Oliver Grigg

STARKVILLE, Miss. – No. 6 Arkansas (34-12, 15-7 SEC) spun a combined two-hitter and blasted a pair of home runs, cruising to a 6-2 series-opening win against Mississippi State (24-21, 6-16 SEC) on Friday night at Dudy Noble Field.

It was the Razorbacks’ first two-hitter of any kind against the Bulldogs under head coach Dave Van Horn as well as Arkansas’ first combined two-hitter against an SEC opponent since doing so at Texas A&M on April 22, 2022.

With the win, Arkansas improved to 10-1 against Mississippi State since 2019. Friday night’s victory was the Hogs’ fourth consecutive win in Starkville, a streak dating back to Arkansas’ three-game series sweep at Dudy Noble Field in 2021. 

Arkansas pitchers Hagen Smith (5.0 IP, 8 SO), Cody Adcock (1.0 IP, 1 SO) and Gage Wood (3.0 IP, 4 SO) combined for 13 strikeouts in the two-hitter on Friday night, working together to limit Mississippi State to just two runs (one earned).

The Hogs struck first in the top of the first on Jace Bohrofen’s two-run homer. Following Kendall Diggs’ leadoff walk, Bohrofen smoked a 1-2 pitch over the wall in right to put Arkansas up, 2-0, before Mississippi State could swing the bat.

For Bohrofen, it was his 12th home run of the season, tying him with fellow outfielder Jared Wegner for the team lead. The Razorback captain is slashing a team-best .370/.490/.682 with 12 dingers and 40 RBI in 45 games played this year.

Staked with an early two-run lead, Smith retired the first seven he faced before running into trouble on the mound. The Bulldogs cut their deficit to one with a two-out RBI in the bottom half of the third before breaking through again in the bottom half of the fifth, tying the ballgame at two apiece on a passed ball.

Smith would depart after five innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits and five walks while matching his season high with eight strikeouts. The left-hander, who was making his third SEC start of the year, earned the win on Friday to improve to 7-1 with a 2.56 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 52 2/3 innings of work on the mound this season.

Brady Slavens’ go-ahead two-run homer in the top of the sixth was more than enough run support for the Razorbacks’ relievers. Adcock, the first arm out of the bullpen, threw a perfect bottom half of the sixth before turning the ball over to Wood, who locked down the final three innings of Friday night’s 6-2 win and secured his team-leading fifth save.

Offensively, Caleb Cali collected a team-high three hits, including a double, in Friday night’s win. His three-hit performance at the plate raised his season slash line in SEC play to a team-best .390/.507/.712.

Arkansas, winner of three consecutive series against Mississippi State, will look to make it four in a row and lock up back-to-back series wins in Starkville for only the second time in school history in tomorrow night’s game two. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday, May 6, on ESPN2 with Mike Ferrin (play-by-play) and Lance Cormier (analyst) on the call.