Another big night by Smith keys Hogs’ close win over Florida

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Hagen Smith tallied 11 strikeouts over a season-long seven innings of work to lead No. 2 Arkansas to a 2-1 series-opening win over Florida on Friday night at Baum-Walker Stadium.

With his 11-strikeout game, Smith increased his career strikeout total to 310, moving into second on Arkansas’ career strikeouts list and becoming only the third pitcher in Razorback history to record 300 or more career strikeouts.

The Hogs extended their home winning streak to 26, a Baum-Walker Stadium record, with Friday night’s win. Arkansas is one win shy of its program record for consecutive home wins of 27, set during the 1984-85 seasons at George Cole Field.

After working around a pair of runners in the first, Smith settled in and retired 17 consecutive batters until a leadoff walk in the top of the seventh. The junior left-hander finished the night with 11 strikeouts, allowing just one unearned run on two hits and a walk over seven innings to log his ninth quality start and eighth double-digit strikeout game of the year.

Smith was staked with an early lead thanks to Ryder Helfrick’s two-out solo shot in the second. Florida starter Pierce Coppola retired the first five he faced, including four strikeouts, before Helfrick hammered a 2-0 pitch into the Hog Pen.

The Hogs’ one-run lead held up until the top of the seventh, when the Gators capitalized on a two-out error to even the game at 1-1. The run went unearned, however, as Smith lowered his season ERA to a jaw-dropping 1.35 in 60.0 innings.

Arkansas broke the deadlock in the bottom of the eighth on Jared Sprague-Lott’s sac fly to right. Ty Wilmsmeyer, who drew a one-out walk before advancing to third on Peyton Stovall’s single, dashed home to put the Razorbacks up, 2-1.

Gabe Gaeckle emerged from the bullpen in relief of Smith and locked down the final two innings to earn the win and secure Arkansas’ series-opening victory. The true freshman struck out three over his two scoreless frames of work.

Due to Sunday’s weather, Arkansas and Florida will now play a doubleheader tomorrow at Baum-Walker Stadium beginning at noon on ESPN2 with Tom Hart (play-by-play) and Chris Burke (analyst) on the call. Saturday’s doubleheader will consist of two nine-inning games with approximately a 45-minute break between games.