FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas' infielders were Dominic Taccolini's best friend Saturday afternoon.
The feeling was likely mutual.
The sophomore right-hander induced 10 groundouts , struck out a career-high 9 and the Razorbacks had 14 hits in a 13-7 victory over Loyola Marymount in front of an announced crowd of 4,359 at Baum Stadium.
"They like playing behind me because they know they're going to get a lot of ground balls and not be bored," Taccolini said. "My infield was great today."
Taccolini (3-1) faced the minimum number of batters through four innings. He threw 104 pitches and completed his day by striking out the side after the Lions had loaded the bases with no outs in the seventh.
"My ball moves a lot and [Loyola Marymount] was swinging early in the count on my fastball which is good," Taccolini said. "It was definitely good to throw well and have quick innings, so our hitters could get back out there to swing the bat like they are."
Taccolini retired the Lions in order until Tanner Donnels led off the fifth with a home run to right-center field. Donnels, who was the only Loyola Marymount player to record a hit through the first six innings, singled in the second inning before it was wiped out by a double play.
Donnels was 3 for 3 for the Lions (8-6).
"Taccolini had outstanding stuff today," Razorbacks Coach Dave Van Horn said. "His fastball was just running all over the place, sinking and diving. He got ahead in the count and started using his changeup more to the left handers and was also throwing a pretty good slider."
Van Horn said credit to Taccolini's development goes to pitching coach Dave Jorn.
"His confidence is at an all-time high," Van Horn said. "He can rely on his stuff and doesn't have to overthrow. He can get people out with his fastball and when he has his changeup and slider going a little bit he can be a top pitcher."
The Razorbacks (9-2) had six hits in their first three at-bats and led 5-0. Arkansas then blew the game open with a six-run, six-hit eighth inning and led 13-3 before the Lions scored four in their final at-bat.
Andrew Benintendi went 3 for 5 with 5 RBI to lead Arkansas' offense, including a bases-clearing RBI double to the center field wall during the Razorbacks' six-run eighth.
Clark Eagan, Rick Nomura and Michael Bernal each added two hits and Tyler Spoon hit two-run home run in the eighth to extend his hitting streak to 12 games going back to last season.
"We did a good job up and down the lineup driving in runs," Van Horn said.
The Razorbacks got to Lions starter Trevor Megill (1-2) early.
After taking a 1-0 first-inning lead when Eagan walked and scored on a sacrifice fly from Spoon, Arkansas used a three-run, three-hit second inning to take control.
Arkansas used a single Bobby Wernes, a two-RBI single from Benintendi and a bunt single from Bernal in the inning and led 4-0.
"When we put pressure on them early we're a pretty good team," Benintendi said.
Sports on 03/08/2015