2 weeks Ago
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said it best. It's about when you catch a team.
Despite Texas A&M coming into the game at just 21-15 overall, the Aggies won their sixth straight SEC game at the Razorbacks expense, 7-4. The Aggies scored just 2.5 runs per game in their first six conference games, but have been on a tear late, scoring 91 runs in its three most recent SEC series for an average of over 10 runs a game.
It was the more potent version of the Aggies that showed up to Fayetteville as they knocked starter Zach Root around for seven hits and all six runs in just four innings of work. Root walked three and struck out six in his shortest start since the SEC opener against Ole Miss over a month ago. Texas A&M had far more balance in the lineup as all nine starters reached base, while the Arkansas 5-9 hitters combined to go 4-for-20 at the plate with just four singles.
The Aggies scored four times in the first two innings, including a two-run double off the bat of third baseman Wyatt Henseler that split the outfielders in left-center to give the Aggies a 4-2 lead. Arkansas hung with the Aggies in the early going. After lefty Ryan Prager pitched seven shutout innings against the Razorbacks last year, the Hogs touched him up for four runs, including a game tying two-run homer to straightaway center from shortstop Wehiwa Aloy in the third.
Prager lasted just four innings plus one batter. It was his 14th of the year, and is now two ahead of Charles Davalan for the team lead. Texas A&M wasted no time taking the lead back.
Two walks and two wild pitches put runners at the corners for the Aggies with no outs without having to take the bat off the shoulder It also ended Root's night at 95 pitches. Aggies shortstop Kaeden Kent took full advantage, driving home the go-ahead run on an excuse me swing that resulted in an infield hit. After Prager was pulled, Arkansas found little success against A&M's top relief arm, Weston Moss, Moss retired the top six hitters in the Arkansas order on just 16 pitches.
Across five innings of work, he allowed just four baserunners. The Razorbacks got the tying run to the plate in both the seventh and the ninth but could not find the key hit. Arkansas will now look to win the series by sweeping the doubleheader that starts 2 p.
m. Friday. Game two will take place one hour after the conclusion of the first game.
Both games will be streamed on SEC+. LaViolette: Hogs Crusher With the ninth inning homer, LaViolette has got a hit in all seven games against Arkansas across his three years at Texas A&M. He's a lifetime .
370 hitter against the Hogs (10-for-27). Iredale's slide continues: Iredale is now 0 for his last 18 and also doubled his error count by committing two errors, one which cost Arkansas a run. HOGS FEED:.
