Diamond Hogs Power Their Way to Doubleheader Sweep
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas connected for eight home runs in a doubleheader sweep of South Dakota State on Wednesday in front of 1,841 fans at Baum Stadium.
The Diamond Hogs won the first game 13-1 before blasting the Jackrabbits 20-4 in the nightcap to improve to 8-1 on the season. Arkansas scored 33 runs and collected 32 hits in the doubleheader, including 16 extra-base hits (eight doubles and eight home runs).
“You could tell we were ready to play today,” Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn said. “The air was thin and it was like we were in Colorado with the way the ball was carrying. Our guys were more relaxed and it showed. I’m real pleased with the way we’re playing at this point.”
Brett Eibner and Aaron Murphree proved almost impossible for the Jackrabbits to retire as the pair combined for 15 RBI over both games of the doubleheader. Eibner plated eight runs with a home run in each game while hitting .636 (7 for 11) with a double and a 1.273 slugging percentage. Murphree hit .667 (6 for 9 with seven RBI, three total home runs, a walk and a 1.667 slugging percentage.
“[Aaron] Murphree has been real consistent and he deserves it with the rough year he had last year,” Van Horn said.
Eibner also started the second game on the mound and earned the win to improve to 2-0 on the season. Fellow freshman right-hander James Mahler collected the win in the opening game for his first career victory.
The Razorbacks hit four home runs as a team in each game of the doubleheader and have now had four home runs in three-straight games. UA has also had 15 home runs in the last five games, including six from Murphee during that stretch. Murphree also has seven home runs on the season, which leads the Southeastern Conference and 20 RBI.
The Razorbacks host a three-game series with Siena over the weekend. The action gets underway at 4:05 p.m. Friday with a 1:05 p.m. start on Saturday and a 12:05 p.m. first pitch on Sunday.
Game 1:
The Diamond Hogs received great starting pitching from James Mahler and the offense connected for four home runs in a 13-1 win in the first game of a doubleheader against South Dakota State on Wednesday afternoon.
Mahler (1-0) pitched 4.2 innings before being lifted from the game after reaching the 70-pitch mark. He allowed one run on four hits while striking out five. Stephen Richards, Chad Pierce and Evan Cox pitched 4.1-innings of scoreless relief.
At the plate, Tim Smalling broke out of a 1-for-22 slump with two hits, including his first career grand slam in the seventh inning. Ben Tschepikow led the Hogs’ 12-hit attack with a 3-for-5 performance that included a career-high tying four RBI.
Aaron Murphree and freshman Jacob House connected for back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning. Brett Eibner then hit his first home run as a Razorback in the sixth with a two-run shot deep to left-center field.
Game 2:
Aaron Murphree hit two more home runs in the second game of the doubleheader as the Razorbacks hammered the Jackrabbits 20-4 for a doubleheader sweep at Baum Stadium.
Murphree went 4 for 6 at the plate with a career-high six RBI while starting pitcher Brett Eibner went 5 for 6 with his second home run of the doubleheader and six RBI. Andy Wilkins also connected for his second home run of the season as he went back-to-back with Eibner in the second inning. Wilkins home run cleared the 39-foot-high scoreboard in right-center field.
On the mound, Eibner earned his second win of the season in his first start. He pitched five innings and allowed two runs on two solo home runs while fanning six and not walking a batter. Kendall Korbal, Justin Wells, Dallas Keuchel and Travis Hill each pitched one inning down the stretch and did not allow an earned run. Keuchel was tagged with two unearned runs.
The Hogs pounded out a season-high 20 runs on a season-high 20 hits. Besides Eibner’s five and Murphree’s four hits, Andrew Darr also went 3 for 5 with two doubles while Ben Tschepikow and Chase Leavitt collected two hits in the game.
Download: South Dakota State – 3.5 – AR08.pdf
