Box ScoreFAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – After No. 12 Arkansas scored three runs in the bottom of the third inning, the Eastern Illinois baseball team responded with two runs in the top of the fourth inning, but the Razorbacks held off an EIU comeback attempt and won the opening game of the weekend's three-game series, 5-2. EIU drops to 0-9 on the season as No. 12 Arkansas improves to 9-1. The series will continue tomorrow with game two starting at 12:05 p.m.
Grant Koch led off the third inning with a solo shot to left field to put the Razorbacks ahead 1-0. The inning continued as Jake Arledge singled to right center. Carson Shaddy provided a two-run blast of his own to put No. 12 Arkansas ahead 3-0 after three frames.
Dane Toppel singled to right center and moved up to second following a walk to
Cale Hennemann. With two outs in the inning, back-to-back RBI singles by
Hunter Morris and
Nick Maton brought EIU within a score at 3-2.
Three-straight batters reached base to begin the bottom of the fifth inning for UA, as an RBI single from Clark Eagan put the Razorbacks up by a score of 4-2.
Three singles provided another run for Arkansas in the bottom of the sixth inning, as an RBI single by Eric Cole made the score 5-2 in favor of UA.
The Panthers gave one final effort at a comeback in the top of the ninth inning as
Mitch Gasbarro singled and moved up to second following a
Matt Dunavant walk. Zach Jackson closed the door on the EIU rally for his third save of the season, to give the home team a 5-2 victory in the series opener.
Matt Wivinis (0-3) suffered the loss, allowing four runs, on five hits, three walks, and three strikeouts over four innings. Dominic Taccolini (3-0) picked up the win for UA after tossing five innigs.
Maton led the EIU offense going 2-for-3 in the series opener with an RBI as the Panthers totaled eight hits in the game.
