FAYETTEVILLE -- No. 7 Arkansas used two clutch hits to take a 5-2 win over Xavier on Friday in front of 10,338 fans at Baum-Walker Stadium.
That was the largest home opening crowd ever for the Razorbacks. Arkansas only managed four hits in the game compared to nine for the Musketeers. Camden Kozeal hit a 3-run home run in the bottom of the first. Nolan Souza hit a pair of doubles with his last one in the bottom of the fifth driving home a pair of runs. His first double came in the first on when Kozeal belted his home run. Kuhio Aloy had a single in the bottom of the sixth for Arkansas' other hit.
Souza struggled at the plate in Arlington, but was aggressive in the second spot in the order.
"I felt good," Souza said. "I made some changes that I'm comfortable with. I got in too many two-strike counts last week and that is something I didn't want to keep doing."
Arkansas' starter Gabe Gaeckle (1-0) worked five innings to get the win. He gave up four hits, one run, walked two and struck out seven. Cole Gibler finished up the final four innings for the Razorbacks to earn the save. Gibler wasn't as sharp as last week, but did limit Xavier to five hits, one run, no walks and struck out two.
Xavier (2-3) got on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth when Josh Stonehouse hit a solo shot over the fence in right field off Gaeckle. Jonathan Fitz delivered a solo home run to right field off Gibler to start the top of the eighth.
Xavier starter Ryan Piech settled in after allowing the Kozeal home run in first. He walked Aloy after Kozeal's home run, but then retired 11 Razorbacks in a row. Piech (0-1) took the loss, but reliever Michael Murphy got roughed up in his one inning of relief. He allowed two runs. Ashton Chronister, who is from Rogers, worked the final three innings and was perfect only facing nine hitters and no base runners. He struck out three.
Xavier had a real threat going in the top of second. Fitz walked and then Eddie Peters followed with a double. However, Gaeckle got Tommy Townsend to pop up to TJ Pompey at third base for the first out. Then Xavier ran themselves out of the inning on a grounder to Gaeckle that he threw to first baseman Reese Robinett for the out. Robinett then threw to shortstop Carson Brumbaugh who to catcher Ryder Helfrick who then threw it to Pompey to get Fitz out in the run down.
Xavier had another threat in the top of the fourth when Peter Johnson doubled to lead off inning. Then with one out and runners at the corners, Gaeckle struck out Townsend and then Donavan Canterberry grounded out to Kozeal at second to end the inning and threat.
Arkansas (4-1) will host Xavier Saturday at 1 p.m. Hunter Dietz will be on the mound for the Razorbacks. The game can be streamed on the SEC Network+.
