ARKANSAS TAKES 7-3 WIN IN OPENER, OLE MISS BOUNCES BACK TO TAKE NIGHTCAP

Arkansas scored the final seven runs of the game to take a 7-3 victory in Game 1 in Oxford.

The Razorbacks scored three runs in the sixth, two in the seventh as well as the eighth. Ole Miss didn’t score after the third inning. Kevin Kopps pitched out of a one-out, bases-loaded jam by striking out Peyton Chatagnier and Kevin Graham, the No. 3 and 4 hitters in the lineup, in the bottom of the eighth.

No. 3 Ole Miss jumped on No. 1 Arkansas starter Patrick Wicklander early on Saturday in Game 1 of a double-header. Ole Miss scored two in the bottom of the first and then another one in the last of the third for a 3-0 lead.

The Razorbacks entered the top of the sixth without a hit off Ole Miss starter Gunnar Hoglund. Matt Goodheart started the inning with a single up the middle. Then, with one out, Brady Slavens walks. Christian Franklin then sent a shot up the middle for a single that plated Goodheart. Casey Opitz came up with one out. A wild pitch allowed Slavens to go to third and Franklin second. Opitz hit a deep sacrifice fly to left to get Slavens into score and Franklin went to third. Franklin then scored on a single by Zack Gregory to tie the game at 3. Gregory was injured running to first and Braydon Webb came in to pinch run for him and continue in left field. Ole Miss used three different pitchers in the top of the sixth.

In the top of the seventh, Robert Moore led off with a double off the fence in right field. Goodheart singled and Moore went to third. Cayden Wallace walked to load t he bases with no outs. Slavens popped up to short left field for one out. Then Franklin drew a one-out walk that forced in Moore. Then a wild pitch allowed Goodheart to score and give the Hogs a 5-3 lead.

The Razorbacks added two more runs in the top of eighth. Moore walked with two outs. Goodheart then singled to right field. Wallace then sent a two-RBI double into right-center field for a 7-3 lead.

Wicklander worked four innings for Arkansas. He allowed six hits, three runs (all earned), a trio of walks, seven strikeouts, faced 21 batters, threw 86 pitches and 56 went for strikes. Zebulon Vermillion came into the game in the bottom of fifth in relief of Wicklander. Vermillion worked 1.2 innings allowing three hits, four strikeouts, faced eight batters, threw 28 pitches with 21 strikes. Ryan Costeiu replaced him. Costeiu worked 0.1 inning, struck out one, hit a batter, pitched to two hitters, four pitches and three were strikes. Kopps came on to pitch the seventh. He worked 3.0 innings, allowed five hits, walked one, struck out four, faced 12 batters, threw 41 pitches and 29 for strikes.

Costeiu (5-0) gets the win, Kopps the save (4) while Tyler Myers (2-1) takes the loss.

Ole Miss and Arkansas combined to strand 23 runners in the game with 13 of those belonging to the Rebels. The Hogs had eight hits while Ole Miss finished with 14 hits.

Arkansas (25-4, 8-2) takes over sole possession of first place with the win over Ole Miss (23-7, 7-3) in Game 1 of the series. The second game today will come 75 minutes after the end of this one.

Game 2, Ole Miss 13 – Arkansas 6

Ole Miss jumped out to a 5-0 lead and then held on to beat the Hogs. Arkansas didn’t get on the scoreboard until the top of fourth. Dylan Leach singled to center field to plate Cayden Wallace. Casey Opitz singled up the middle to get Charlie Welch home.

The Rebels then moved to a 7-2 lead. In the to of the sixth, Jalen Battles singled to center to get Leach home. Wallace scored on a wild pitch to pull the Razorbacks within 7-4.

In the top of the seventh, Christian Franklin hit a solo home run to get within 7-5. In t he bottom of the seventh, Ole Miss got a run back to go up 8-5.

Arkansas added a run in the top of the eighth when Wallace doubled to get Matt Goodheart home and within 8-6. Ole Miss responded in a big way though in bottom of the eighth adding five more runs to put the game away.

Peyton Pallette started for the Hogs and worked 4.0 innings. He allowed nine hits, seven runs (all earned), one walk, hit two batters, fanned five, pitched to 24 hitters, threw 78 pitches and 52 went for strikes.

Zack Morris, Kole Ramage and Elijah Trest worked in relief for the Hogs. Moore and Battles each had two hits for the Hogs.

Doug Nakhazy was the winner (3-1) with Taylor Broadway getting his eighth save. Pallette (1-2) took the loss.

The two teams will play the rubber match of the series on Sunday beginning at 1:30 p.m. Sunday’s pitchers will be Arkansas’ left-hander Lael Lockhart (1-1, 3.41 ERA) vs. Ole Miss right-hander Derek Diamond (3-3, 4.89 ERA).