Knight happy with return to form

Arkansas starter Blaine Knight returns to the dugout after recording the third Kent State out Friday, March 9, 2018, during the sixth inning at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas Razorbacks ace Blaine Knight gave up a first-inning home run then went about dominating Kent State on Friday.

Backed by home runs from right-handed hitters Grant Koch, Eric Cole and Carson Shaddy, Knight and the No. 7 Razorbacks racked up a 7-2 victory in the first game of a series-opening doubleheader at Baum Stadium.

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The Razorbacks lost the second game 10-4.

In the first game, Knight (3-0) allowed four hits, struck out six and walked none as the Razorbacks improved to 3-1 in his starts. His command was much sharper and his fastball much more effective than in his 4-0 victory over USC last week in which he allowed six hits and a walk.

"I don't even know what happened last Friday," Knight said. "It was just one of those games I didn't have it, but battled through it. This week felt more like normal. Hopefully I build off of it and keep going."

The Razorbacks (10-3) and the Golden Flashes (6-4) met for just the second time and the first since the Hogs took an 8-1 decision in a College World Series opener in 2012.

Kent State right fielder Nick Kanavas hopped on a Knight fastball with two outs in the first inning and sent a screamer over the left-field wall for the first run Knight had allowed since a lost-in-the-sun run-scoring double against Cal Poly San Luis Obispo on Feb. 23.

"He put a good swing on it, honestly," Knight said. "It was a good pitch. He cheated fastball, caught a barrel on it. That's what happens when you throw with velocity and a guy catches a barrel."

The 1-0 lead for the Golden Flashes (6-4) lasted until the bottom of the second inning. Heston Kjerstad led off with a walk against left-hander Eli Kraus (1-2), then Koch hammered a 1-1 pitch down the left-field line for a two-run home run into the Arkansas bullpen and a 2-1 lead the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville would not relinquish.

Kraus, of Medina, Ohio, entered the season with a 17-4 record and a career ERA of 2.66, but he has struggled this season with an ERA of 10.12.

A stiff wind blowing mostly out of the southwest pushed balls in the air toward the left-field corner, and Arkansas' right-handed batters took advantage of the extra push.

Cole's three-run home run to left capped a four-run fourth inning that gave Knight some padding.

Dominic Fletcher, hitting in the seven hole after providing the game-winning hit off the bench in Sunday's 7-6 victory over USC, led off the inning with a double. Jared Gates' groundout moved Fletcher to third, and Carson Shaddy's bunt single on a squeeze play made it 3-1.

Jax Biggers followed with a well-placed bunt single toward third base. Cole worked a 2-1 count, fouled off a couple of pitches, then hit his team-high fourth home run off of Kraus.

Shaddy, who sat out Sunday's game, provided the Hogs' final run with a solo home run, also into the Hogs' bullpen, in the bottom of the fifth.

Knight said he did not hear the Razorbacks' hitters talking about launching balls with the wind, but he saw the results.

"I guess that's what they tried to do, and I guess it worked out with the way the wind's blowing it's leaving the yard, so it was good for them," Knight said.

Knight allowed a leadoff double in the fourth to Mason Mamarella and two singles during the rest of his outing while throwing 90 pitches and lowering his ERA to 0.78.

"I felt good," Knight said. "I wanted to go back out again before they pulled me. But with the score what it was and next week with Kentucky and stuff, we kind of made the decision on just letting it sit and getting ready for next week. But I'm looking forward to pushing it past six innings."

Each team turned in a defensive gem. Biggers ranged to his right and made a back-hand stop on a hot grounder to throw out Reilly Hawkins to lead off the sixth inning. Mamarella, the Kent State center fielder, made an impressive running catch on a line drive off the bat of Koch to end the Arkansas eighth.

The Golden Flashes scored the game's final run in the eighth against Arkansas freshman Kole Ramage. Kian O'Brien led off with a single, moved up two bases on a couple of wild pitches, then scored on Mamarella's single up the middle.

Shaddy went 3 for 4 with 2 runs scored and 2 RBI to lead the Arkansas offense. Freshman third baseman Casey Martin, hitting in the three hole for the first time, went 2 for 5.

Cole, who went 1 for 2 with 3 walks, hit the 10 RBI mark with his 3 runs driven in, giving the Razorbacks five players with 10 or more RBI.

Every Arkansas starter, with the exceptions of designated hitter Luke Bonfield and first baseman Jared Gates, had at least one hit in the Hogs' 10-hit attack.

Kent State had seven hits, led by Mamarella's 3-for-4 performance.

Kent State 10, Arkansas 4

Kent State bounced back in game two of Friday's doubleheader by delivering the worst loss of the season for the Razorbacks with a 10-4 victory.

Pavin Parks went 2 for 4 with 4 RBI, Mason Mamarella went 2 for 4 with 3 runs scored, and relief pitcher Austin Havekost struck out 6 batters in 3⅔ innings for the Golden Flashes (7-4).

Arkansas (10-4) had lost its previous three games by a combined four runs and had given up no more than seven runs in a game.

Arkansas right-hander Isaiah Campbell (1-2) had his worst outing of the season and was not given strong defensive support. Campbell gave up 5 runs on 5 hits and 2 walks, but only 1 of the runs was earned.

The Golden Flashes jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Arkansas pulled within 5-3 in the bottom of the fourth inning, but four runs in the eighth inning put it away for Kent State.

Luke Bonfield was 2 for 3 with 2 RBI for the Razorbacks. Jax Biggers was 1 for 3 with 2 runs scored, and Jordan McFarland contributed two hits

Sports on 03/10/2018