FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Another weekend series belongs to the Razorbacks.
No. 2 Arkansas hammered four home runs to overpower Mississippi State, 12-5, and clinch its 13th consecutive SEC series win on Saturday at Baum-Walker Stadium. The Hogs own the league’s longest active consecutive series win streak (13) as well as the SEC’s longest consecutive home series win streak (10).
The Razorbacks are now 21-4 overall and 7-1 in SEC play on the year. Arkansas has won eight consecutive games against Mississippi State (16-12, 3-5 SEC) and seven straight home series over the Bulldogs.
After Mississippi State struck first with an early run in the top half of the first, it was all Arkansas. The Hogs scored eight runs across the first three innings, powered by back-to-back four-run outbursts in the second and third.
Brady Slavens hit the first of Arkansas’ four home runs on the night in the bottom of the third, breaking out of his slump with a 376-foot rocket off the balcony of the JB and Johnelle Hunt Family Baseball Development Center.
Ahead 8-1 in the fourth, Chris Lanzilli and Robert Moore went back-to-back with long balls of their own and extended the Razorbacks’ lead to nine. Lanzilli’s 45 career homers are fifth most among active Division I college baseball players.
The Hogs’ homer party was not finished, however, as Zack Gregory launched his second homer of the one inning later. Gregory’s dinger pushed Arkansas’ lead to 11-3, which was more than enough run support for starter Hagen Smith and the bullpen.
Cayden Wallace was the night’s leading offensive contributor, racking up four runs batted in on two hits, including a double. The Greenbrier, Ark., native and Razorback team captain is now slashing .314/.393/.510 on the season.
On the mound, Smith turned in his fourth quality start of the year to pick up his team-leading fifth win. The true freshman left-hander struck out seven over six innings of three-hit, three-run ball.
Gabriel Starks (2.0 IP, 2 SO) and Elijah Trest (1.0 IP) were solid in relief. The duo locked down the final three innings to secure the Razorbacks’ 12-5 win.
Arkansas goes for the clean sweep tomorrow afternoon, vying to secure its third straight series sweep of the Bulldogs. First pitch in the series finale is set for 2 p.m. on SEC Network+.
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