Razorback senior shortstop Jalen Battles (#2) from San Antonio, TX slides safely into home plate after a wild pitch from UIC Thursday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, AR.
FAYETTEVILLE - Scoring a dozen runs on 13 hits in the first game and rallying from down 4-1 with four eighth-inning runs in the second game, the Arkansas Razorbacks swept Thursday’s doubleheader, 12-4 and 5-4 over the University of Illinois-Chicago Flames at Baum-Walker Stadium.
Because of Friday’s snowy forecast, the Arkansas vs. UIC 4-game series takes a Friday break scheduled to resume at 2 p.m. Saturday and conclude at 12:30 p,m. Sunday.
Coach Dave Van Horn’s Razorbacks, ranked third nationally by D-1 Baseball, take a 9-3 record into Saturday’s game while the Flames fall to 4-7.
“Long day,” Van Horn said. “It was a really good job by our whole team making a little bit of a run there late. Finally got a couple of big hits.”
Arkansas only led the first game, 1-0 off UIC starting lefty Nate Peterson until a sixth-run sixth and mostly held at bay in the second game until the 4-run eighth.
“You have to give their lefty, Peterson, credit,” Van Horn said. “He was everything we had heard.”
Batting leadoff for the first time as a Razorback, sophomore third baseman Cayden Wallace of Greenbrier went 3 for 5 with three RBI in Thursday’s first game. Wallace set the tone singling, stealing second and scoring Arkansas’ first run in the first on Chris Lanzill’s single. Wallace beat out a bunt single during Arkansas’ 6-run sixth that included Jalen Battles’ 2-run home run.
Hitting 14 home runs as a 2021 freshman All-American, Wallace hit his first home run for 2022 during Thursday’s first game 4-run eighth. His 3-run shot completed eighth inning scoring opened by Brady Slavens’ home run. Slavens doubled earlier and went 2 for 4 with three RBI while Battles went 2 for 4 with two RBI and Michael Turner went 2 for 4 with three RBI, and Lanzilli 2 for 3 with a RBI.
Arkansas winning starting pitcher Connor Noland., 2-1, threw 6 2-3 innings striking out 11 against three runs, four hits and two walks.
“I thought Connor was outstanding,” Van Horn said. “Fastball both sides of the plate with sink. Slider, curveball, changeups to lefties. I thought he pitched extremely well.
Reliever Evan Taylor, 1 and 1-3 innings, was charged with a first game ninth-inning run before reliever Jake Faherty recorded the first UIC ninth-inning out and reliever Miller Pleimann the last two.
Arkansas freshman right-hander Austin Ledbetter of Bryant debut started Thursday’s second game. He went three complete trailing 1-0, smudged by a first-inning run via a leadoff walk eventually scoring on an infield out. For his three innings Ledbetter allowed two hits and struck out three against one walk.
“I thought he did a really nice job first time out,” Van Horn said. “He didn’t really have his breaking ball. He had a changeup and a fastball. I think he walked the leadoff hitter of the game and that runner ended up scoring. Think he had a bloop single into center, big swing, hit off the end of the bat and outfielder broke back a step and the ball ended up dropping in. So kind of some tough luck there.”
UIC scored one in the fourth off reliever Heston Tole and one in the sixth and one in the seventh off reliever Kole Ramage.
Arkansas didn’t score until freshman first baseman Peyton Stovall, earlier hitting into a doubleplay, singled one home in the sixth.
Tanner Shears, UIC’ best reliever, got hit for Arkansas’ 4-run eighth after hitting Lanzilli with a pitch leading off and walking Kendall Diggs. Battles grounded into forcing Diggs at second before Zack Gregory’s RBI double brought Battles to third. Battles scored on a close play up for review wild pitch barely getting his hand across the plate ahead of the tag. Stovall shot a single past the diving second baseman tying the game. Wallace singled putting runners at first and second. Robert Moore flied to left but Turner whacked one over the second baseman’s head breaking 4-4 tie, 5-4.
“I thought he (Turner) had a great day at the plate,” Van Horn said. “He’s been a big threat, especially lately. He’s the guy you want to see up there, probably, if the game is on the line right now.
Freshman Brady Tygart, in the eighth relieving Nick Griffin who never retired a batter but recorded two outs on pickoffs.
Tygart logged the win pitching 1 1-3 scoreless innings as the pitcher of record.
“Brady Tygart did a tremendous job there at the end closing that thing out,” Van Horn said. “He was throwing the ball extremely well, 95, 96 every pitch.”
Razorback senior pitcher Connor Noland (#13) from Greenwood, AR celebrates a strikeout against UIC Thursday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, AR.
Razorback senior designated hitter Brady Slavens (#17) from Olathe, KS rounds third after homering against UIC Thursday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, AR.
Razorback junior second baseman Robert Moore (#1) from Leawood, KS looks to make a tag at second base against UIC Thursday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, AR.
Razorback freshman pitcher Austin Ledbetter (#29) from Bryant, AR throws a breaking ball for a strike against UIC Thursday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, AR.
Razorback sophomore third baseman Cayden Wallace (#7) from Greenbrier, AR throws for a put-out against UIC Thursday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, AR.
Razorback freshman pitcher Brady Tygart (#25) from Hernando, MS celebrates with senior catcher Michael Turner (#12) from Warren, OH after winning their game against UIC Thursday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, AR.