Arkansas opens series with 12-4 win

SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Arkansas broke open a 5-4 game with seven consecutive runs, while Geoffrey Davenport and Zack Hall combined to throw 7.1 innings of one-run baseball out of the bullpen to lead the Razorbacks to a 12-4 win on Thursday night at Tony Gwynn Stadium.

Arkansas improves to 11-1 on the season, while San Diego State is now 2-11.

Geoffrey Davenport was brilliant on the mound, earning his third win of the season. Davenport allowed just one run over 5.1 innings, striking out seven.

Zack Hall pitched the final two innings, striking out three and allowing two hits in a pair of scoreless innings.

Ryne Stanek started for Arkansas, giving up three runs on two hits in 1.2 innings.

San Diego State starter Steven Moranda took the loss, allowing six runs, four earned, in 4.1 innings.

California native Dominic Ficociello had a big night at the plate, going 4-for-5 at the plate with four runs scored. Bo Bigham had three hits, scoring three runs and driving in a run. James McCann, Jarrod McKinney and Kyle Robinson each had a pair of hits. McCann and McKinney also had two RBI. Collin Kuhn hit his first homer of the season in the win.

Cody Slader and Chris Wilson each had two hits to lead the Aztecs at the plate. Wilson drove in a run and also scored once.

Arkansas raced to an early lead with three runs in the top of the second. Ficociello doubled to the right-center field alley to start the inning and Bigham was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. With one out, McKinney doubled down the left field line, to score Ficociello from second. The Aztec left fielder had trouble with the ball in left, allowing Bigham to score and move McKinney to third on the error. Kuhn reached on a two-out fielding error by the third baseman, scoring McKinney to put the Razorbacks in front 3-0.

San Diego State tied the game with three runs in the bottom of the second. Brad Haynal walked to start the inning. With one out, Haynal attempted to steal second, but was thrown out by McCann for the second out of the inning. Wilson followed with a single to left field and Slader had an infield single. Sean Stepina walked to load the bases. Cody Smith hit a ground ball to third, which was fielded by Ficociello. He attempted to tag the runner going to third, but he missed the tag and Wilson scored. Tim Zier then walked to cut the lead to 3-2. A wild pitch tied the game, scoring Stepina.

Arkansas regained the lead with two runs in the top of the third. Robinson reached on a one-out single and moved to third on a hit-and-run single by Bigham. A wild pitch moved Bigham to second. McCann cleared the bases with a double down the left-field line to put Arkansas on top 5-3.

San Diego State trimmed the lead to one with a run in the home half of the third. Haynal and Moore hit back-to-back singles with one out. Wilson doubled down the left field line to score Haynal to make the score 5-4 Razorbacks.

The Razorbacks tacked on two more runs in the fifth. Robinson singled with one out and Ficociello followed with a single of his own, advancing Robinson to second. Bigham grounded out to third, but both runners were able to move up on the play. A wild pitch scored Robinson for the sixth Arkansas run of the game. McCann then walked to put runners at first and third. McCann moved to second with a stolen base. McKinney singled to center field to score Ficociello from third.

Arkansas added another run in the top of the sixth with a leadoff home run from Kuhn over the wall in left-center field. The homer was his first of the year.

The Razorbacks put the game away with three runs in the seventh. Ficociello reached on an infield single to start the inning and moved to second on a base hit by Bigham. McCann laid down a sacrifice bunt to third. The third baseman threw to first, but the second baseman, who was covering first, dropped the ball, allowing it to go all the way down the right field line. Ficociello and Bigham both scored after the error. The right fielder threw in to try to retire Bigham, but his throw was wild and went into the San Diego State dugout, allowing McCann, who had advanced to third, to come into score.

Arkansas closed the scoring with a run in the ninth. Ficociello doubled to left-center to lead off the inning and came around to score on a RBI single by Bigham.

Arkansas and San Diego State continue the four-game series on Friday night, with first pitch set for 8 p.m. Sophomore righty DJ Baxendale (3-0, 0.00) will start for the Razorbacks, while the Aztecs will counter with sophomore right-handed pitcher Ethan Miller (1-1, 2.84).