FAYETTEVILLE — No. 1 Arkansas is off to its best start since its first season under coach Dave Van Horn in 2003.
The Razorbacks defeated Murray State 6-0 Sunday to sweep the three-game series at Baum-Walker Stadium. Arkansas’ 10-0 start matches the program’s best since 2003, and its 14-game overall win streak is the program’s longest since it started the 1996 season with 18 consecutive victories.
"It feels great because of the competition we’ve played," Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said. "We’ve been on the road. It’s not like we just sat here and played a bunch of mid-majors and got after them. We had to fight for wins."
The Razorbacks led for almost the entire game Sunday. Robert Moore walked to lead off the bottom of the first inning and scored on Brady Slavens’ sacrifice fly to give Arkansas a 1-0 lead.
Jacob Nesbit’s three-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning broke the game open and gave the Razorbacks a 4-0 cushion. The hit was Nesbit’s first after he began the season 0 for 7.
Nesbit started at third base Sunday — his first start since a game against TCU 13 days earlier.
"I was really excited to be good wood on that and luckily it left the yard," Nesbit said. "It felt good."
Arkansas added two runs after loading the bases on three straight walks to open the fifth inning. Cullen Smith and Jalen Battles each had sacrifice flies in the inning.
"We didn’t put together a whole lot today offensively, but what we did do was we hit three sacrifice flies when we had runners on third base with less than two outs," Van Horn said. "We got the ball to the outfield, and that’s what we coach them to do. It doesn’t always work out but that’s what we want, elevation, get the ball out there and stay out of the double play. Then obviously we got the big three-run homer from Jacob Nesbit that really gave us a good cushion there."
Lael Lockhart earned his first win as a Razorback with five innings. Lockhart struck out six.
"It was just kind of one of those lucky days where everything is clicking for you," Lockhart said. "It started in catch play and translated to the bullpen beforehand, and then just on into the game and got lucky everything was there."
Freshman Jack Wenninger was the loser for Murray State (5-6). Wenninger allowed 3 runs on 2 hits and 5 walks in 3 1/3 innings.
The Racers issued nine walks and hit two batters.
"We weren’t looking to beat anybody with the home run today," Van Horn said, "we were just going to try to find a way to outscore them by moving people around and driving them in."
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story misidentified the inning in which Cullen Smith and Jalen Battles had sacrifice flies. It occurred in the fifth inning.
EARLIER
Arkansas 6, Murray State 0 — FINAL
Jalen Battles and Robert Moore turned a 6-4-3 double play to end the game. The Razorbacks are 10-0, which is the program's best start since Dave Van Horn's first season in 2003.
We'll have much more coming up at WholeHogSports.com.
Arkansas 6, Murray State 0 — End 8th Inning
Robert Moore singled with two outs and advanced to second on a wild pitch, but was stranded when Christian Franklin struck out to end the inning.
Zack Morris will try to close this for the Razorbacks.
Arkansas 6, Murray State 0 — Middle 8th Inning
Kevin Kopps' eighth inning was one of the best by an Arkansas pitcher this year. He dominated Murray State's 3-4-5 hitters, mostly with his cutter. He struck out Jordan Cozart, Brock Anderson and Bryson Bloomer to strand the Racers' seventh and eighth base runners today.
That was impressive. Kopps has been really good since his first outing against Texas Tech.
Arkansas 6, Murray State 0 — Top 8th Inning
Nate Wohlgemuth struggled with command again and walked the first two Murray State batters in the eighth, Jake Slunder and Ryan Perkins.
Kevin Kopps has come out of the bullpen to replace Wohlgemuth. He'll face the heart of the Racers' lineup.
Arkansas 6, Murray State 0 — End 7th Inning
It was another quick inning for the Hogs in the seventh with a fly out, pop up and strikeout. Connor Holden has held the Razorbacks in check in his two innings.
The Razorbacks haven't hit real well today and have just four hits. The walks and other free bases have been the difference, and Arkansas has done a good job of moving the base runners.
Arkansas freshman Nate Wohlgemuth will pitch in the top of the eighth. This is Wohlgemuth's second appearance of the season. He struggled with walks in his debut. He has battled some back problems this year, Dave Van Horn said previously.
Arkansas 6, Murray State 0 — Middle 7th Inning
Evan Gray showed a lively mid-90s fastball in his first inning of work. He walked Tanner Booth with one out, and Booth advanced on a pair of wild pitches, but Gray struck out Brennan McCullough and Jordan Holley to strand Booth at third base.
The Racers have stranded six base runners today.
Arkansas will send Cullen Smith, Jalen Battles and Zack Gregory to the plate in the bottom of the inning. Connor Holden is back on the mound after striking out the side in the sixth.
Arkansas 6, Murray State 0 — End 6th Inning
Arkansas had three batters — Dylan Leach, Matt Goodheart and Brady Slavens — called out looking against Connor Holden in the sixth. It didn't look like any of them agreed with the calls by home plate umpire Keith Sanders, whose zone appears to be widening as the game goes along.
Robert Moore singled and Christian Franklin was hit by a pitch with one out. Arkansas has stranded six today.
Evan Gray will pitch for the Razorbacks in the seventh.
Arkansas 6, Murray State 0 — Middle 6th Inning
Robert Moore and Jalen Battles teamed up to turn a 4-6-3 double play to erase a leadoff walk and end the top of the sixth inning.
Ryan Costeiu issued the walk to Jordan Cozart. Brock Anderson popped up to the shortstop Battles in shallow left field for the first out, and Bryson Bloomer grounded into the double play.
Somewhat surprisingly, Murray State is out-hitting Arkansas 5-3 right now, but the Razorbacks have reached 10 times on free bases — nine walks and a hit by pitch.
Arkansas 6, Murray State 0 — End 5th Inning
Zack Gregory walked with two outs to prompt another pitching change, and the inning ended when Jacob Nesbit grounded out to third base.
Ryan Costeiu will be Arkansas' new pitcher in the sixth inning.
Arkansas 6, Murray State 0 — Bottom 5th Inning
Jalen Battles had Arkansas' second sacrifice fly of the inning to score Matt Goodheart from third base. That will close the book on the reliever Nathaniel Groczyka, who allowed three runs.
Brady Slavens is at second base with Zack Gregory at the plate.
Arkansas 5, Murray State 0 — Bottom 5th Inning
Brady Slavens walked against new Murray State pitcher Jordyn Naranjo to load the bases, and Christian Franklin scored on Cullen Smith's sacrifice fly to left-center field.
Both runners advanced, so there are two in scoring position with one out.
Arkansas 4, Murray State 0 — Bottom 5th Inning
Murray State went back to the bullpen after Nathaniel Gorczyka walked the first two Razorback hitters in the fifth inning.
Christian Franklin stole second and advanced to third on a throw into the outfield by catcher Tanner Booth. Brady Slavens is at the plate with runners on the corners.
Arkansas 4, Murray State 0 — Middle 5th Inning
The Razorbacks are making all the plays right now. Christian Franklin made a great play on a wind-aided ball in center field, and caught it falling backward for the second out of the fifth inning.
Then Jordan Holly was thrown out trying to steal second base by catcher Dylan Leach. Holly led off the inning with a single.
Because of pitch count, that should be the final inning for Lael Lockhart, who is in line for the win by pitching five innings. Lockhart allowed 5 hits and 1 walk, and struck out 6.
Arkansas 4, Murray State 0 — Bottom 4th Inning
Jacob Nesbit's first home run of the year is a big one — a three-run homer to left field to give the Hogs some breathing room.
Nesbit crushed a 0-1 pitch from Nathaniel Gorczyka into the Razorbacks' bullpen. He was previously hitless in seven at-bats this year. This is his first time in the starting lineup since opening weekend.
Arkansas 1, Murray State 0 — Bottom 4th Inning
Murray State is going to the bullpen after starter Jack Wenninger walked Jalen Battles and Zack Gregory in consecutive one-out at-bats.
Right hander Nathaniel Gorczyka will inherit the base runners and will face Jacob Nesbit first. Nesbit struck out looking his first at-bat today and does not have a hit this year.
Wenninger leaves in line for the loss.
Arkansas 1, Murray State 0 — Middle 4th Inning
Lael Lockhart got out of a jam in the fourth. He was cruising until Trey Woosley singled with two outs. Tanner Booth followed with a single when Brady Slavens was pulled off the bat on a throw from shortstop Jalen Battles.
Lockhart went to a 3-2 count against designated hitter Wes Schad, and Schad was called looking at strike three low in the zone. The Racers stranded their fourth and fifth base runners today.
Lockhart's pitch count is getting up there, 65 through four innings. He'll probably get a chance to pitch the fifth, but Arkansas has pitchers up in the bullpen.
Arkansas 1, Murray State 0 — End 3rd Inning
The game is moving quickly. Arkansas' 2-3-4 hitters went down in order in the bottom of the third.
Murray State's Jack Wenninger has allowed just two hits. He was really good last week and is giving the Racers a chance today.
Arkansas 1, Murray State 0 — Middle 3rd Inning
Jake Slunder and Ryan Perkins hit a pair of two-out singles off Lael Lockhart after Lockhart struck out the first two batters of the inning, his third and fourth strikeouts today.
Murray State's top hitter, Jordan Cozart, hit a two-out line drive to left field, but Arkansas left fielder Zack Gregory covered a lot of ground to catch the ball on the run and strand two Racers. Murray State has left three on the bases so far.
Arkansas 1, Murray State 0 — End 2nd Inning
Arkansas had something going in the second when Zack Gregory walked to lead off and Dylan Leach was hit by a 1-1 pitch with one out. Then the Hogs got an unlucky break as Robert Moore's ground ball single hit Leach trying to advance to second. Leach was out and Gregory had to return to second base.
The inning ended when Gregory and Moore tried to advance on a pitch in the dirt, but Moore was thrown out at second base. That led to a frustrated hand clap by Dave Van Horn that could he heard a few sections away.
Arkansas 1, Murray State 0 — Middle 2nd Inning
Lael Lockhart just worked a nice, easy six-pitch inning. Jacob Nesbit at third base and Robert Moore at second showed good defensive footwork on a couple of ground balls. Fielding has been really good for the Razorbacks so far this year.
Arkansas 1, Murray State 0 — End 1st Inning
Jalen Battles flied out to right field to end the inning and strand two Razorbacks.
There is a strong wind blowing in from right that is knocking down a lot of balls hit that direction. It might lead to some wind-aided home runs hit to left today.
Arkansas 1, Murray State 0 — Bottom 1st Inning
Robert Moore walked to lead off the inning, went first to third on a single by Matt Goodheart to right field and scored on a sacrifice fly by Brady Slavens to right. Slavens did a good job battling back from a 1-2 hole until he got something to hit on the eighth pitch of his at-bat.
Cullen Smith followed with a two-out walk. There are runners on first and second for Jalen Battles.
Arkansas 0, Murray State 0 — Middle 1st Inning
Lael Lockhart issued a one-out walk to Ryan Perkins, but struck out Jordan Cozart and Brock Anderson, both swinging.
Pregame
It is another real nice day at the ballpark. It is sunny and the temperature is expected to reach the mid-60s today in Fayetteville.
There are a lot of lineup changes as the Razorbacks go for the three-game sweep of Murray State. The notable changes:
• Jacob Nesbit at 3B
• Cullen Smith at 1B
• Brady Slavens at RF
• Dylan Leach at C
Arkansas left hander Lael Lockhart (0-0, 4.50 ERA) will go against Murray State freshman right hander Jack Wenninger (1-0, 0.00 ERA).
The Razorbacks are in their cream-colored Sunday jerseys with red hats. Murray State is in the road grays with gray hats.