FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — No. 3 Arkansas completed its weekend series sweep against Portland (5-11) with a 5-3 win Sunday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium to extend its season-long winning streak to 11 games and improve to 15-1 overall on the season, its best 16-game start to a campaign since 2006 and third 15-1 or better start in the Dave Van Horn era.
Arkansas has now started 15-1 or better through its first 16 games of a season three times under Van Horn (2003-present). The Razorbacks also got off to 15-1 overall starts through their first 16 games of the season in 2005 and 2006.
Brent Iredale’s three-run homer in the bottom of the first inning helped the Hogs jump out to an early lead in Sunday’s series finale. Iredale, who finished 1-for-3 with a game-high three RBI, tore the cover off the ball all weekend long, slashing .500/.583/1.600 with two doubles, three home runs and 11 RBI to help power Arkansas to the series sweep.
Portland closed its deficit to two in the second, but Ryder Helfrick launched his third homer of the season in the bottom of the inning to give Arkansas breathing room. The Razorback catcher’s solo shot to right center put the Hogs up, 4-1.
Provided with the early run support, Razorback starter Landon Beidelschies tossed five innings of three-run ball with six strikeouts to earn his third win of the season. The southpaw owns a 2.37 ERA with 20 strikeouts in 19.0 innings this year.
Wehiwa Aloy (2-for-3, RBI) and Charles Davalan (2-for-4) tallied multi-hit games for the Razorbacks in the win. Aloy’s RBI single in the bottom of the fifth represented his ninth RBI of the series and raised his season slash line to .433/.534/.850.
In the three-game set against Portland, Aloy slashed a team-leading .700/.750/1.700 with seven base hits, including a double and three home runs, and nine RBI. The Razorback shortstop logged three multi-hit performances in the process.
Davalan, meanwhile, posted a .600/.667/.900 slash line with a home run and an RBI against the Pilots. For the season, the Razorback outfielder is slashing .333/.457/.536 with three home runs, 14 RBI and a team-high 22 runs scored.
In relief of Beidelschies, Parker Coil (1.0 IP), Aiden Jimenez (1.0 IP), Christian Foutch (1.0 IP, 1 SO) and Carson Wiggins (1.0 IP, 1 SO, 1 SV) combined for four shutout innings with two strikeouts. Wiggins, the flame-throwing true freshman right-hander, locked down his third save of the season and sealed Arkansas’ 5-3 series-sweeping win against Portland.
Up next, the Razorbacks conclude their 10-game homestand at Baum-Walker Stadium with a midweek matchup Tuesday night before SEC play begins. First pitch between in-state foes Arkansas and UCA is set for 6 p.m. on SEC Network+.
