No. 1 Arkansas got a first-inning home run from shortstop Wehiwa Aloy then made it hold up thanks to outstanding pitching by Hagen Smith, Will McEntire and Gabe Gaeckle for a 1-0 win.
In four SEC games, Arkansas (18-2, 4-0) has allowed one run. Dave Van Horn was obviously pleased with his staff that allowed just three hits in the game while striking out 17 and walking two.
"Well, I’m going to state the obvious, we pitched very well," Van Horn said. "Hagen got into a couple of jams. One of them was because we didn’t make a play in the outfield, and he got out of them. Amazing. Second and third, one out, two different times and he got out of both of them. Offensively, we got runners all over the bases and we just didn’t get the big hit. But you know, it was a really good win for our team. Finding a way to win when things really aren’t going our way. We did hit a couple of balls hard at them, but just missed putting that game away a couple of times. So, really just proud of the guys for hanging in there. All three of our pitchers did a tremendous job. The bullpen with McEntire and Gaeckle shut them down the last three innings and gave us a chance to win the ballgame."
In the bottom of the fourth, Auburn had runners on second and third with no outs. Smith struck out the next three hitters. Auburn had the bases loaded in the sixth with two outs, but once again a strikeout by Smith ended the threat.
"Some of it was experience," Van Horn said. "Really no panic, and really making some pitches. I mean, bottom line, making pitches with really good stuff."
The incredible stat is allowing one run in four games by the Arkansas staff.
"Yeah, it’s pretty amazing," Van Horn said. "My thoughts would be that we’ve pitched extremely well and we’ve made most of the plays we’ve had an opportunity to make. I think about the play that McLaughlin made with two outs when the guy slapped the ball down the first base line. Made a diving play and hit a moving target throwing off his back side, so that was pretty good. But yeah, tremendous job by our pitching staff."
Arkansas only had six hits itself. Aloy had the solo home run and catcher Hudson White had three hits in four at bats. Van Horn was asked about the bats in general?
"I don’t know if they were pressing," Van Horn said. "I think it was just a matter of the other team’s pitchers making some really good pitches in some tough situations. We swung through a couple of pitches. Just missed a couple of pitches. Hit fly balls. You could tell our hitters were frustrated. They felt like they were on a couple of pitches, but give Auburn’s pitching staff credit. They didn’t throw the ball in the middle of the plate much at all, and they got ahead in the count. They made us earn it. It was a tough win, but we’ll take it."
Van Horn also commented on Aloy's two-out solo shot in the top of the first over the fence in right field.
"He did a tremendous job with the fastball, let it get deep and just hammered it," Van Horn said. "We felt like it was out right when it left the bat, and he’s been swinging the bat extremely well in batting practice. He hit two or three home runs, two or three balls out of the park in batting practice to right center, and that ball was more dead right. He let it get really deep and then he lined out to center, he absolutely smoked that ball. If it had been left to right a little bit it would have went to the fence and we would have scored another run, but I see Wehiwa (Aloy) swinging the bat with a lot of confidence, taking pitches. It’s a good time for him to get on a roll, we just need to get some of the guys around him tTo help out."
Auburn (14-7, 0-4) starter Conner McBride (3-1) took the loss. Smith (4-0) got the win and Geackkle the save (5). McEntire worked two perfect innings to get ball from Smith to Gaeckle.
The same two teams are slated to play Game 2 of the series tonight at 6 p.m., but threatening weather could alter that plan. It will be streamed on the SEC Network+.