FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas asserted its dominance over in-state foe Central Arkansas, scoring in every inning with an unexpected cycle to beat the Bears 21-9 Tuesday night at Baum-Walker Stadium.
Entering the game with just one hit in 22 at-bats, sophomore catcher Dylan Leach recorded a single, a double, a triple and a home run to hit for the third cycle in Arkansas history and the second in as many seasons.
Second baseman Robert Moore accomplished the feat against Central Arkansas last year as a sophomore, and it had not been done before that since 1994.
For the second straight midweek game, the Razorback starter struggled mightily.
After settling the game against UALR down last week, junior righty Miller Pleimann recorded just one out in his start, allowing three Bears to score on four hits. Arkansas got one back in the bottom of the frame, cashing in on two errors by second baseman Reid Bowman, but the hit parade began in the second.
Freshman designated hitter Kendall Diggs led off with a double to left field and scored along with freshman first baseman Peyton Stovall on a triple by Leach.
He scored on a single by sophomore third baseman Cayden Wallace, who came around on a double by Moore. Senior right fielder Brady Slavens drove in the fifth and sixth runs of the inning on a sacrifice fly to left-center after both fielders collided.
The Bears cut the deficit to two runs in the third, making Zack Morris and Heston Tole pay for two walks and a pair of infield singles. Both runs were charged to the junior lefty Morris, and the sophomore righty Tole went on to pitch a scoreless fourth.
Arkansas stretched the lead to six runs in the bottom of the third on a no-doubt grand slam by senior center fielder Braydon Webb. The Hogs hit two more home runs in the fifth, a solo shot by sophomore left fielder Jace Bohrofen — his first as a Razorback — and another by Stovall.
With the first three legs of the cycle complete, Leach roped a laser beam just over the right field fence for the home run to cap it off. With a 16-5 lead, Moore and Slavens each delivered RBI triples to make it a 13-run game.
After scoreless frames from senior righty Elijah Trest and freshman lefty Nick Griffin, freshman right-hander Nick Moten allowed four runs in the seventh, but the Razorbacks were not done scoring.
Senior shortstop Jalen Battles became the ninth starting position player to get a hit with a solo homer to left, and Leach went yard again for his fifth hit, fifth RBI and fourth run of the game, bringing the Arkansas run total to 20.
Sophomore righty Mark Adamiak struck out the side in the top of the eighth, before Bohrofen belted his second homer of the game to make it 21-9. Freshman right-hander Austin Ledbetter sealed the victory with a nine-pitch, 1-2-3 ninth.
The Hogs will return to action at 5 p.m. Thursday in Gainesville, Florida, for the first of three games with the Florida Gators. Senior right-hander Connor Noland will get the start for the Razorbacks in the opener, which will be broadcast on the SEC Network.
