Big inning, clutch pitching lifts Arkansas to 5-0

By Matt Jones

Posted: February 22, 2012 at 6:47 p.m.

Michael Woods
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/MICHAEL WOODS --02/22/2012-- Arkansas third baseman Matt Reynolds is greeted by teammate Jimmy Bosco after Reynolds hit a home run in the fourth inning of Wednesday's game against Northwestern State at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville.

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FAYETTEVILLE — A day after clawing its way back for a final inning rally, Arkansas made things a little easier on Wednesday.

The No. 4 Razorbacks scored four runs in the fourth inning and pitched out of several jams late to beat Northwestern State 6-2 at Baum Stadium. Arkansas (5-0) swept the two-game series.

Bo Bigham and Matt Reynolds each hit home runs in the bottom of the fourth after Arkansas failed to produce a base-runner in the game’s first three innings. Bigham led off the inning with a solo home run to tie the game before Reynolds’ two-run home run with no outs gave the Razorbacks a 4-1 lead.

“The second time through the order everyone got more comfortable and he left a pitch up to Bo, and then he left one up on the inner-half to me,” said Reynolds, who finished the game 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored.

After not trailing in the entire opening weekend series against Villanova, Arkansas found itself down for the second straight day to the Demons (1-2). Northwestern State scored a run on Todd Wallace’s RBI single off freshman reliever Mark Reyes in the top of the fourth to take a 1-0 lead.

Like the day before, the Demons got great work from their starting pitcher. Andrew Adams sat the first nine Arkansas batters down in order before Bigham’s home run in the fourth.

“I thought their first pitcher today was almost exactly like yesterday’s pitcher without the velocity,” Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said. “He was a good change-up guy, tried to spot his fastball away and then he’d try to bust you in. He did a nice job. We felt like the second time through the order we were going to get to him and we did.

“He left up his change-up a couple of times. We were swinging at balls in the dirt and guys were getting fooled with that change-up. It’s kind of like anything else, once you see it, you get a little smarter and start recognizing it a little better out of his hand.”

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Dave Van Horn - Northwestern State Game 2 Postgame

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Reyes, who pitched only one inning, picked up his first career win. He entered the game in relief of freshman starter Greg Milhorn, who pitched three scoreless innings in his first collegiate outing.

The freshmen were two of five first-year pitchers to log innings on Wednesday. The quintet of newcomers combined to throw 7 1/3 innings on the mound, allowing two runs on seven hits.

“I thought they all came out and did what they needed to do,” said sophomore right-hander Colby Suggs. “It’s tough being a first-year player, but they all did what they needed to do and we knew they could do it.”

Suggs and freshman Michael Gunn pitched out of an eighth inning jam for the Razorbacks. After Ty Wright had allowed a double and walked a batter to lead-off the inning, Suggs struck out Nick Hinojos on a 3-2 pitch with runners at second and third. Gunn, a left-hander, then struck out pinch-hitter Ryan Westbrook to end the inning.

Arkansas added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth with a Tim Carver two-out RBI double to plate Reynolds.

Nolan Sanburn, who blew a save opportunity by giving up a run in the ninth inning Tuesday, closed Wednesday by retiring the side in the top of the ninth.

“(Sanburn) did a good job,” Van Horn said. “We just wanted to get him rolling a little bit. Nolan is a guy that we’re going to bring in earlier. We’ll close him, but then we’ll throw him in the seventh or the eighth.”

The Razorbacks will return to the diamond Friday with the first of a three-game series against Valparaiso. Right-handers DJ Baxendale and Ryne Stanek will get the Friday and Saturday starts on the mound, while junior left-hander Randall Fant will get the starting nod Sunday.

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