Razorbacks claim SEC opener against Kentucky

Errors killed the Kentucky Wildcats as the Razorbacks put up four unearned runs Friday night at Baum-Walker Stadium in a 6-2 victory to open Southeastern Conference play.

Sophomore third baseman Cayden Wallace led off the bottom of the first reaching on the first of three Kentucky errors. He came around to score on a two-out RBI double by junior second baseman Robert Moore, who recorded a three-hit, three-RBI night.

The Wildcats leveled the score in the third inning with a two-out RBI knock from third baseman Chase Estep, who is hitting .436 on the season. It was the only run senior right-handed pitcher Connor Noland allowed in 6 1/3 innings of work. Friday’s outing marked his third quality start of the season and his third win in four decisions.

The Hogs wasted little time reestablishing their lead in the bottom of the third. Graduate right fielder Chris Lanzilli led off with an infield single, and Moore reached on the second error of the game by Daniel Harris IV, advancing Lanzilli to third base. Senior shortstop Jalen Battles put Arkansas on top with a sacrifice fly, and the Wildcats extended the frame with their third error of the game. With two runners in scoring position and two outs, junior left fielder Zack Gregory roped a double into the right field corner to make it a 4-1 Razorback lead.

Moore drove in his second run of the ballgame in the fifth, scoring graduate catcher Michael Turner from second after the latter doubled to left field with one out. Moore’s third RBI came in the form of a solo home run in the seventh inning, a 352-foot blast and his first in nearly a month.

The Razorbacks received 2 2/3 innings of relief pitching from seniors Evan Taylor and Kole Ramage. The left-handed Taylor retired all five hitters he faced, stranding two runners he inherited from Noland. The right-handed Ramage allowed a pair of hits and a run in the ninth, but it was not enough for the Wildcats to come back.

Arkansas and Kentucky will square off again at 6:30 p.m. Saturday in a contest that will stream live on the SEC Network+. Freshman lefty Hagen Smith will get the start for the Razorbacks opposite lefty Magdiel Cotto for the Wildcats.