Razorbacks Shut Down Centenary 10-2
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – No. 11 Arkansas jumped on Centenary early and coasted to a 10-2 win on a cold and windy Tuesday afternoon at Baum Stadium in front of a nearly frozen 728 fans.
The Razorbacks and Gents braved temperatures in the upper-to-middle 30s and wind chills in the mid 20s to improve to 18-3 on the season while Centenary falls to 9-12.
Chris Hollensworth and Craig Gentry both connected for their first home runs of the season and Gentry set a new career hit with four RBI. Danny Hamblin went 3 for 4 at the plate with two more RBI to run his team-high RBI total to 31.
James Gilbert started and got the win for the Hogs on the mound to improve to 2-0 and lower his ERA to a mere 0.61 on the season. He struck out a career-high four while walking one batter on 66 pitches over five innings.
Arkansas used three relievers on the afternoon in Brett Bollman, Brian McLelland and Devin Collis. Bollman worked two innings, allowing just one run on one hit. McLelland worked two-thirds of an inning and Collis pitched the final 1.1 innings.
Centenary starter Brandon Fulenchek took the loss falling to 2-5 on the season. He allowed five runs on five hits in three innings of work.
The Razorbacks plated two runs in the first inning on a RBI double from Hamblin and a RBI single by Hollensworth. UA scored three more times in the third inning to extend the lead to 5-0 and chase Fulenchek from the game.
Hollensworth’s solo home run over the bullpen in left field highlighted the inning. Clint Arnold also collected a RBI double in the frame and Wayne Hrozek plated a run with a ground ball to second base. Gentry picked up his first RBI of the day in the fourth inning with a RBI double down the right-field line to push the UA lead to 6-0.
Centenary scored its only runs of the game on a two-run home run by right-fielder Matt Webb in the top of the eighth inning.
The Hogs quickly responded with Gentry’s lined shot over the left-center field wall on a 3-1 pitch from Centenary reliever Kris Calhoun. The home run almost didn’t come to pass after the 3-0 pitch appeared to catch Gentry’s uniform, but the pitch was called a strike. Gentry then cleared the bases on the next pitch with the three-run home run.
The Razorbacks and Gents wrap up the series at 3:05 p.m. on Wednesday at Baum Stadium.
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