Tygart Doubles Total K's; Hogs' Bats Come Alive Late Against Racers

Another day, another solid performance for Razorbacks starting pitching in series-clinching win

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas Razorbacks starting pitcher Brady Tygart came into the day well behind his fellow weekend starters but struck out a career-high 10 hitters in five innings of one-run ball as part of a 11-1 win over the Murray State Racers Saturday.

"He (Tygart) just did a nice job of getting ahead of most all the hitter," Van Horn said. "We only walked one the whole game and I think they walked eight. We took advantage of all of that." 

The Hernando, Miss., native struck out the side in the top of the first on 16 pitches.  He followed that with two more punchouts in the second, already eclipsing his total of four against Oklahoma State in six innings in Arlington. 

"The difference is just precision with how I’m executing my pitches," Tygart said. "I felt like today I could put it really wherever I wanted to so it was easier for me to change planes and change sides of the plate."

Will Edmunson smacked a one-out single in the bottom of the third for the first hit of the game by either team, to put runners at the corners, but Murray State's Bryce Valero struck out Kendall Diggs and Wehiwa Aloy grounded out to turn the Razorbacks away. 

The Racers thought they had their first baserunner of the day when Drew Vogel got plunked to lead off the fourth, but was called out because he intentionally turned into the pitch, resulting in the eighth strikeout of the day. Jonathan Hogart did smack a two-out single to left, ending Tygart's streak of 11 retired to start the game but the game was still scoreless heading to the bottom of the fourth. 

Arkansas got the game's first run without the benefit of a ball leaving the infield. McLaughlin drew the third leadoff walk in four innings. Jared Sprague-Lott laid down the perfect bunt for a hit. Ross Lovich loaded the bases by getting hit and Jayson Jones drew a bases loaded walk. Nolan Souza gave smacked a two-run single to open the game up. Ryder Helfrick plated the fourth run on a double play that scored Jones. 

Third baseman Carson Garner scored the second run of the weekend for the Racers, both on solo homers, a shot to left field to cut the deficit to 4-1. Tygart allowed a two-out single followed by a walk to bring the tying run to the plate but induced a grounder to short from Vogel to preserve a three-run lead. Tygart turned the ball over to Will McEntire after five innings and a season ERA of 1.12. 

Diggs got that run right back, leading off the bottom of the fifth with a 340-foot homer down the right-field line. Aloy got some good fortune as the ball went in and out of the center fielder's glove as he was gliding forward allowing Aloy to end up at second base. Lovich drove him home with an RBI double into the right-field corner as he continues to fight for at-bats in a crowded outfield.

"We haven’t been super happy with how we’ve been executing our approaches against a lot of guys [with high velocity] like that," Diggs said. "I think we took some pride in that today. Doesn't always go well, but we did a really good job."

Jayson Jones followed with a single, making it the third straight game he's had at least one run batted in, making the score 7-1. A Hudson Polk sacrifice fly and and Edmunson RBI single stretched the lead to 9-1 and capped a five-run inning which ended up being the final score.

McEntire went through two 1-2-3 innings in double quick-time in just 16 pitches with two strikeouts, bringing his season ERA down to 1.98. Cooper Dossett followed with a clean inning with two more strikeouts. 

In the bottom of the eighth, Sprague-Lott and Lovich both came through with back-to-back RBI hits to end the game early by run-rule. 

Arkansas goes for its first sweep of the season Sunday 1 p.m. at Baum-Walker Stadium. The game will be streamed on SEC Network+. 

HOG FEED:

• Time for Razorbacks fans to get behind another team for NCAA March Madness cravings 

• Entire Arkansas pitching staff combining for ridiculous numbers

• Hagen Smith follows historic outing with another impressive performance despite early blemish

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