Baseball
Aloy’s grand slam, McLaughlin homer power Hogs over UCA
Razorbacks have battle against Bears, but was about like Dave Van Horn was expecting against team that played LSU close.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Powered by Wehiwa Aloy’s grand slam and Ben McLaughlin’s three-run homer, No. 2 Arkansas (10-2) used a seven-run third inning to blast its way past UCA (7-7), 9-7, on Tuesday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium.
With the win, the Razorbacks, who were donning their pinstripe uniforms for the first this season, improved to 17-2 against in-state opponents, including a perfect 5-0 record against UCA since 1960.
The Hogs’ seven-run third inning propelled them past an early two-run deficit after the UCA offense tagged Arkansas starter Colin Fisher for a pair of runs. The true freshman left-hander from Noble, Okla., battled through the damage to earn his team-leading third win of the year after striking out four and allowing two runs on four hits over three innings.
Aloy’s grand slam, his first home run of the season, in the bottom of the third inning dug the Razorbacks out of a 2-0 hole. The Wailuku, Hawai’i, native clobbered a 1-0 pitch deep into the Hog Pen, giving Arkansas its first lead of the day.
Back-to-back walks by Kendall Diggs and Hudson Polk set the table for McLaughlin’s three-run jack, which was also his first of the season. The seven-run outburst turned the Hogs’ two-run deficit into a five-run lead entering the fourth.
UCA would respond with four runs in the top of the fifth to narrow Arkansas’ lead to 7-6. The Hogs, however, answered in the bottom half of the eighth, scoring runs on a wild pitch and Hudson White’s sacrifice fly to strengthen their lead.
On the mound, Gabe Gaeckle worked the final two innings of the ballgame, allowing a run but locking down his second save of the season – both multi-inning saves – to secure Arkansas’ 9-7 midweek win. Gage Wood struck out one in his shutout frame of relief, while Stone Hewlett racked up four strikeouts in his scoreless inning of work.
Aloy finished Tuesday afternoon’s game with a team-leading four RBI, and McLaughlin had a team-high two hits and two runs scored in addition to his three RBI. Diggs, meanwhile, drew a pair of walks to extend his reached base streak to 12.
Arkansas’s 12-game homestand continues this weekend with a three-game set against McNeese State. First pitch in the series between the Razorbacks and Cowboys is scheduled for 3 p.m. Friday on the SEC Network+.
Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.
