FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Timely two-out hitting helped the Hogs overcome an early deficit and pick up their ninth win in a row as No. 7 Arkansas (14-2) fended off UNLV (5-9), 13-7, on a chilly Tuesday night at Baum-Walker Stadium.
“It was one of those games that make you a little nervous,” Razorbacks coach Dave Van Horn said later. “They just kept scoring.”
The Razorbacks went 5-for-12 (.417) at the plate with two outs and collected six two-out RBI, including all five of their runs that came in the bottom of the fourth, in the win.
The five-run fourth featured four run-scoring singles with two outs.
It truly was a strange game to start the final non-conference series of the season as forecasts call for the temperatures to continue to get cooler.
Van Horn has told his players to get used to it, especially want to play at the major league level but it doesn’t particularly bother him.
“I’m good, I don’t play,” Van Horn said. “I’ve got handwarmers, foot warmers.”
It was a light-hearted moment in a night with some crazy stuff, including a brief delay after a pitching change when Hogs first baseman Brady Slavens was still in the dugout when they were ready to resume play. Everybody waited.
Harold Coll was the night’s offensive hero, finishing 3-for-5 with two runs scored, two doubles, a home run and a team-leading four RBI. His homer, a solo shot in the bottom of the second, was his first as a Razorback.
UNLV maintained a 4-2 lead entering the bottom half of the fourth inning, but Arkansas’ five runs turned the game around. Freshman Reese Robinett delivered the biggest blow of the inning, driving in a pair of two-out runs on a single to put the Hogs ahead, 7-4.
Jace Bohrofen also came up big in the inning, driving in a run on a two-out single. The Razorback captain finished his night 2-for-5 at the plate with a double and a pair of RBI, moving his season slash line to a team-leading .442/.565/.856.
Jared Wegner, meanwhile, extended his team-best hitting streak to nine game and collected his team-leading 27th RBI in Tuesday night’s win. Kendall Diggs, hitting in the leadoff spot for the first time this season, racked up an RBI on three hits, including a double, and a pair of walks.
On the mound, freshman left-hander Parker Coil made his second career start and lasted 2 1/3 innings. He struck out a career-high four while allowing four runs on four hits and a walk.
In relief of Coil, emergent relief ace Dylan Carter threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings with a strikeout before giving way to Austin Ledbetter, who followed him with 2 2/3 innings of three-run ball and matched his career high in strikeouts with five. Cody Adcock (1.1 IP, 1 SO) and Gage Wood (1.0 IP) locked down the final 2 1/3 innings and did not allow a run.
Arkansas will go for the midweek series sweep against UNLV tomorrow afternoon. First pitch in the finale between the Hogs and Hustlin’ Rebels is scheduled for 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 15, on SEC Network+.
