Four-Run First Inning Sets Tone In Razorbacks' Series-Clinching Win Over Ole Miss

Early offense, bullpen carry Razorbacks to tenth SEC win with Gage Wood

Arkansas' Razorbacks' starting pitcher Mason Molina during Friday night's game with the Ole Miss Rebels at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. / Tristan Wollschraeger-allHOGS Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Early offense carried Arkansas to a series win over the Ole Miss Rebels 8-3. A four-run bottom of the first would provide all of the offense the Razorbacks needed to win their seventh in a row and become the first team in the SEC to get 10 conference wins.

"That game was all about a great job by our bullpen and some timely hitting," coach Dave Van Horn said. "A couple of two-out rallies, some two-out hits, just kind of added to a lead there."

For the second straight day Arkansas would have to play from behind. Andrew Fischer hit his team-leading 12th homer in the first inning, a solo shot to left-center. Mason Molina fought his command all night, walking three and lasting just 4 1/3 innings. He has now walked three or more in five straight starts.

The Razorbacks punched back with a four-spot in the bottom of the first to set the tone, taking advantage of home plate umpire Kevin Sweeney's hitter-friendly strike zone. A single and two walks loaded the bases with no outs. Kendall Diggs tied the game with an RBI walk, and Jared Sprague-Lott continued his good series at the plate with a single up the middle, plating two. Sprague-Lott now has four RBIs through two games. Ryder Helfrick tacked on an RBI groundout.

"There’s no panic with this team," Sprague-Lott said. "We have a lot of trust in each other and we know we put the work in and somebody’s going to step up."

Fischer wasn't done hurting the Hogs, hitting his second homer in as many at-bats. This time in front of an Ethan Lege single to trim the Arkansas lead to a solitary run. Outside of Lege and Fischer, the Rebels offense couldn't manage much, and when they did the Hogs came up with a pair of key defensive plays to halt the momentum.

First, after a walk and a pickoff error put the leadoff man Ethan Groff at second in the fourth. He tried to tag up to third on a deep flyball to center, but Ty Wilmsmeyer gunned him down with a strike for his second outfield assist of the season.

After Molina got an add-on run in the bottom of the fourth thanks to a Wehiwa Aloy sac fly, he loaded the bases in the fourth with free passes (two walks and a hit batter). Ole Miss looked to have cut the lead to just one on a ground ball to third, but Fischer was called for an illegal slide into second base trying to break up the twin-killing, giving Arkansas the double play anyway to preserve a two-run lead.

Aloy continued his hitting and on-base streak with a 398-foot two-run home run to center in the sixth with two strikes. He now boasts a team-best 12-game hit streak for a Razorback this year. The two add-on runs pushed the lead to 7-3.

"It's just being more mature at the plate and just sticking to an approach," Aloy said. "With 2 strikes, I just pretty much do whatever it takes to put the ball in play. Stay up the middle with it and try to do as best of a job as I can."

The pitching behind Molina was impeccable. Koty Frank, Christian Foutch and Gage Wood combined for 4 2/3 scoreless innings in relief. Foutch's season ERA is down to 1.04 after emerging as a high-leverage option for Van Horn.

The Razorbacks go for its second straight SEC series sweep Saturday 2 p.m. inside Baum-Walker Stadium. The game will be streamed on SEC Network+.

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