Aloy big producer in Razorbacks’ run-rule win over UAPB

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Behind Wehiwa Aloy’s four-hit, five-RBI showing, No. 2 Arkansas (35-6) picked up an 11-1 run-rule win in seven innings against UAPB (13-27) Tuesday night in its annual midweek game at Dickey-Stephens Park.

The Razorbacks improved to 11-2 all-time inside the home of the Arkansas Travelers, the Double-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. Excluding 2020 and 2021, the Hogs have played a midweek game in North Little Rock every year since 2010.

With Tuesday night’s win, Arkansas, which last went unbeaten in midweeks in 2005 (9-0), also improved to a perfect 10-0 in midweek games this season. Two midweek contests remain on the Razorbacks’ regular season schedule this year.

Arkansas opened the scoring in the bottom half of the first, thanks to Aloy’s first hit of the day. The Razorback shortstop singled to left and scored Peyton Stovall from second, as the Hogs gave starting pitcher Ben Bybee an early 1-0 lead.

Bybee spun two innings of one-run ball with four strikeouts before handing the ball off to the bullpen. In relief, Cooper Dossett earned the win to improve to 3-0, firing a career-high three scoreless innings with a career-best four strikeouts.

Christian Foutch (1.0 IP, 1 SO) and Parker Coil (1.0 IP, 2 SO) also appeared in relief for the Razorbacks and turned in scoreless frames of work, as the Arkansas bullpen combined for five shutout innings with seven strikeouts.

Tuesday night’s ballgame was knotted at one until the bottom of the fifth inning, when Aloy broke things open with his two-out, two-run double to right center to put the Hogs ahead, 3-1. From there, it was all Arkansas.

The Razorbacks batted around in the bottom of the sixth, posting a seven-spot to take control of the game. Ryder Helfrick’s bases-loaded walk and Stovall’s sacrifice fly set the table for Aloy’s two-out, two-run single to right, which put Arkansas up, 7-1, and raised his RBI total to a career-high five on the night and to a team-leading 42 on the season.

Kendall Diggs and Nolan Souza followed up Aloy with an RBI single and a two-run double, respectively, as the Hogs opened a commanding 10-1 lead in the sixth and moved within one run of invoking the 10-run rule.

Stovall delivered the final blow in the seventh. After back-to-back leadoff singles from Ross Lovich and Helfrick, Stovall’s sacrifice fly to center scored Lovich from third, representing his second RBI of the night and the game-winning run.

This weekend, Arkansas returns to the friendly confines of Baum-Walker Stadium, where it has won 25 consecutive games, to host SEC Eastern Division foe Florida in a three-game series. First pitch between the Razorbacks and Gators is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, April 26, on SEC Network, with Tom Hart (play-by-play) and Chris Burke (analyst) on the call.