect inning in the bottom of the eighth.
Freshman righty Paul Farley relieved Stephens in the top of the ninth and he allowed a two-run double to Wehiwa Aloy and then issued a wild pitch that scored Charles Davalan to make it a 9-3 lead for the Razorbacks. Kuhio Aloy and catcher Ryder Helfrick added back-to-back RBI singles to extend the lead to nine runs before another pitching change.
The Hogs plated their 13th run of the game courtesy of a wild pitch to make it 13-3 before the Bulldogs finally got out of the seven-run top of the ninth inning. Veteran right-hander Dylan Carter tossed a flawless bottom of the ninth with two strikeouts to close things down.
Up next, Arkansas and Georgia will meet again Saturday at Foley Field in Athens for Game 2 of the series. First pitch for Saturday's matchup is set for 3 p.m. CT and it will stream on SEC Network+.
