Hogs Hit Five Homers, Hold Off Highlanders in Regional Opener

Oliver Grigg June 4, 2021

NCAA Tournament Box Score Postgame Quotes: DVH & Cayden Wallace Press Conference: Dave Van Horn Press Conference: Cayden Wallace

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Survive and advance.

No. 1 Arkansas used the long ball to overcome an early three-run deficit and outslug NJIT, 13-8, in the first game of the NCAA Fayetteville Regional on Friday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium. The Razorbacks rallied from a deficit of at least three runs for the 13th time this season, including for the eighth time at home.

Down three entering the bottom of the third, the Razorbacks scored two in the frame on Braydon Webb’s dinger to left before exploding for seven more runs in the fourth. Christian Franklin’s game-tying solo blast was one of three Arkansas home runs in the bottom of the fourth inning as Cayden Wallace and Cullen Smith also got in on the action.

The Hogs now have six with double-digit homer totals. The foursome of Christian Franklin, Robert Moore, Brady Slavens and Cayden Wallace are tied for the team lead with 13.

Jalen Battles, meanwhile, swatted the Hogs’ fifth homer of the day in the fifth, extending Arkansas’ advantage to 10-3 with his sixth home run of the year. Battles scored a team-high four runs in the game, while Wallace and Webb each drove in three in Arkansas’ 13-8 triumph.

The Razorbacks reached 98 home runs for the season in their 57th game of the year, tying the school record set by the 2018 Hog squad in 69 games.

Kevin Kopps, who entered the ballgame with two outs in the top of the fourth inning, twirled 2 1/3 perfect innings in relief to earn his 11th victory of the year. The Collegiate Baseball Newspaper National Player of the Year struck out one along the way, silencing the Highlanders’ offense across the game’s middle innings.

Arkansas used seven pitchers, including Kopps, in the game as starter Caleb Bolden lasted 1 1/3 innings before giving way to the bullpen. Ryan Costeiu tossed 1 1/3 innings of scoreless ball out of the pen, striking out three in his appearance.

The Razorbacks, now 47-10 overall on the year, advance to winners’ bracket and will play the winner of Friday night’s ballgame between Northeastern and Nebraska at 8 p.m. Saturday, June 5.

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