FAYETTEVILLE — A three-run walk off homer from sophomore Kendall Diggs helped the No. 9 Arkansas Razorbacks start their weekend series off with a 13-2 seven-inning victory over the Eastern Illinois Panthers on a chilly Friday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium.
Highlighted by a six-run bottom of the third inning, the Diamond Hogs recorded 11 hits in the game, eight of which came with runners in scoring position.
Ace left-hander Hagen Smith tossed 97 pitches across 4 2/3 innings of scoreless ball. The sophomore gave up three hits, walked three and struck out six in his second start of the season.
In a game that starting second baseman Peyton Stovall (thumb) was unavailable, junior Crowder College transfer Peyton Holt drove in two runs on a pair of two-out knocks. It was Diggs' three-run bomb — the first of the season at Baum-Walker Stadium — that sent the 10-run rule into effect and ended the game after seven innings.
Also of note, Brady Slavens moved over to third base in the game and Hutchinson Community College transfer Ben McLaughlin slotted in at first base. Both played their roles well and didn't record any mistakes.
Here's a recap of Arkansas' win over the Panthers, which marked head coach Dave Van Horn's 800th career win.
After recording one hit and seeing EIU starter Blake Malatestinic throw just 24 pitches through two innings, the Diamond Hogs tagged the Panthers' righty with six runs in the bottom of the third.
The first three batters of the inning reached on a hit by pitch and a pair of bunt singles, and Diggs drew an RBI walk to put the Hogs on the board first. Jared Wegner added a two-RBI single, which was followed by a Slavens RBI single that made it 4-0.
An RBI double play groundout from McLaughlin scored Wegner and Slavens came around courtesy of a Holt RBI single to close out the scoring in the frame.
Smith gave up a two-out double in the top of the fifth was followed by his third walk of the game and Arkansas turned things over to right-hander Cody Adcock, who allowed a single and then stranded both runners with his first strikeout.
Arkansas plated its seventh run on Holt's second two-out RBI single of the afternoon in the bottom of the fifth inning.
The Diamond Hogs turned to righty Austin Ledbetter in the top of the sixth, and he saw two runs cross the plate on two hits in the frame to make it a 7-2 Arkansas advantage.
Freshman right-hander Gage Wood tossed an impressive top of the seventh, following a leadoff hit batsman with a line out and a pair of strikeouts.
In the bottom of the seventh, Holt hit a ball to the EIU third baseman that should've been fielded, but it made its way into left field and Jace Bohrofen came around to score Arkansas' eighth run. The very next pitch, Caleb Cali scored on a wild pitch to put the Hogs up by seven.
Another error by the third baseman scored Hudson Polk and two batters later, Diggs walked things off with a three-run bomb to center field.
Up next, the Razorbacks will face the Panthers at 12 p.m. CT Saturday for Game 2 of the series. The game will be streamed on the SEC Network Plus.
