Hogs Drop CWS Opener to Virginia

June 13, 2015

OMAHA, Neb. – The Arkansas baseball team (40-24) fell to Virginia (40-23) 5-3 to open the 2015 NCAA College World Series Saturday afternoon at TD Ameritrade Park. Arkansas will face elimination on Monday at 2 p.m. on ESPN2 against Florida or Miami.

National Player of the Year Andrew Benintendi continued to show why he is the best player in collegiate baseball. The sophomore drove in two of Arkansas’ three runs, both to tie the game, and finished 1-for-2 with a walk, stolen base and a run scored.

In the bottom of the fifth, Benintendi hit a solo home run down the right field line, his nation-leading 20th of the season. He is the only Razorback to ever hit 20 home runs and steal 20 bases in the same season and becomes the first Division I player to accomplish the feat since 2009 (Wade Gaynor, Western Kentucky). Two years earlier in 2007 was the last time an SEC player went 20-and-20 when Vanderbilt’s Dominic de la Osa reached the mark.

Starting pitcher Trey Killian pitched effectively into the eighth inning. He finished with 7 1/3 innings pitched, allowing four earned runs and striking out six.

Sophomore Clark Eagan doubled home a run in the third, his 31st RBI of the season.

Arkansas will play Florida or Miami in its second game of the double-elimination tournament. The contest will take place on Monday, June 15 at 2 p.m. on ESPN2.

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