FAYETTEVILLE — The Diamond Hogs walked off the Eastern Illinois Panthers in seven innings Friday, prevailing 13-2 in the series opener.
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Eastern Illinois lineup
1. Lincoln Riley, CF
2. Ryan Ignoffo, RF
3. Cole Gober, LF
4. Nicholas Rucker, 1B
5. Cade Zalewski, DH
6. Grant Lashure, C
7. Chris Worcester, SS
8. Robby Taul, 3B
9. Lucas DiLuca, 2B
Arkansas lineup
1. Tavian Josenberger, CF
2. Kendall Diggs, DH
3. Jared Wegner, LF
4. Brady Slavens, 3B
5. Jace Bohrofen, RF
6. Ben McLaughlin, 1B
7. Peyton Holt, 2B
8. Hudson Polk, C
9. John Bolton, SS
Top 1
Smith allows a hit and a walk with one out, but he induces a fly ball and picks up his second strikeout to keep the runners at bay.
Bottom 1
Malatestinic retires the Razorbacks in order on 13 pitches.
Top 2
Smith punches out another pair of Panthers in a 1-2-3 inning. He is up to 39 pitches.
Bottom 2
The Hogs threaten with runners on the corners as McLaughlin reaches on a would-be double play ball, but Holt hits another one right to the second baseman and the Panthers escape with a zero.
Top 3
Smith makes it through the early innings without allowing a run. He has thrown 57 pitches.
Bottom 3
Polk wears the first pitch, and the next two fall for bunt singles. Diggs drives in the first run of the game with a walk, Wegner plates a pair with a soft single to center and Slavens drives in another with a hard grounder the other way. McLaughlin grounds into a double play that produces a fifth run, and Holt collects the fifth hit of the inning to score the sixth run.
Top 4
Smith issues his second walk of the afternoon with one out, but he induces a pair of ground balls to keep the shutout intact. He has not thrown fewer than 17 pitches in an inning.
Bottom 4
New arm Nick Laxner retires the side in order, beginning with a remarkable catch by Gober on Bolton's line drive.
Top 5
Smith retires his first two batters, but he allows two to reach at the top of the order and his afternoon is done. Right-hander Cody Adcock enters in relief after 97 pitches, allowing a chopper to land for a single before stranding three runners with a punchout.
Bottom 5
Holt drives in his second run in as many at-bats, pushing the lead to 7-0.
Top 6
Razorback righty Austin Ledbetter enters for his second appearance of 2023, and he allows the first three batters to reach. Worcester gets the Panthers on the board with an RBI single, and DiLuca makes it 7-2 with a sacrifice fly.
Bottom 6
Bolton reaches via his second infield single of the day, but the top of the order fails to move him past second base. Laxner has made it through three innings.
Top 7
Right-hander Gage Wood plunks his first hitter, but he bounces back to retire the next three, including the last two on strikes.
Bottom 7
Holt hits a hard liner off the glove of the third baseman and into left to score Bohrofen, and pinch hitter Caleb Cali comes around to score on a wild pitch. Another fielding error brings home a third run, and Diggs sends everyone home early with a three-run homer to enact the 10-run rule. Arkansas wins 13-2.
