Noland deals, Hogs down Tar Heels in Game 1
CHAPEL HILL, NC — On the shoulders of ace Connor Noland, Arkansas took Game 1 over North Carolina in the Chapel Hill Super Regional, 4-1.
Noland threw 6.2 innings of scoreless ball and earned four runs of support to power the Hogs to victory. The lone blemish for Arkansas pitchers came on a solo shot from Vance Honeycutt in the bottom of the eighth.
The Hogs are now one win away from a trip to Omaha for the College World Series.
Here is how Saturday's game went down:
Top 1st: Arkansas 0, North Carolina 0
A pair of loud fly outs by Braydon Webb and Cayden Wallace along with a Brady Slavens groundout sat the Hogs down in order during the top of the first.
Bottom 1st: Arkansas 0, North Carolina 0
After Danny Serretti knocked a one-out double down the left field line to put runners on second and third, Noland walked Vance Honeycutt to load the bases with one out.
Noland sat Alberto Osuna down on strikes and took a line drive off the back of his thigh, picked it up and made the third out at first to end the inning.
Arkansas pitcher Connor Noland in the Razorbacks' 7-1 win over Grand Canyon in the first game of the NCAA Regional in Stillwater, Okla. (Walt Beazley / Arkansas Communications)
Top 2nd: Arkansas 0, North Carolina 0
Michael Turner dropped a leadoff single into left field, but the next three Hogs were sat down in order to strand Turner.
Bottom 2nd: Arkansas 0, North Carolina 0
After two quick outs, North Carolina's Colby Wilkerson hit a two out single to left field. Wilkerson's hit was erased by an Angel Zarate heater was caught by Peyton Stovall to end the inning.
Top 3rd: Arkansas 0, North Carolina 0
Peyton Stovall led the inning off with a three-pitch strikeout and it was followed by a Zack Gregory fly out. Braydon Webb hit a two-out single to left, but he was stranded after Brady Slavens pop out to third.
Bottom 3rd: Arkansas 0, North Carolina 0
Similar to the bottom of the second, Noland got two quick outs, but UNC's Vance Honeycutt hit a two-out single to left. Noland bounced back with his third strikeout of the day to strand Honeycutt.
Arkansas pitcher Connor Noland gets things started in the Super Regional against North Carolina on Saturday morning. (Walt Beazley / Arkansas Communications)
Top 4th: Arkansas 0, North Carolina 0
Cayden Wallace led the inning off with a single to the shortstop and after a pair of quick outs, he stole second. Robert Moore drew a two-out hit by pitch to give the Hogs two runners on. Jalen Battles struck out on a full count to strand the runners.
Bottom 4th: Arkansas 0, North Carolina 0
Connor Noland put together his first 1-2-3 inning of the day with eight pitches. He closed things out with a three-pitch see ya, his fourth strikeout of the day.
Top 5th: Arkansas 3, North Carolina 0
Peyton Stovall led the inning off with a solo homer to right-center.
Zack Gregory drew a seven-pitch walk and he was advanced to second on a single from Braydon Webb. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch by Max Carlson.
Brady Slavens hit an RBI single into center to bring Gregory across home and then Cayden Wallace hit a sacrifice fly to left to score Webb.
Michael Turner grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Bottom 5th: Arkansas 3, North Carolina 0
Noland capped off another 1-2-3 inning with his fifth strikeout of the day.
Arkansas third baseman Cayden Wallace pops up a pitch during the first inning in the Super Regional against North Carolina on Saturday morning. (Walt Beazley / Arkansas Communications)
Top 6th: Arkansas 3, North Carolina 0
Robert Moore drew a one-out walk to give the Hogs a runner on.
North Carolina turned things over to RHP Nik Pry out of the bullpen.
Jalen Battles grounded out to first to advance Moore to second, but Peyton Stovall flied out to center field to end the inning.
Bottom 6th: Arkansas 3, North Carolina 0
Danny Serretti singled through the right side to lead off the frame, but Noland bounced back by sitting the next three batters down in order.
Arkansas pitcher Connor Noland gets things started in the Super Regional against North Carolina on Saturday morning. (Walt Beazley / Arkansas Communications)
Top 7th: Arkansas 4, North Carolina 0
Zack Gregory and Braydon Webb drew a pair of walks to leadoff the seventh inning.
North Carolina decided to bring LHP Caden O'Brien into the game for Nik Pry.
Brady Slavens hit O'Brien's first pitch into center to score Gregory, but Webb was thrown out at third on the play. Cayden Wallace popped out to first base and Michael Turner grounded out to third to end the frame.
Bottom 7th: Arkansas 4, North Carolina 0
Connor Noland earned a pair of quick outs on four pitches, but allowed a two-out single to Colby Wilkerson.
Dave Van Horn elected to bring LHP Evan Taylor in for Noland after the Wilkerson single.
Taylor induced a groundout to second on his first pitch to end the inning.
Arkansas' Braydon Webb slides across home plate with another run in the Razorbacks' Super Regional against North Carolina on Saturday in Chapel Hill, N.C. (Walt Beazley / Arkansas Communications)
Top 8th: Arkansas 4, North Carolina 0
Chris Lanzilli led things off with a single up the middle for the Hogs. A sac-bunt from Robert Moore advanced Lanzilli to second. Jalen Battles struck out swinging and Peyton Stovall grounded out to the pitcher to strand Lanzilli.
Bottom 8th: Arkansas 4, North Carolina 1
Evan Taylor starting things off with a three-pitch see ya. After Danny Serretti line out to right, Vance Honeycutt got the Tar Heels on the board with a solo homer to left-center.
Alberto Osuna lined out to center to limit the damage to one run.
Top 9th: Arkansas 4, North Carolina 1
Braydon Webb put down a one-out bunt single to reach base. After Brady Slavens struck out swinging, Cayden Wallace was intentionally walked to put two runners on.
Michael Turner grounded out to second to close the frame.
Bottom 9th: Arkansas 4, North Carolina 1
Arkansas turned to LHP Hagen Smith to try and close things down.
Mikey Madej singled through the right side to leadoff the inning. Tomas Frick flied out to center for the first out of the inning. Madej stole second and Eric Grintz struck out.
Colby Wilkerson flied out to center to end the game.
HOGS FEED:
TAKING A CLOSE LOOK AT NORTH CAROLINA'S BATTERS
TAR HEELS FANS FURIOUS ABOUT TICKET SITUATION
CLOSER LOOK: NORTH CAROLINA PITCHING STAFF
BY THE NUMBERS: ARKANSAS RAZORBACK BASEBALL
TREYLON BURKS' ASTHMA DIAGNOSIS PLACED AS CAUSE FOR PROBLEMS
WHO ARE THE HOGS' X-FACTORS FOR SUPER REGIONAL AGAINST NORTH CAROLINA?
SCHEDULE FOR WEEKEND'S NCAA SUPER REGIONALS AROUND THE COUNTRY
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