Wallace, Turner lead Diamond Hogs to victory in Stillwater Regional opener

STILLWATER, Okla. — Arkansas snapped a four-game skid Friday afternoon at Oklahoma State’s O’Brate Stadium, handing the Grand Canyon Antelopes a decisive 7-1 loss.

The Razorbacks moved into the winners’ bracket of the Stillwater Regional, guaranteeing at least two more games in their 2022 season.

Sophomore third baseman Cayden Wallace began his big day at the plate with a two-out home run in the bottom of the first, giving Arkansas a 1-0 lead.

After a strike-’em-out, throw-’em-out double play in the bottom of the second, Arkansas put it to Grand Canyon freshman hurler Daniel Avitia.

Six consecutive hitters reached base, including senior center fielder Braydon Webb, whose RBI single made it 2-0. Two batters later, Wallace was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, and graduate catcher Michael Turner drove in two runs with a single to center, chasing Avitia after just five outs.

Right fielder Tayler Aguilar got the Antelopes on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth with a leadoff homer against senior right-handed pitcher Connor Noland, but that was the lone blemish on the Razorback ace’s stat line. In seven innings, he allowed six hits, walked three hitters and struck out four.

Wallace went yard again with two outs in the bottom of the fourth, re-establishing the five-run cushion, and Turner stretched the lead to six runs with an RBI single in the sixth. The two sluggers combined to go 5-8 with six RBIs.

Senior right-hander Kole Ramage took over on the mound to begin the eighth inning, and he retired six of the eight batters he faced to finish things off.

Missouri State is set to meet No. 7 Oklahoma State at 6 p.m. Friday. The Antelopes will take on the loser of that contest in an elimination game at noon Saturday, and the Razorbacks will get the winner at 6 p.m. Saturday.