Bonfield lifts Hogs past Commodores
FAYETTEVILLE Luke Bonfield tallied the game’s first run with a first-inning home run and tallied the last on a two-out ninth-inning single to score Jax Biggers with the game-winning run, as Arkansas knocked off Vanderbilt 4-3 Friday night in the opener of a three-game SEC series before 6,087 at Baum Stadium.
Biggers doubled leading off the inning, hustling on a short fly ball that dropped into left.
Between Bonfield’s two RBI and Dominic Fletcher’s two-run home run in the seventh, it sufficed for the Razorbacks.
The Razorbacks (36-13, 15-9) and Commodores (29-20, 12-12) play again at 6 tonight and 1 p.m Sunday.
Kevin Kopps won in relief on behalf of Trevor Stephan’s strong start while left-handed reliever Zach King was charged with the loss, though Bonfield’s single came off Reed Hayes, the right-hander brought into face Bonfield after King retired left-handed hitting Chad Spanberger for a second time upon relieving strong Vandy starter Patrick Raby.
Arkansas jumped ahead 1-0 on Raby on Bonfield’s two-out first-inning home run.
The lead lasted four batters into the second inning.
Hayes singled with one out and trotted home on Ethan Paul’s two-run home run.
No. 9 Vanderbilt hitter Connor Kaiser tripled over center fielder Fletcher’s head opening the fourth and scored on Jeran Kendall’s single between first and second into right for the Commodores’ 3-1 lead.
Raby held that 3-1 lead until the seventh.
Shaddy doubled leading off and advanced on Eric Cole’s grounder to first before Fletcher’s third home run in three games tied it 3-3. King eventually recording the inning’s final out against Spanberger, stranding Biggers, who had singled with one out.
Jake Reindl, Arkansas’ recently successful closer was not on Friday night.
Reindl walked Ro Coleman on four pitches leading off the eighth and went 2-0 on Kendall before Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn replaced him with Kopps, who threw a strike before hitting Kendall with a pitch.
However, two defensive gems, catcher Grant Koch picking Coleman off second, and Spanberger initiating a 3-6-3 double play on Julian Infante’s grounder kept the Commodores off the board.