FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas tied its best 30-game start in seven years with a pair of wins over Grand Canyon on Wednesday at Baum Stadium.
The No. 15 Razorbacks beat the Antelopes 11-2 in the continuation of a game that was postponed the night before because of weather, then won the second game of the series 6-1.
Arkansas improved to 24-6 overall - its best start since a 33-6 record to begin the 2010 season.
The Razorbacks recorded 18 strikeouts in the nightcap to tie a school record set in 2009 against Missouri State. Sophomore left-hander Kacey Murphy recorded 10 strikeouts in a 4-inning start to earn his third win of the season.
Evan Lee added two strikeouts in two innings, and Josh Alberius, Matt Cronin and Brenden Heiss each struck out two in one inning on the mound.
The Razorbacks took a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Carson Shaddy's seventh home run came with one out and Alex Gosser added an RBI double later in the inning off Grand Canyon starter Tyler Hansen.
Gosser's sacrifice fly extended the lead to 3-0 in the fourth inning and Jared Gates' two-run double gave Arkansas a 5-0 lead in the fifth.
The teams traded runs in the sixth inning. Grand Canyon scored on Garrison Schwartz's third home run, but the Razorbacks countered in the bottom of the inning when Chad Spanberger's RBI single scored Gosser.
Gosser finished the game 2-for-3 with 2 RBI.
Arkansas 11, Grand Canyon 2
Arkansas had 13 hits — including home runs in the third inning by third baseman Jared Gates and right fielder Eric Cole — and beat Grand Canyon 11-2 Wednesday in a game that was suspended because of weather the night before.
Arkansas led 2-0 when the game resumed in the bottom of the second inning.
The No. 15 Razorbacks improved to 23-6 overall. Grand Canyon fell to 12-15. The teams will play a second game Wednesday evening.
It was the first home run as a Razorback for Gates, a junior college transfer who missed the first 21 games because of a right hand injury.
Gates went 2-for-3 with 2 walks and had 2 RBI.
Cole, who hit his second home run this season, was 2-for-5 with 2 RBI.
Designated hitter Evan Lee was 3-for-5 and scored 2 runs.
Chad Spanberger hit a triple — and just missed a home run — with a drive that hit off the top of the center field wall above the 400-foot marker and bounced back onto the field. He finished 2-for-5 with an RBI.
Razorbacks sophomore left-hander Weston Rogers (1-0) went 3 innings and allowed 2 hits and 1 run without a walk and 3 strikeouts.