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Razorbacks Play "Tight," Fall to Illinois State in Rare Opening Loss

Hogs were out-hit, out-pitched, but "other than that it was pretty even game"
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas lost a season opener.

That's mainly news because the second-ranked team in the country hasn't lost one since 1981 until falling to Illinois State on Friday, 3-2.

The reason was pretty simple for Razorbacks coach Dave Van Horn.

"They out-hit us and obviously they out-pitched us," he said later. "Other than that, it was probably an even game."

Connor Noland-Illinois State
Cayden Wallace-Illinois State
James McCann-Illinois State
Michael Turner-Illinois State

Before Friday, the Hogs had not lost a season opener played in Fayetteville since falling to Oklahoma State, 5-4, in 11 innings on Feb. 21, 1981, at cozy George Cole Field.

There weren't that many people at that game. The opening day attendance Friday afternoon was announced at 10,116 that may have included a few folks that got in disguised as empty seats.

The Hogs' biggest problem was not getting a single hit from any of the top five in the batting order.

Plus the whole team was playing "tight," as Van Horn described it later.

"We had a guy try to pick a guy off first with the bases loaded and we didn't have anybody holding 'em on," he said. "I don't know what happened there.

"It just seemed like it was some nerves going on for some reason."

That wasn't how this team was expected to play and it started with a bad first inning.

Connor Noland started and pitched five innings of two-run ball with five strikeouts in his first start in nearly two years.

Illinois State tagged him for two runs in the top of the first inning, but Noland settled down after that and didn't give up another run.

"He settled in and had some good innings, kept the ball down with some sink," Van Horn said. "He pitched like we knew he could."

Arkansas faced a two-run deficit until the bottom of the fifth inning. The Hogs got solo homers from shortstop Jalen Battles and outfielder Zack Gregory and it was tied, 2-2.

Kole Ramage-Illinois State
Zack Gregory-Illinois State
Robert Moore-Illinois State
Jalen Battles-Illinois State
Dave Van Horn-Illinois State

Kole Ramage was the first man out of the Razorbacks’ bullpen, relieving Noland to start the top of sixth. Illinois State tacked on a run in the top of the seventh, stringing together a two-out rally with a single followed by a run-scoring double.

After designated hitter Chris Lanzilli’s leadoff single to start the bottom half of the seventh, Illinois State’s pitching staff retired the final nine Arkansas hitters to close out the ballgame.

The Razorbacks will look to pick up their first win of the young season in game two Saturday.

First pitch is at noon with true freshman Hagen Smith making his colle debut.