Hogs Take Down Little Rock to Start Week, Improve to 23-4

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – It was another weekday win for Dave Van Horn’s squad Tuesday night as the Hogs beat in-state foe Little Rock, 7-2, at Baum-Walker Stadium.

It is Arkansas’ third straight win overall and fourth straight against a non-conference opponent. The Razorbacks, who remain the top-ranked team in Baseball America’s poll, improve to 23-4 on the season.

Kole Ramage started in the winning effort and struck out seven Trojan batters in 4.2 innings, giving up two runs. Ryan Costeiu replaced Ramage in the fifth, tossing an inning and a third of scoreless relief to earn his fourth win of the year.

The Hog offense was spearheaded by performances from Robert Moore, Cayden Wallace and Christian Franklin, who combined for four of the Hogs’ six runs batted in on the night.

Wallace opened up the scoring in the first with a shot to left-center field, his seventh long ball of the season. The freshman is on a tear as of late, hitting safely in his last 11 games with a .442 batting average over that span, adding three homers, 19 hits and 10 runs scored.

The Hogs got back on the scoreboard in the second inning thanks to a leadoff double by Franklin, who came around to score later in the inning on a base knock by shortstop Jalen Battles. Moore lined a sacrifice fly to center to extend the Arkansas lead to three after two frames.

The home squad never let the lead slip, tacking on insurance runs in the third, seventh and eighth innings while the Hog bullpen was lights out. Costeiu, Caden Monke and Zack Morris shut down the Trojan bats after Little Rock managed two runs in the top of the fifth.

Moore stayed hot, knocking in two runs to go along with a pair of hits. Franklin slashed two doubles on the night, picking up an RBI and scoring a run himself.

Monke had his good stuff out of the pen Tuesday night, firing two scoreless innings of relief and picking up three strikeouts. Morris, meanwhile, closed the door in the ninth to send the Arkansas faithful home happy.

The Razorbacks and Trojans will go at it again at 4 p.m. Wednesday for the second and final game of the midweek series. Right-hander Caleb Bolden will start for the Hogs.

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