FAYETTEVILLE — Andrew Benintendi hit two more home runs Friday to help Arkansas to its fourth consecutive series-opening win.
Benintendi became the national leader in home runs hit as the Razorbacks beat Kentucky 5-3 at Baum Stadium. Arkansas will try for its third consecutive series win Saturday at 6:05 p.m.
Game Sketch
Line Score: Arkansas 5-11-1; Kentucky 3-9-0
Records: Arkansas 19-15, 6-7 SEC; Kentucky 18-14, 4-8 SEC
WP: Trey Killian (1-2)
LP: Zack Brown (2-4)
Save: Zach Jackson (4)
Turning Point: Kentucky scored two runs in the top of the seventh inning, but failed to score any more with the bases loaded and one out to preserve a 4-3 Arkansas lead.
Attendance: 5,442
Benintendi had solo home runs in the first and seventh inning to increase hit total to 13 for the season. He has four home runs in the last two games.
The Razorbacks (19-15, 6-7 SEC) won for the fifth time in their last seven conference games.
Junior right-hander Trey Killian earned his first win of the season after allowing one run in six innings. Zach Jackson recorded a three-inning save.
Jackson worked around a jam in the top of the seventh inning to preserve an Arkansas lead. Kentucky (18-14, 4-8) scored two in the inning on a single and hit by pitch, but Jackson retired two straight with the bases loaded.
That maintained a 4-3 Razorbacks lead. Benintendi's seventh inning home run completed the scoring.
After Benintendi gave Arkansas a 1-0 lead in the first inning, Kentucky tied the game on Dorian Hairston's solo home run in the top of the second inning. The Razorbacks regained the lead on Michael Bernal's RBI single in the bottom of the second inning and never trailed again.