FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas needed only one big inning Saturday to take down Delaware State.
The Razorbacks scored seven runs in the third inning and defeated the Hornets 9-2 before 7,710 at Baum Stadium. Matt Reynolds and Jarrod McKinney had RBI doubles in the inning, while James McCann contributed a two-run single.
Arkansas built an 8-0 lead before Delaware State scored its first run of the season on a two-run single by Keith Hernandez in the fifth inning.
The Razorbacks won Friday’s game 5-0 before an opening-day crowd of 7,526 on a bright, sunny day. Saturday’s game also was played with temperatures in the 60s, and Arkansas added to its fans’ enjoyment with its early seven-run surge.
Reynolds, McCann, Jarrod McKinney and Kyle Robinson had two hits each for Arkansas (2-0), which used 17 players Saturday.
“We did a good job, especially in the seven-run inning,” Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said. “We scored in all different kind of ways. We took our walks, advanced runners and did a good job of running the bases.
“There were some good hustle plays in that inning that kind of opened things up.”
Arkansas turned in another strong pitching performance, this one from junior left-hander Geoffrey Davenport and freshman right-hander Ryne Stanek, who allowed three hits combined while striking out 14. Stanek, who was drafted in the third round by the Seattle Mariners last summer, struck out six and did not allow a hit in four innings.
“Stanek did a good job in his first game before a lot of people,” Van Horn said. “He came in and pitched like he’d been there before, and that was good to see.
“It won’t be long before he’s in the rotation if he keeps throwing like that.”
Stanek, 6-4, overpowered Delaware State with his fastball after taking over for Davenport (1-0), who allowed 3 hits, walked 3 and struck out 8. Stanek struck out four of the first five batters he faced before Hernandez reached on a walk.
“I felt pretty comfortable out there for my first time,” Stanek said. “I was a little antsy and maybe overexcited at the start, but then I settled down and did what I could.”
Arkansas collected 11 hits off four Delaware State pitchers, and the Hornets committed four of the game’s five errors. Elliott Gardner allowed 7 hits and 8 runs in 3 innings to take the loss.
“[Gardner] was behind a lot and it caught up to him in that big inning,” Delaware State Coach JP Blandin said. “We really couldn’t get into a rhythm calling pitches, executing pitches, and that’s where it starts. We couldn’t catch up after that.”
Arkansas scored all the runs it needed in the third inning when it managed seven off four hits. Ten batters came to the plate, with Reynolds and McKinney contributing doubles to help the Razorbacks take an 8-0 lead.
Reynolds helped out later defensively with a diving catch at third base that retired Scott Davis to lead off the fourth inning.
AUBURN INVITATIONAL ALABAMA-BIRMINGHAM 5, ARKANSAS STATE 3
AUBURN, Ala. - Ryan Ussery hit a two-run home run in the top of the eighth inning to help Alabama-Birmingham (1-1) beat Arkansas State (0-2) in the Auburn Invitational at Plainsman Park.
The Red Wolves rallied from a 3-0 deficit to tie it at 3-3 in the seventh inning. ASU had runners on first and third with two outs in the seventh, but UAB’s Ryan Nance came on in relief to stop the rally and recorded the final seven outs for the victory.
In the eighth, UAB’s Patrick Palmeiro led off the inning with a single and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt. Ussery’s two-run shot went over the center field fence to give the Blazers the lead.
Jacob Lee allowed just 1 earned run in 6 innings and struck out 5 for ASU.
Tyler Smith and Anthony Hect each had a hit for ASU, who will play Virginia at 11 a.m. today.
SUN BELT UALR 6-2, STEPHEN F. AUSTIN 4-4
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - UALR (1-2) used a six-run second inning to take the first game at Stephen F. Austin (2-1) 6-4 before losing the second game 4-2 in a doubleheader Saturday afternoon.
In the first game, Jason Houston went 2 for 3 to lead the Trojans. Nick Grimmett picked up the victory for UALR, allowing just 1 hit over 7 2/3 innings and striking out 3. Jason West took the loss for Stephen F. Austin.
The Trojans never led in the second game, trailing 1-0 after three innings and 4-0 after six. Sean Bignall and Myles Parma each had two hits and scored both UALR runs.
SOUTHLAND CENTRAL ARKANSAS 14, SIU-EDWARDSVILLE 4
CONWAY - Ethan Harris went 3 for 4 with a RBI and two runs scored, Greg Noble hit a grand slam in a six-run sixth inning and Central Arkansas routed Southern Illinois-Edwardsville (0-2) at Bear Stadium to improve to 2-0 under new Coach Allen Gum.
Sports, Pages 23 on 02/20/2011