FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. Brady Slavens was a one-man wrecking crew on Wednesday afternoon, driving in a career-high five runs to power Arkansas to a 10-3 midweek series-sweeping win against Little Rock at Baum-Walker Stadium.
The Razorbacks improve to 24-4 on the year with their fourth straight win. Arkansas has now won five straight contests against non-conference opponents, including each matchup against in-state foes Central Arkansas and Little Rock this season.
Come-from-behind victories remained a thing of the past as the Hogs jumped out to an early lead for the second day in a row. After back-to-back walks to Robert Moore and Christian Franklin to lead off the bottom of the first, Slavens unloaded on a 2-2 pitch and launched a three-run shot to straight-away center field.
The left-handed hitter, who is now tied for the team lead in homers with seven, put the Hogs up by three before an out was recorded. A few batters later, designated hitter Charlie Welch extended the lead to four, swatting his third homer of the year to left.
Arkansas never looked back after mounting its early advantage. Moore’s solo shot, his sixth of the season, in the bottom half of the fourth gave the Hogs a five-run lead.
Starter Caleb Bolden twirled four shutout innings, striking out four while allowing four hits and two walks. The Trojans did, however, get through against the first two pitchers out of the Razorback bullpen, scoring twice off Evan Gray before tacking on a third run against Elijah Trest, who also struck out two in his two innings of work.
The Hog bats were undeterred, opening a five-run lead in the bottom of the sixth. Dylan Leach’s RBI triple scored Jalen Battles from first, and the freshman catcher would later cross home plate on a wild pitch.
Arkansas hit double-digit runs in the bottom half of the eighth inning, scoring one on Moore’s single and two more on Slavens base knock. Slavens’ two-RBI single gave him five total runs batted in for the afternoon.
Little Rock would do no more damage after a home run in the sixth inning. Gabriel Starks and Heston Tole, making his collegiate debut, closed out the ballgame with two strikeouts combined across the final two frames.
The Hogs head to Oxford, Miss., this weekend for three games at Ole Miss. Friday’s ballgame, which will air nationally on the SEC Network, is set to start at 6 p.m.
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