Stovall’s five hits powers Razorbacks past Missouri State

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Peyton Stovall delivered a five-hit performance and powered No. 2 Arkansas to an 8-5 midweek series-sweeping win over Missouri State on Wednesday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium.

With the win, the Razorbacks conclude the year with a 12-0 record in midweek games to finish unbeaten in midweek contests for the first time since the 2005 campaign, head coach Dave Van Horn’s third season on the job.

Ben Bybee made his sixth start of the year on the mound and fired four scoreless frames with a career-high six strikeouts in Wednesday’s win. The junior, who threw 37 of 58 pitches for strikes, allowed just three hits and did not issue a walk.

The Razorbacks took their first lead of the game in the third, scoring a run on a two-out fielding error to open an early 1-0 advantage. After Missouri State tied the game with a solo homer in the top of the fifth, Arkansas responded with a two-spot in the bottom half of the frame to go back up, 3-1, before pouring it on in the sixth and seventh innings.

Peyton Holt’s solo shot in the bottom of the sixth extended the Hogs’ lead to 4-1. The Greenwood, Ark., native finished 1-for-3 with an RBI and a walk to raise his season slash line to .333/.441/.455 with three homers and 15 RBI.

Stovall continued his tear in the same inning, adding an RBI single to stretch the Hogs’ advantage to four runs. The team tri-captain, who finished 5-for-5 (all singles) with an RBI, recorded his first five-hit game since accomplishing the feat against Auburn on June 21, 2022, in Omaha, Neb., at Charles Schwab Field Omaha in the College World Series.

For the season, Stovall is now slashing a team-leading .350/.419/.562 with seven home runs and 31 RBI.

Parker Rowland, meanwhile, finished 2-for-2 with three runs, a double, an RBI and a walk, collecting the Hogs’ only other multi-hit game in Wednesday’s win. Five Arkansas batters recorded at least one RBI, led by Nolan Souza’s two-RBI effort.

In relief, veteran right-handers Dylan Carter (2.1 IP, 2 R, 1 SO) and Koty Frank (2.2 IP, 3 R, 3 SO) combined to work the game’s final five innings. Carter earned the win to improve to 1-0, while Frank logged his fourth save of the year.

Up next, the Hogs travel to Lexington, Ky., for a three-game SEC weekend series. First pitch in the opener between second-ranked Arkansas and eighth-ranked Kentucky is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Friday, May 3, on SEC Network+.