The No. 7 Arkansas Razorbacks (31-11, 12-7 SEC) ended a four-game losing streak with a 7-5 win over the Texas A&M Aggies (25-17, 9-10 SEC) on Thursday at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville.
The Hogs were powered by a second inning grand slam from Peyton Stovall and a two-run shot in in the bottom of the eighth from Jace Bohrofen that gave them a 7-5 lead.
Sophomore left-hander Hagen Smith tossed four innings of relief and earned the win on the mound for Arkansas. He gave up no runs on two hits, walked two and struck out four.
Despite leaving 15 runners on base and going 2-for-12 at the plate with runners in scoring position, the Diamond Hogs were able to secure a victory in the series opener.
HawgBeat provided live inning-by-inning updates during Thursday's game at Baum-Walker Stadium:
Starting lineups
Arkansas
1. Kendall Diggs RF
2. Peyton Stovall 2B
3. Caleb Cali 3B
4. Jace Bohrofen CF
5. Ben McLaughlin DH
6. Hunter Grimes LF
7. Brady Slavens 1B
8. Parker Rowland C
9. John Bolton SS
P - LHP Hunter Grimes
Texas A&M
1. Hunter Haas SS
2. Jack Moss 1B
3. Trevor Werner 2B
4. Brett Minnich RF
5. Austin Bost 2B
6. Jack LaViolette LF
7. Ryan Targac DH
8. Jordan Thompson CF
9. Max Kaufer C
P - LHP Troy Wansing
Top 1
After needing nine pitches to strikeout Hunter Haas, Hollan completed the 1-2-3 inning with by forcing a pop out and a groundout to third.
Bottom 1
A two-out walk from Caleb Cali gave Arkansas its first baserunner of the game, but he was stranded after a Jace Bohrofen pop out.
Top 2
Hollan worked around a one-out single and retired the other three batters he faced.
Bottom 2
Three straight walks to Hunter Grimes, Brady Slavens and Parker Rowland loaded the bases for John Bolton with one out. Bolton hit an RBI single to second to score Grimes and get the Hogs on the board.
After a Kendall Diggs strikeout, Peyton Stovall cleared the bases with a 375-foot grand slam to right field.
Following a pair of two-out singles, Ben McLaughlin went down on strikes to end the frame.
Top 3
The Aggies had runners on first and second via a leadoff single and two-out walk. Another walk from Hollan loaded the bases, but he earned a fly out from Brett Minnich to get out of trouble.
Bottom 3
Grimes walked to leadoff the frame and a one-out infield single from Rowland gave the Hogs two on. Bolton hit into a 6-3 double play to end the inning.
Top 4
Hollan gave up a back-to-back one-out singles and then Jordan Thompson took him deep to left for a three-run shot on an 0-2 count. Hunter Haas left the yard two batters later to cut the Arkansas lead to 5-4. A fly out to left from Jack Moss got Hollan out of the frame.
Bottom 4
After Wansing issued a four-pitch leadoff walk, the Aggies turned to RHP Carson Lambert, who struck out three of the four hitters he faced to strand two runners.
Top 5
Arkansas turned to RHP Dylan Carter to start the inning. He gave up back-to-back singles to start his outing and the Aggies quickly had runners on the corners. Austin Bost drove an RBI sacrifice fly to center to tie the game at 5-5.
Carter bounced back by retiring two straight batters to escape the frame giving up just one run.
Bottom 5
Arkansas got a pair of two-out runners on and chased Lambert from the game to bring LHP Matt Dillard in. Dillard struck Kendall Diggs out to strand the runners.
Top 6
Arkansas brought LHP Hagen Smith in to start the inning. A one-out single was stranded after Smith earned two straight outs. He threw 16 pitches in the frame.
Bottom 6
Caleb Cali led the inning off with a walk and Jace Bohrofen advanced Cali to third with a double to right. The Aggies elected to turn to LHP Brandyn Garcia with two on and no outs.
Garcia retired the two batters he faced to strand the runners.
Top 7
After giving up a leadoff double to left-center, Smith bounced back with three straight outs, two of which were strikeouts.
Bottom 7
Bolton drew a two-out walk and stole second shortly after. Diggs walked after Bolton to give Arkansas two on. A groundout to second from Stovall allowed Garcia to get out of trouble.
Top 8
Smith issued a pair of walks to begin the frame. After a sac bunt advanced the runners, Haas flied out to Hunter Grimes in left and Grimes threw a dart to home to get Ryan Targac out at the plate and keep the game tied.
Bottom 8
Cali led the frame off with a walk and that led Texas A&M to bring LHP Will Johnston in the game. Bohrofen drove Johnston's second pitch of the outing to right for a two-run homer that put Arkansas up 7-5.
The Hogs put two on via a Ben McLaughlin walk and a Brady Slavens single. With John Bolton in a 2-2 count with two outs, A&M turned to RHP Robert Hogan. After Hogan walked Bolton, he struck Kendall Diggs out on three pitches to leave the bases loaded.
Top 9
Smith worked a 1-2-3 frame to secure the win for Arkansas.
