FAYETTEVILLE — Alabama won its first series opener in nearly a month and rocked the sixth-ranked Arkansas baseball team on its heels Friday night at Baum-Walker Stadium.
The Crimson Tide won 12-1 and snapped the Razorbacks’ 15-game home winning streak. The teams are scheduled to play again Saturday at 2 p.m.
Arkansas left-hander Hunter Hollan had his worst outing as a Razorback as he allowed 7 runs on 10 hits — including 3 home runs — during his 4-inning, 84-pitch start. Hollan was lifted after he failed to record an out three batters into the Tide’s five-run fifth inning.
Hollan allowed two home runs in 35 innings before Alabama took him deep twice in the fourth inning to take the lead. Colby Shelton’s solo home run to right-center field put the Tide ahead 2-1, and Mac Guscette homered two batters later to extend the lead to 4-1.
Drew Williamson hit a two-run home run against Hollan in the fifth inning and Dominic Tamez singled against him to force Arkansas to the bullpen. Freshman right-hander Gage Wood allowed a pair of RBI singles by Jim Jarvis and Andrew Pinckney in the fifth to give Alabama a 9-1 lead.
Tamez, the designated hitter, went 2 for 6 and had a second-inning RBI in his return to Fayetteville. Tamez was a catcher on the Razorbacks’ 2020 team whose season was canceled after 16 games.
Arkansas (21-5, 4-3 SEC) tied the game 1-1 in the bottom of the third when Tavian Josenberger lined a home run to right field.
That was the Razorbacks’ only damage against Alabama right-hander Zach Hess during his 4-inning, 68-pitch start. Hess allowed 2 hits and 2 walks, and struck out 5.
The Crimson Tide (21-6, 3-4) out-hit Arkansas 22-3. It was a season-high hit total for Alabama and the most hits allowed by the Razorbacks during coach Dave Van Horn’s 21-season tenure.
Arkansas did not record a hit between Josenberger’s home run in the third and Peyton Stovall’s two-out single in the ninth.
Right-handed reliever Hagan Banks pitched four perfect innings and struck out five for the Crimson Tide. Left-hander Connor Ball worked around an error and a single in the ninth inning.
Alabama’s William Hamiter homered to center field in the top of the ninth. The Crimson Tide’s four home runs brought their season total to 49, which is a top-20 national mark and ranks sixth in the SEC.
Prior to Friday, Alabama had lost three consecutive series openers to Columbia, Florida and Kentucky. The Crimson Tide lost all three of those series by a 2-1 game count.
Alabama is looking to win its first series in Fayetteville since 2016.