Hagen Smith still striking folks out in Hogs’ 5-1 win Friday

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Hagen Smith, the reigning national pitcher of the week, struck out 12 over six innings of one-run ball to lead No. 2 Arkansas (7-2) to a 5-1 win against Murray State (6-3) on Friday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium.

Smith, who raised his career strikeout total to 230, moved into seventh all-time in the Arkansas record book for career strikeouts. The left-hander is two strikeouts shy of tying Kevin Kopps’ 232 strikeouts for sixth all-time in program history.

Led by Smith’s second consecutive double-digit strikeout performance, the Razorback pitching staff twirled a combined two-hitter in Friday afternoon’s win over the Racers. Right-handers Koty Frank and Gabe Gaeckle combined for three scoreless innings and eight strikeouts in relief, as Arkansas pitchers finished with 20 total strikeouts on the afternoon.

After allowing a leadoff homer to start the ballgame, Smith settled down to retire the next 18 of 19 batters faced. The lefty finished with 12 strikeouts on 81 pitches (54 strikes) in six innings, allowing just one run on one hit and one walk.

Smith is the first Arkansas pitcher with consecutive double-digit strikeout games since Isaiah Campbell did so in three consecutive games against Stony Brook (March 1), Louisiana Tech (March 8) and Missouri (March 15) in 2019.

Smith’s run support came in the bottom half of the second inning, when the Razorback offense broke through for three runs against Racer starter Cade Vernon. Jayson Jones’ two-run double with the bases loaded gave Arkansas its first lead of the afternoon, and Peyton Holt’s RBI fielder’s choice extended the Razorbacks’ advantage to 3-1.

Arkansas put the game away with two more runs in the bottom of the eighth, opening a 5-1 lead when Kendall Diggs scored on Ben McLaughlin’s groundout before Jared Sprague-Lott scampered home on a passed ball. Offensively, Wehiwa Aloy led the Razorback offense with two base knocks, his third multi-hit game of the season.

Frank and Gaeckle, who earned his first career save in the win, locked down the final three frames after Smith, who logged his second consecutive quality start and improved to 1-0 on the year, departed the ballgame. For the season, Arkansas pitchers have posted a 2.51 ERA and totaled 133 strikeouts in 82.1 innings of work through nine games.

Game two between the Hogs and Racers is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday, March 2, on SEC Network+. Righty Brady Tygart, who is 1-0 with a 0.82 ERA and 10 strikeouts in 11.0 innings this season, will start on the mound for Arkansas.

Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.