Hogs Hit Three Homers; Fisher Fantastic as Arkansas Clinches Series against UT Arlington
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Powered by three home runs, including Camden Kozeal’s team-leading sixth blast, and Colin Fisher’s continued dominance on the mound, No. 6 Arkansas (9-3) clinched its 34th consecutive non-conference home weekend series with an 11-1 run-rule win against UT Arlington (3-8) Sunday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium.
The Razorbacks have not lost or tied a non-conference weekend series in the regular season at home since the 2014 campaign, when Arkansas dropped two-of-three games to South Alabama in its final non-conference weekend series. Of its 34 consecutive non-conference home weekend series wins, Arkansas has completed sweeps in 22 of them (64.7%).
Fisher set the tone with six innings of one-run ball (zero earned) and seven strikeouts against the Mavericks to log his second win and second consecutive quality start. Through three outings this season, the left-hander has not allowed an earned run in a team-leading 19.0 innings of work and has racked up a team-high 26 strikeouts while only walking three.
With Fisher in cruise control on the mound, the Razorback offense broke out for 11 runs on 14 hits and six walks en route to an 11-1 run-rule win. Four Hogs had multi-hit games, including Kozeal (2-for-3, 2 R 2B, HR, 3 RBI, BB), Ryder Helfrick (3-for-3, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI, BB, SB), Kuhio Aloy (2-for-4, R, 2B, RBI) and Carson Brumbaugh (2-for-3, 2 R, 2 2B, RBI).
Zack Stewart opened the scoring in the bottom of the second inning with his solo shot to straightaway center. Kozeal’s two-run homer to center in the third extended Arkansas’ lead before Aloy’s RBI double later in the inning made it 4-0.
Brumbaugh collected his first collegiate RBI in the fourth on a run-scoring sacrifice fly to right, which extended the Hogs’ advantage to five. UT Arlington broke through for its lone run of the day in the top of the fifth inning, taking advantage of fielding error, but Arkansas responded with a kill shot in the sixth, posting a five-spot to put the game away for good.
The Razorbacks scored all five of their runs in the inning with two outs. RBI base knocks by Damian Ruiz and Kozeal set the table for Helfrick’s two-run home run before Maika Niu’s run-scoring infield single gave Arkansas a 10-1 cushion.
Steele Eaves relieved Fisher and tossed a perfect top of the seventh with a strikeout on 14 pitches to give the Hogs an opportunity to walk it off in the bottom half of the frame. True freshman Carter Rutenbar, pinch-hitting for Helfrick, did exactly that, singling to right field to score fellow true freshman Christian Turner from second and secure the 11-1 win.
With his three-RBI performance, Kozeal is now slashing .381/.490/.905 with a team-leading six home runs and 16 RBI through 11 games this season. Helfrick, meanwhile, raised his season slash line to .326/.463/.698 with his three-hit day.
Up next, Arkansas’ 18-game homestand continues with a midweek matchup against Oral Roberts. First pitch between the Razorbacks and Golden Eagles is scheduled for 3 p.m. Tuesday, March 3, on SEC Network+.
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