Commodores shut out Razorbacks in rubber match

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Needing a win to stay alone atop the Southeastern Conference West Division, Arkansas flopped.

In the series finale with Vanderbilt on Sunday, the Razorbacks fell, 5-0, dropping their first home series of the season.

Arkansas recorded just two hits in the seven-inning loss, in which Commodore left-handed pitcher Carter Holton tossed a complete game shutout.

Sophomore right-hander Jaxon Wiggins stranded runners in scoring position in each of the first two innings, and he was in a position to do the same in the third, if not for senior first baseman Brady Slavens’ fielding error.

Jaxon Wiggins (Michael Morrison / HitThatLine.com)

Vanderbilt catcher Jack Bulger advanced from first to third on the play, and first baseman Dominic Keegan drove him in on a sacrifice fly.

Keegan stretched the lead to 3-0 in the fifth after the Commodores had chased Wiggins from the game.

He left after an infield single and a walk, and two batters latter, Keegan snuck a grounder through the middle against senior lefty Evan Taylor. In 4 1/3 innings, Wiggins allowed four hits, three runs, two earned runs and a walk with eight strikeouts to boot.

Second baseman Tate Kolwyck hit his second homer in as many games, a two-run shot off Taylor in the sixth to keep the Hogs out of slam range.

Arkansas had the leadoff man reach in the seventh for the first time all game, but it was for naught as the next three Razorbacks went down quietly.

The Hogs are sitting tied atop the SEC West with the Texas A&M Aggies, who hold the head-to-head tiebreaker. The Aggies will be in Oxford, Mississippi, next weekend to take on the Ole Miss Rebels, who are fresh off a series sweep at LSU. The Razorbacks are set to play three in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, against the Crimson Tide, the loser of its last six SEC series.

Arkansas and Alabama are set to begin the three-game series at 6 p.m. Thursday. The contest will stream live on the SEC Network+.