McEntire’s Complete Game Powers #8 Arkansas to Series-Clinching Win over Louisiana Tech
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Will McEntire’s complete game powered No. 8 Arkansas (12-2) to a series-clinching 6-1 win over Louisiana Tech (8-6) on Saturday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium.
With the win, the Hogs clinched their 26th consecutive non-conference home weekend series win. Arkansas has not lost a non-conference home weekend series in the regular season since dropping two of three to South Alabama in 2014.
McEntire was the story of the ballgame. His nine-inning complete game was the first by a Razorback pitcher since Dominic Taccolini’s 10-inning complete game shutout against SEC East foe Kentucky in 2016.
Three Arkansas pitchers — Zach Jackson (at Kentucky, 2016), Trevor Stephan (at Tennessee, 2017) and Kacey Murphy (vs. Florida, 2017 SEC Tournament) — threw seven-inning complete games between Taccolini and McEntire’s complete game performances.
The Bryant, Ark., native did not allow an earned run on Saturday, totaling six strikeouts while giving up only three singles. McEntire, who improved to 3-0 and lowered his season ERA to 3.48 in the win, threw just 97 pitches and did not issue a free pass until the ninth inning.
McEntire’s three-hitter was the first by a Razorback pitcher since Ryne Stanek’s nine-inning complete game at No. 6 South Carolina in 2013. Stanek allowed two runs (both unearned) on three hits and a walk while striking out seven in the Arkansas win.
Behind McEntire’s strong performance on the mound, Arkansas cruised to its seventh consecutive win. Brady Slavens’ RBI double in the first put the Razorbacks up, 1-0, before Kendall Diggs and Peyton Holt hit back-to-back homers in the bottom half of the second to give Arkansas an early 3-0 lead.
The home run parade continued in the fourth when Jace Bohrofen led off the inning with a solo shot to right, putting the Hogs ahead by four. Bohrofen’s home run was his fourth in as many games and his fifth of the young season.
Peyton Stovall extended Arkansas’ lead with an RBI double in the bottom of fifth before tripling and scoring on a single by Jared Wegner in the eighth, which pushed the Hogs’ lead to 6-1. Stovall finished 3-for-4 and a homer shy of the cycle, while Wegner collected his team-leading 23rd RBI in the win.
Arkansas, now 10-1 during its 18-game homestand, goes for its second consecutive weekend series sweep in tomorrow’s finale against Louisiana Tech. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday, March 12, on SEC Network+.
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