Connect with us

Baseball

Wood gets Hogs off to strong start, Aloy leads bats in win

It became an offensive explosion with lot of pitchers by both teams against Missouri State, but Hogs get 12-7 win.

Published

on

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Gage Wood fired three shutout innings with four strikeouts in his first career start on the mound to lead No. 2 Arkansas (38-7) to a 12-7 midweek win over Missouri State (18-25) Tuesday night at Baum-Walker Stadium.

With Tuesday night’s win in the series opener against the Bears, the Razorbacks improved to 11-0 in midweek games and 30-2 at home this year, clinching their fifth 30-win season at Baum-Walker Stadium since the venue opened in 1996. Arkansas also accomplished 30-win seasons at Baum-Walker Stadium in 2018 (34), 2019 (33), 2021 (30) and 2023 (32).

Wood was sharp in his first start on the mound, facing the minimum over three innings and allowing just one hit. The Arkansas offense scored early and often with nine runs across the first three innings, thanks to a four-run first and third.

“Gage Wood came out and did a great job,” Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn said. “Gave us three really good innings. We had built up a lead after the first inning. That second inning he came out and got them out quick. That’s big. We came in and scored another one and left one or two out there. But came back and scored four more in the third. We kind of cruised after that.”

Wehiwa Aloy (1-for-4, HR, 4 RBI) swatted his team-leading 11th home run in the bottom half of the first, connecting on his third grand slam of the year to put the Razorbacks up, 4-0, before recording an out. After Peyton Holt (2-for-5, RBI) added an RBI single in the second inning, Arkansas scored four more in the third, including RBI base knocks by Jack Wagner (1-for-4, RBI) and Hudson White (1-for-4, 2B, RBI), to open a commanding 9-0 advantage at Baum-Walker.

Missouri State would answer with four runs in the top of the fourth and three more in the top half of the seventh, but Arkansas, which used seven pitchers in relief, would maintain a healthy lead throughout Tuesday night’s ballgame. Ryder Helfrick (1-for-4, 2B, RBI) added to the Razorbacks’ edge with his run-scoring double, while Jared Sprague-Lott (2-for-4, HR, RBI) jacked a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth to strengthen the Hogs’ advantage.

The Arkansas pitching staff combined for 15 strikeouts Tuesday night, led by Wood’s four punchouts. In relief, Cooper Dossett (0.1 IP, 4 R, 1 SO), Christian Foutch (0.2 IP, 2 SO), Stone Hewlett (0.2 IP, 2 SO), Will McEntire (1.0 IP, 1 SO), Parker Coil (1.0 IP, 3 R, 1 SO), Gabe Gaeckle (1.0 IP, 2 SO) and Jake Faherty (1.0 IP, 2 SO) contributed to the Hogs’ strikeout total.

Arkansas and Missouri State close out the midweek series tomorrow afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium, with first pitch between the Razorbacks and Bears is scheduled for 4 p.m. Wednesday on SEC Network+. With a midweek series sweep against Missouri State, Arkansas can finish unbeaten in midweek contests for the first time since 2005.

You can hear the games on ESPN Arkansas 95.3 in the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs and 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home. The pregame show with Phil Elson and Bubba Carpenter gets started at 3:30 p.m.

Advertisement

2024 Razorbacks Football

Thu, Aug 29vs UAPB (Little Rock)W, 70-0
Sat, Sep 7@ Oklahoma StateL, 31-39 2OT
Sat, Sep 14vs UABW, 37-27
Sat, Sep 21@ AuburnW, 24-14
Sat, Sep 28vs Texas A&M (Arl)L, 21-17
Sat, Oct 5vs TennesseeW, 19-14
Sat, Oct 19vs LSUL, 34-10
Sat, Oct 26@ Mississippi StateW, 58-25
Sat, Nov 2vs Ole MissL, 63-35
Sat, Nov 16vs Texas11:00 AM
Sat, Nov 23vs Louisiana TechTBD
ESPN+/SECN+
Sat, Nov 30@ MissouriTBD
Advertisement

Advertisement

2024 High School Rankings

Following is the Arkansas Sports Media High School Football Poll including the Overall Top 10, the top five in Classes 7A, 6A, 5A, 4A, 3A and 2A, plus the top three in the 8-man division, as voted by a panel of sports media from around the state for the week ending August 24. Ranking is given with first-place votes received, records, total points and ranking from last week's poll:
OVERALLRecordPtsPrv
1.Bryant (18)8-02521
2.Conway (6)8-02302
3.Greenwood (2)8-02103
4.Little Rock Parkview7-11714
5.Bentonville5-31416
6.Benton7-11265
7.Fayetteville6-21008
8.Pulaski Academy6-2757
9.Rogers5-3459
10.Shiloh Christian6-24010
Others receiving votes: Marion 13, Valley View 9, Joe T Robinson 8, Mountain Home 4, Cabot 3, Elkins 3.
CLASS 7A
1.Bryant (20)8-01241
2.Conway (6)8-01052
3.Bentonville5-3753
4.Fayetteville6-2455
5.Pulaski Academy6-2354
Others receiving votes: Rogers 5.
CLASS 6A
1.Greenwood (26)8-01301
2.Benton7-11022
3.Shiloh Christian6-2713
4.Marion7-1524
5.Mountain Home7-131
Others receiving votes: Little Rock Catholic 4.
CLASS 5A
1.Little Rock Parkview (23)7-11271
2.Joe T Robinson7-1902
3.Valley View (3)8-0803
4.Hot Springs Lakeside7-1484
5.Farmington7-130
Others receiving votes: Camden Fairview 4, Maumelle 4, Morrilton 3, Greenbrier 2, Harding Academy 1.
CLASS 4A
1.Elkins (19)8-01161
2.Arkadelphia (5)6-2792
3.Little Rock Mills (1)8-0703
4.Warren6-2404
5.Malvern (1)8-0315
Others receiving votes: Dardanelle 22, Southside Batesville 11, Mena 8, Bauxite 7, DeWitt 4, Highland 2.
CLASS 3A
4.Bismarck (15)8-01054
5.Fordyce (4)8-0765
Prescott (3)7-1531t
1.Osceola (2)6-149
3.Mayflower (1)8-036
Others receiving votes: Booneville (1) 31, Rivercrest 19, Mansfield 14, Charleston 4, Rison 3.
CLASS 2A
1.Carlisle (21)8-01211
2.Conway Christian (4)8-01042
3.Des Arc7-1663
4.Bigelow (1)6-2455
5.Murfreesboro6-230
Others receiving votes: Marked Tree 10, Mineral Springs 6, Junction City 5, Cross County 1, Mount Ida 1, Poyen 1
8-MAN SANCTIONED
1.Strong-Huttig (25)5-0761
2.Midland (1)7-0502
3.Cedar Ridge7-1253
Others receiving votes: Rector 5.

© COPYRIGHT 2017-24 BY PEARSON BROADCASTING. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
ESPN ARKANSAS 99.5 IN FAYETTEVILLE, 95.3 IN THE RIVER VALLEY, 96.3 IN HOT SPRINGS, 104.3 IN HARRISON-MOUNTAIN HOME.