FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas hit three home runs - including one inside the park - and beat Miami (Ohio) 11-1 Sunday to sweep the three-game series in front of 6,744 at Baum Stadium.
Chad Spanberger hit a solo home run in the second inning, Eric Cole had an inside-the-park home run in the third and Grant Koch hit a three-run home run to cap a four-run fifth for the Razorbacks (3-0).
Luke Bonfield added a two-run double in the sixth and Jaxon Williams a three-run double in the seventh.
Arkansas finished with a season-high 13 hits. Koch led the team with three hits, while Spanberger and Jax Biggers had two apiece.
"Overall I was pretty pleased with the weekend," Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said. "You never know what’s going to happen the opening weekend.
"We know the competition is going to get better as we move along. We know the pitching is going to be get better, and hopefully we'll get better. If that's the case we'll be very competitive this year."
The home runs by Spanberger and Cole gave the Razorbacks a 2-0 lead. Cole's hit dropped in left field past the diving glove of outfielder J.T. Stone, who hit his head on the wire fence in front of the home bullpen.
Stone laid on the ground for several moments as center fielder Dallas Hall retrieved the ball. Cole scored standing up. Stone was checked by a doctor and remained in the game.
The Redhawks (0-3) threatened to take their first lead of the series in the top of the fourth when they loaded the bases with one out and chased Arkansas starter Kevin Kopps.
Right fielder Cal Elvers singled off Razorbacks reliever Josh Alberius to pull Miami within 2-1, but designated hitter Tyler Harris into a double play in the Redhawks' next at-bat to end the half-inning.
"That was huge," Van Horn said. "I told the team on three pitches the game changed. It’s 2-1 bases loaded and one out and we get a double-play ball. I thought our shortstop did a great job of coming and getting the ball and he made perfect throw semi-off balance to Carson (Shaddy) who really turned the double play well and bang, we are in the dugout with the lead when we easily could have been at least tied for down."
Alberius pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings. Kopps, a redshirt freshman, pitched 3 1/3 innings in his first collegiate outing and was credited the win on a pitch count. Both struck out five batters.
Barrett Loseke worked around two base runners in the eighth inning and Kacey Murphy retired all three batters he faced in the ninth.
The Razorbacks' pitching staff recorded 13 strikeouts Sunday to bring their three-game total to 36. Arkansas walked five Sunday after recording one combined in the first two games.
"Every pitcher that we brought in did their job," Van Horn said. "I think that was kind of what we've been seeing. There's a lot of competition amongst the pitching staff to get on the mound."
A total of 29,354 tickets were sold to the series - an opening-weekend record for the Razorbacks. The previous record was set last year for an opening-series sweep of Central Michigan.
"That was incredible," Bonfield said. "That was definitely the best opening weekend I've had as a Razorback here. It was pretty special coming out all three games and seeing those people in the stands for us."
Arkansas is scheduled play again Friday against Bryant at 3 p.m.