Hogs Attack Missouri Bullpen with Three Straight Homers for Series Win
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas used a massive sixth inning against the Missouri Tigers bullpen and a one-hitter from the pitching staff to take the second game of the series 6-0.
"It was good for us to find a way to win this game when things weren’t looking real good early," coach Dave Van Horn. "Very rarely do you get a chance to win three in a row against the same team and we have that opportunity tomorrow and I hope we come out play well."
The Razorbacks could not solve Missouri starter Javyn Pimental, managing just one hit across five innings. The Tigers' skipper Kerrick Jackson opted to pull his starter after 78 pitches, replacing him with Bryce Mayer with the top of the line-up looming for the third time. In a scoreless game, Peyton Stovall whacked a 404-foot homer down the right-field line.
"It was one of those games where neither team [where] neither offense is doing much," Stovall said. "I was fortunate enough to put a good swing on the ball and I felt like that got our dugout going."
Wehiwa Aloy followed suit on the next pitch with a 396-foot shot to left-center. Kendall Diggs capped off the trio of homers with a 372-foot shot to around the same spot.
Mayer's rough outing continued. Ross Lovich slapped a two-run triple into the gap in center to open the game up, stretching the lead to 5-0, then scoring on a wild pitch to cap off a six-run inning in which the Razorbacks sent 11 men to the plate.
Brady Tygart came in second in the SEC in ERA (0.90) and continued to mow down the Mizzou line-up. He only allowed one baserunner the first time through the order, striking out five.
Pimental matched Tygart pitch-for-pitch. Neither team recorded a hit through three innings. Pimental worked around two first-inning walks to escape an early jam.
Trevor Austin led off the fourth inning with a single to left for Mizzou that was promptly erased on a line drive double play. Tygart then lost command and loaded the bases with three straight full-count walks, prompting a visit from pitching coach Matt Hobbs. A leaping grab from Aloy on the shortstop side of the second base bag kept all three runners stranded and the Tigers off the scoreboard.
Tygart struck out the eight and nine-hole hitters to start the fifth before plunking a hitter and issuing another full-count walk. He was relieved by Will McEntire with the go-ahead run at second base. McEntire struck out Jackson Lovich, Arkansas outfielder Ross Lovich's little brother to end the threat to close the book on Tygart. His season ERA now sits at 0.73.
McEntire was dominant, mowing down the Tigers line-up with ease and recording the final 13 outs, facing just one over the minimum. He struck out five and improved to 2-0 on the season with a 1.75 ERA.
"He’s a veteran and he throws three pitches for a strike," Van Horn said about McEntire. "I mean he was throwing his fastball for 90 miles per hour, plus. He’s got that cutter about 84-85. He threw just a few regular curveballs. I really like what I saw from him today. He mixed really well and [catcher Parker] Rowland did a nice job back there calling the game."
The series and 12-game homestand concludes Sunday 2 p.m. inside Baum-Walker Stadium. The game will be streamed on SEC Network+.
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