Four in the 4th carry Arkansas over Appalachian State
FAYETTEVILLE — The Arkansas Razorbacks erupted for four runs in the fourth inning en route to a 7- 6 victory over Appalachian State, playing with a full squad after part of the team was stranded by winter weather in North Carolina, on Saturday at Baum Stadium, clinching a victory in the season- opening series. The Hogs go for the sweep at 1: 05 p. m. today.
Andrew Benintendi began Arkansas’ big inning by getting hit by a pitch, advancing to second on a balk before scoring on Joe
Serrano’s RBI single. Brian Anderson followed with a single before Tyler Spoon, Arkansas’ RBI leader last year, drove everybody in with a three- run home run.
Anderson led the Hogs ( 2- 0) by going 3- for- 5, scoring what proved to be the winning run in the bottom of the sixth. He struck a one- out single before stealing second with two outs, setting up Eric Fisher’s RBI single.
The run proved to be important as Appalachian State ( 0- 2) plated three runs in the next half- inning, cutting the deficit to 7- 6. The first three batters reached on hits, William Head hitting an RBI single before Dillon Dobson’s two- out, run- scoring triple.
Dobson then scored on a throwing error before Arkansas finally got out of the inning. Michael Gunn finished the inning and worked the final 2 1- 3 for his first save.
Chris Oliver ( 1- 0) picked up the win, going five one- hit innings and allowing only one earned run while striking out five. Tyler Moore ( 0- 1) took the loss, rocked for five runs ( four earned) on seven hits in 3 1- 3 innings.