FAYETTEVILLE -- The Arkansas Razorbacks weren't giggling during Wednesday's laugher against Mississippi Valley State.
The No. 22 Razorbacks beat the Delta Devils 20-0 at Baum Stadium before an announced crowd of 1,076, but Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn praised his team's approach against an opponent that committed six errors.
Up next
No. 22 Arkansas vs. No. 24 Rice
WHEN Friday, 7 p.m. Central
WHERE Minute Maid Park, Houston
TV MLB Network
"The guys stayed into it," Van Horn said. "The dugout was good. They were mature.
"Guys weren't goofing around. They were cheering their teammates on."
There was plenty for the Razorbacks (5-0) to cheer as they had 15 hits -- including two home runs by second baseman Carson Shaddy and one by shortstop Michael Bernal -- and didn't commit an error as six pitchers combined on a four-hit shutout without a walk.
"We fielded the ball well," Van Horn said. "A lot of times when the game gets sloppy like that, it can get ugly all the way around. We stayed pretty focused."
Clark Eagan, who started at third base after starting at center field last weekend against Central Michigan, went 2 for 4 with 5 RBI.
Bernal went 2 for 3 with 2 runs and 2 RBI. Shaddy, a replacement at second base for Cody Scroggins after playing third base last weekend, was 2 for 3 with 2 runs and 3 RBI. Scroggins, who moved to shortstop when Bernal left the game, was 2 for 3 with 2 runs and 2 RBI with 2 walks. Right fielder Jake Arledge was 3 for 4 with 4 runs.
Eight Razorbacks had at least one hit.
"I think it just comes down to respecting the game," Bernal said of the Razorbacks' attitude. "We've got a lot of guys that are grinders.
"Not too many guys that are very flashy or don't go about the game the right way. I think that's what it comes to, because if you don't respect the game, it'll come back to haunt you at some time or another."
Eagan showed his focus when he scored from a second base on a two-run sacrifice fly in the fourth inning by Luke Bonfield. Jake Arledge scored from third base on the play before assistant coach Tony Vitello waved in Eagan.
"That was a good hustling play by Clark," Van Horn said. "That's all we ask our base runners to do in those types of situations is just run hard and pick up the coach, because you never know if there's going to be a bobble.
"Clark made the play when he took off and ran extremely hard from second. Even though he knew he probably wasn't going to be [in] the play, the next thing you know the coach is bringing him, and it was the right call and it worked."
Weston Rogers, a freshman left-hander from Springdale Har-Ber, pitched the first two innings in his Razorbacks debut and was credited with the victory. He had four strikeouts without a walk and allowed one hit.
Van Horn said Rogers, who threw 28 pitches, could have gone longer, but the coaches want him available this weekend at a tournament in Houston when the Razorbacks face Rice, Houston and Texas Tech.
"I thought he threw extremely well," Van Horn said. "He was 86 to 90 [miles per hour] on his fastball and had a good breaking ball. He didn't even throw his changeup."
Arkansas' pitchers Wednesday included freshmen Ty Harris, a left-hander from Rogers Heritage who went two innings, and right-hander Jake Reindl from Shiloh Christian, who threw one inning.
"I'm really proud of our pitchers," Van Horn said. "They came out and really filled up the zone."
The Razorbacks have used 17 pitchers in five games.
"I think we've thrown everybody we have now," Van Horn said. "I told them after the game, from what I've seen, I don't have a problem putting any of those pitchers in a ball game.
"We've got some velocity and breaking balls. The guys competed really well.
"We've got a good group of freshmen that bring a lot of different styles to the mound. Left, right. It was good to watch."
Shaddy, a sophomore from Fayetteville, hit his first two home runs of the season in back-to-back at-bats in the sixth and eighth innings. Last season he hit three home runs in 89 at-bats.
"I don't really consider myself a home run hitter," Shaddy said. "I'm more of a singles and sometimes doubles guy.
"I just was going up there with a good approach, not trying to hit home runs but just work on my rhythm and hands and posture, and good things happened for me."
The Razorbacks outscored Mississippi Valley State (0-5) by a combined 41-4 in two games, including a 21-4 victory Tuesday.
"It's nice to have a game or two where you can relax and just play," Van Horn said. "You never know how it's going to go.
"You know how it could go, and how it should go, and we did a good job of taking care of business."
Sports on 02/25/2016