University of Arkansas freshman backup catcher Ryder Helfrick was an unlikely hitting hero Friday night.
In Helfrick's first at-bat in an SEC game, he hit a home run in the ninth inning to help lift the No. 1 Razorbacks to a 6-5 victory over No. 24 Auburn at Plainsman Park in Auburn, Ala.
Helfrick, who entered in the seventh inning as a defensive replacement after Nolan Souza pinch-hit for starting catcher Parker Rowland, came into the game batting .105 (2 of 19), though one of his hits was a home run against James Madison on Feb. 17.
Helfrick, a right-handed hitter from Discovery Bay, Calif., belted the first pitch he saw from Auburn reliever John Armstrong 405 feet over the left-field wall.
Senior right-hander Will McEntire pitched the bottom of the ninth and got his second save after pitching two perfect innings in the Razorbacks' 1-0 victory Thursday night in the series opener.
The Razorbacks (19-2, 5-0 SEC) extended their winning streak to 15 consecutive games. They have beaten Auburn (14-8, 0-5) seven consecutive times.
It's the first 5-0 SEC start for Arkansas since 2009.
Razorbacks sophomore right-hander Cooper Dossett (1-0) pitched 1 1/3 innings of relief to get the victory.
Arkansas tied the game 5-5 in the seventh inning when left fielder Will Edmunson was hit by a pitch from Armstrong, went to third base on a throwing error by third baseman Deric Fabian and scored on a sacrifice fly by second baseman Peyton Stovall.
Auburn took a 5-4 lead in the sixth inning when Javon Hernandez singled against Koty Frank, stole second base and scored on a single by Cooper Weiss' in the next at-bat.
Ike Irish followed with a double, but Weiss was thrown out at home plate on a relay throw by second baseman Peyton Stovall -- who took a throw from right fielder Kendall Diggs -- to Rowland.
The Razorbacks scored three runs in the fourth inning to go ahead 4-3 in the fourth inning, including a two-run single by Edmunson with 'the bases loaded. Jared Sprague-Lott drew a bases-loaded walk for another run.
Auburn tied it 4-4 in the fifth inning. Bobby Peirce doubled against Frank, went to third on a single by Chris Stanfield and scored on an error by Rowland, whose throw trying to pick off Peirce during on a steal by Stanfield went into the outfield.
Three walks by Arkansas junior right-hander Brady Tygart and a throwing error by Rowland helped Auburn take a 3-1 lead in the third inning.
Arkansas first baseman Ben McLaughlin tied the game 1-1 with a home run in the second inning. He hit a 2-2 pitch from Auburn starter Chase Allsup over the right field wall and into the Razorbacks' bullpen.
The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the first inning and ended a streak of 21 scoreless innings against Arkansas going back to last season.
Weiss hit a leadoff double, stole third base and scored on a groundout by Irish.
There was a 33-minute delay during the bottom of the eighth inning when home plate umpire Jeff Wright took a foul ball by Irish off his mask and had to leave the game.
Second-base umpire Alfredo Burkeen moved behind the plate to take over for Wright.
After the delay, Dossett got Irish on a fly out and struck out Peirce swinging to end the inning.
Tygart, a junior right-hander, had his shortest start of the season, going 3 2/3 innings. He allowed 3 hits, 3 runs and 4 walks with 4 strikeouts.
Arkansas improved to 22-6 against Auburn since 2015.
The Razorbacks and Tigers will play the series finale at 2 p.m. Central today.
Today's game
No. 1 Arkansas at No. 24 Auburn
WHEN 2 p.m. Central
WHERE Plainsman Park, Auburn, Ala.
RECORDS Arkansas 19-2, 5-0 SEC;
Auburn 14-8, 0-5
STARTING PITCHERS Arkansas: LHP Mason Molina (3-0, 2.74 ERA); Auburn: RHP Joseph Gonzalez (2-1, 6.92 ERA)
SERIES Arkansas leads 56-49
TV None
RADIO Razorback Sports Network
STREAMING SEC Network-Plus