#1 Arkansas Finishes Midweek Sweep of San Jose State to Win 23rd Consecutive Home Game
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – No. 1 Arkansas (29-3) beat the rain and San Jose State (12-21), 8-2, Wednesday afternoon to finish off its double midweek series sweep and win its program-record 23rd consecutive game at Baum-Walker Stadium.
The Razorbacks improved to 29-3 overall on the year with the win, their best 32-game start in program history. Arkansas is now 25-1 at Baum-Walker Stadium this season and extended its home winning streak to a program-record 23 games, four shy of the Hogs’ all-time record for consecutive home wins of 27 at George Cole Field during the 1984-85 seasons.
Arkansas also won its 10th consecutive game, its second winning streak of 10 or more games this season and its 10th such winning streak since head coach Dave Van Horn took over at the helm of the program prior to the 2003 campaign.
True freshman Colin Fisher set the tone on the mound, spinning three scoreless innings with three strikeouts to earn his sixth win and lower his season ERA to 1.96 in 23.0 innings over nine appearances with six starts. In relief, the Razorback bullpen – Koty Frank (2.0 IP, 2 SO), Jake Faherty (1.0 IP, 2 SO), Parker Coil (2.0 IP, 2 ER, 2 SO) and Cooper Dossett (1.0 IP, 1 SO) – combined for six innings of two-run ball with seven strikeouts to silence the Spartan offense in Wednesday’s win.
Arkansas jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, thanks to Peyton Stovall’s RBI sacrifice fly to right and Ben McLaughlin’s two-out RBI single to right in the bottom of the second. Reigning SEC Freshman of the Week Nolan Souza continued his tear in the bottom half of the fifth, extending the Razorbacks’ advantage to 4-0 on his two-run double to left center.
When San Jose State cut its deficit to two in the top of the seventh, Arkansas answered with a four-spot in the bottom of the frame to blow the game open. Jack Wagner’s leadoff home run was followed by Stovall’s RBI single, McLaughlin’s RBI double and Wehiwa Aloy’s RBI sacrifice fly to left as the Hogs opened a commanding 8-2 lead and never looked back.
Stovall finished with a team-leading four hits, including a double, going 4-for-4 with two RBI in the win. McLaughlin (2-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI), Wagner (2-for-4, HR, RBI) and Will Edmunson (2-for-4) also chipped in with multi-hit performances.
For the season, Stovall is slashing a team-leading .377/.462/.497 with four home runs and 21 RBI over 20 games. The Razorbacks are 19-1 since their captain and starting second baseman returned to the lineup from his preseason injury.
Up next, the Hogs travel to Tuscaloosa, Ala., for their second SEC road weekend series of the season. First pitch in the series opener between Arkansas and West Division foe Alabama is set for 6 p.m. Friday, April 12, on SEC Network+.
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