Razorback Offense on Track for Nine in Victory
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Andrew Darr had a career high three hits and four RBI to lead the Arkansas Razorback baseball team to a 9-1 victory over Alcorn State on Wednesday night at Baum Stadium.
Darr’s two-run home run to left field in the bottom of the second proved to be the game-winning hit and allowed the Razorbacks (20-16) to earn their 20th victory of the season. Alcorn State (21-8) drops just its second game in its last six.
“With the score 1-1 [Darr] delivers with a home run on a night where we thought nothing was going to go out,” Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn said. “That gave us a chance to relax.”
Darr would drive in two more runs in Arkansas’ three-run fifth inning with a two-out single to left field.
The Razorback bats would connect for 14 hits on the evening with Darr, Scott Lyons and Ben Tschepikow each recording multi-hit games. Arkansas’ biggest inning was the fifth but by continuously putting runners on base, the Razorbacks were able to score at least one run in six of their eight at bats. Lyons recorded his second multi-hit game of the week on Wednesday night after going 3-4 at Oral Roberts on Tuesday and now has five hits in eight at bats this week.
On the mound, Arkansas was led by freshman Sam Murphy who picked up his first career win with a career long six-inning performance. Murphy would allow just four hits on the day, walked two and struck out three. His only blemish came in the second inning when he allowed back-to-back hits to Alcorn State which plated its only run.
Arkansas scored one run in the first inning when a perfectly executed hit-and-run by Chase Leavitt and Tschepikow saw a line drive reach the wall in left center field. Halfway to second when the ball was struck, Leavitt scored standing up from first base.
Darr’s blast in the second with one out was the only scoring for the Hogs in that inning, but they would plate a fourth run in the third on a solo home run but Jeff Nutt, his fourth of the season.
The Arkansas fifth is when the Razorback took command of the game. Logan Forsythe opened the inning with a single to center field and moved to second when Nutt was struck with a pitch. A single by Jacob House scored Forsythe leaving the door open for Darr who delivered his second hit of the game.
Arkansas’ final two runs were scored in the sixth and seventh on a ground ball out and an error, respectively.
The Razorbacks are back in action at Baum Stadium this weekend when they host the Tennessee Volunteers. First pitch on Friday night is slated for 6:35 p.m. For more information regarding Razorback baseball or University of Arkansas athletics please visit www.hogwired.com.
