Hogs defeat Grand Canyon in Stillwater, 7-1
STILLWATER, Okla. – Arkansas took care of business against Grand Canyon in the Stillwater Regional opener, defeating the Antelopes 7-1.
Razorback starting pitcher Connor Noland provided a seven inning quality start and surrendered just one run on five hits. Cayden Wallace slugged a pair of homers and Michael Turner went 3-4 with three RBI at the plate.
The Hogs put together nine total hits and scored in four different innings on the afternoon. Arkansas will face the winner of Oklahoma State and Missouri State on Saturday at 6 p.m. CST at O'Brate Stadium.
Top 1st: Arkansas 0, Grand Canyon 0
Grand Canyon's first two outs came on a loud fly out to right-center and a foul out to Cayden Wallace on the third base line.
After surrendering a pair of two-out singles to the Antelopes, Connor Noland bounced back with his first strikeout of the game to end the top of the first.
Bottom 1st: Arkansas 1, Grand Canyon 0
Braydon Webb struck out swinging at a high fastball to lead things off for the Hogs. Brady Slavens followed suit, striking out swinging at and off-speed pitch.
Cayden Wallace stepped in and knocked the second pitch he saw over the wall in left field to give Arkansas an early lead.
After Michael Turner drew a two-out walk, Chris Lanzilli struck out swinging to give Daniel Avitia his third K of the day.
Andy Hodges / allHOGS Images
Top 2nd: Arkansas 1, Grand Canyon 0
Noland issued a leadoff walk to Tyler Wilson. Cade Verdusco flied out to left for the first out, and Noland followed it up with his second strikeout. Wilson ran on the third strike and Michael Turner caught him stealing to end the top of the second.
Bottom 2nd: Arkansas 5, Grand Canyon 0
Robert Moore drew a walk to leadoff the inning. The walk meant nothing, as Jalen Battles struck out and Moore was thrown out trying to steal second.
A two-out single from Peyton Stovall gave Arkansas life and Zack Gregory was hit by a pitch to give the Hogs two baserunners.
Braydon Webb poked a two-out RBI-single into right field to bring Stovall around. After a two-out walk by Brady Slavens, bases were loaded for Cayden Wallace, who was hit by the pitch to drive Gregory home.
The two-out rally kept going when Michael Turner hit a two-RBI single into center.
Grand Canyon turned to RHP Blake Reilly in relief of Daniel Avitia, and Reilly struck Chris Lanzilli out to bring an end to the inning.
Arkansas Communications
Top 3rd: Arkansas 5, Grand Canyon 0
Connor Noland started the inning off with his third strikeout of the day. Elijah Buries smacked a one-out double down the left field line. Juan Colato flew out to shallow center field for the second out. A Jacob Wilson fly out to right ended the top of the third.
Bottom 3rd: Arkansas 5, Grand Canyon 0
Robert Moore reached base on an error by the second baseman to leadoff the inning. Jalen Battles hit a sac-bunt right back to the pitcher to advance Moore and record the first out. Peyton Stovall struck out swinging for the second out and Zack Gregory flew out to right field to end the inning.
Robert Moore at the plate in the first game of Arkansas' series-opening loss Friday night against Vanderbilt. (Arkansas Communications)
Top 4th: Arkansas 5, Grand Canyon 1
Taylor Aguilar led the top of the fourth off with a solo homer to right field.
Josh Buckley flew out to left field the pitch right after the homer for the first out. Noland issued a one-out walk to Tyler Wilson, who was advanced to second on a swinging bunt from Cade Verdusco that resulted in the second out of the inning.
Connor Noland escaped trouble when Jonny Weaver grounded out to Cayden Wallace at third to end the top of the fourth.
Bottom 4th: Arkansas 6, Grand Canyon 1
Braydon Webb led things off with his second strikeout of the day. Brady Slavens recorded the second out on a fly out to right-center two pitches later.
Cayden Wallace drilled his second homer of the day over the wall in left field.
Michael Turner reached base for the third time with a single to deep shortstop, but Chris Lanzilli flew out to left-center to end the inning.
Arkansas Communications
Top 5th: Arkansas 6, Grand Canyon 1
Peyton Stovall made a beautiful sliding over-the-shoulder catch in shallow right for the first out of the inning. Robert Moore called Stovall off for a fly out in nearly the same spot as the previous out. Juan Colato hit a single to left, but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double.
Bottom 5th: Arkansas 6, Grand Canyon 1
Robert Moore led the inning off with a flyout to left field. Four pitches later, Jalen Battles lined a single to left field. Peyton Stovall hit a very loud out to the warning track in left-center. Zack Gregory drew a two-out walk, but Braydon Webb flew out to shallow center right after to end the inning.
Arkansas Communications
Top 6th: Arkansas 6, Grand Canyon 1
Connor Noland worked a five-pitch, 1-2-3 top of the sixth inning that included a pair of fly outs and a ground out.
Bottom 6th: Arkansas 7, Grand Canyon 1
Brady Slavens walked to leadoff the inning and he advanced to second after Wallace flied out to deep center for the first out.
Michael Turner drove Slavens home on an RBI-single to right field. Chris Lanzilli joined turner with a single of his own to left field. Robert Moore grounded out to first to advance Turner and Lanzilli.
GCU intentionally walked Jalen Battles and switched to LHP Kyle Sandstrom, who struck Peyton Stovall out to end the inning.
Florida Athletics
Top 7th: Arkansas 7, Grand Canyon 1
Connor Noland took a pair of line drives to the midsection, both of which resulted in outs at first base. The inning came to a close with Noland's fourth strikeout of the day.
Bottom 7th: Arkansas 7, Grand Canyon 1
Arkansas went down in order with a fly out from Braydon Webb and a pair of strikeouts from Zack Gregory and Brady Slavens.
Top 8th: Arkansas 7, Grand Canyon 1
Kole Ramage took the mound for Arkansas and fanned Juan Colato to start his outing. After a fly out by Jacob Wilson, Tayler Aguilar hit a two-out single through the left side, but Ramage struck Josh Buckley out to end the inning.
Bottom 8th: Arkansas 7, Grand Canyon 1
GCU relief pitcher Taisei Yahiro started things off with a strikeout and a Michael Turner groundout. Yahiro proceeded to walk two Hogs and get replaced by RHP Carter Young, who finished things off by popping Jalen Battles up to first.
Top 9th: Arkansas 7, Grand Canyon 1
Kole Ramage allowed a two-out single, but a fielder's choice out at second resulted in the final out of the game, and an Arkansas victory.
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