FAYETTEVILLE -- Making his Razorback pitching debut, junior Trevor Stephan earned his first victory of the year and catcher Grant Koch delivered a key two-run hit in the third inning of Arkansas' 5-1 victory over Miami (Ohio) on Saturday at Baum Stadium.
Before 10,891 fans, the 11th-largest crowd in stadium history, the Hogs leaned on much of the same element that gave them Friday's 7-0 win, which was strong pitching. Stephan only threw four innings, but he struck out five batters and scattered three hits, while only giving a fourth-inning home run.
Over the last two games, Arkansas' starting pitchers have thrown a combined eight innings and given up only six hits, one earned run, and struck out 10 batters. Neither starting pitcher gave up a walk.
Arkansas totaled 10 hits, all singles with the exception of Koch's two-run double in the third inning. Eight different players recorded at least one hit, Eric Cole and Dominic Fletcher turning in their second straight multi-hit day and each going 2-for-4 at the plate.
The Hogs lit up the scoreboard in the first inning for the second-straight day after Fletcher singled home Cole, but it wasn't until the third inning that they padded the lead.
Senior Jake Arledge led off the third with a single and reached third base after a wild pitch and a fielder's choice off the bat of Luke Bonfield. Bonfield got into scoring position in the next at-bat on another wild pitch, leaving the scoring opportunity wide open for Koch.
The Fayetteville native laced a 1-1 pitch into the right-centerfield gap for his first hit of the year, driving in two runs and breaking a 1-1 tie. He scored on a Carson Shaddy single to make it 4-1.
After Stephan made it through four innings, the bullpen shut out the Redhawks for the remaining five innings. Dominic Taccolini, Weston Rogers and Cody Scroggins struck out a combined six batters and only allowed one hit. Taccolini allowed the first walk of the weekend in the seventh inning, snapping a streak of 56 consecutive batters Arkansas faced without allowing a base on balls.
"I think it's great experience for our new guys," Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said. "I think once you get used to it you know they (fans) are there, but you are not in awe of it. You are just appreciative more than anything that they come out to watch us in all kinds of weather. Today's crowd was incredible. I mean I don't know if I have ever seen that many people in the outfield."
Arkansas and Miami conclude their three-game series at 1 p.m. today.
Sports on 02/19/2017