Arkansas scores 30 in one day, sweeps Kentucky

Arkansas second baseman Carson Shaddy (20) is congratulated after hitting a home run during a game against Kentucky on Saturday, March 17, 2018, in Fayetteville.

Game 2

Arkansas 16, Kentucky 9 - Final

Evan Lee gave up a run on a pair of two-out hits, but a long day at the ballpark is over.

This has been a memorable day for the Razorbacks, who scored 30 runs and had 38 hits over the two games. Arkansas has a series sweep over a Kentucky team that most expect to compete in the SEC East. Remember, the Wildcats won a three-game series against No. 5 Texas Tech last week.

We'll have more on these games soon at WholeHogSports.com.

Arkansas 16, Kentucky 8 - End 8th Inning

Barring a monumental letdown, Arkansas is about to complete a series sweep.

Kentucky scored a couple in the top of the eighth. The Razorbacks loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning, but all three were stranded when Dominic Fletcher's long fly was caught on the warning track in right-center field.

The Razorbacks have had 19 hits both games today.

Arkansas 16, Kentucky 6 - End 7th Inning

Heston Kjerstad nearly had a three-run home run, but Tristan Pompey made a jumping catch at the wall. It did score a run, however, as a sacrifice fly and put the Razorbacks ahead by 10.

Arkansas' offensive tally this weekend: 39 runs, 48 hits and 10 home runs.

Evan Lee is taking over for the Razorbacks on the mound in the eighth.

Arkansas 15, Kentucky 6 - Bottom 7th Inning

Arkansas scored again on an error, then Casey Martin hit a two-run home run into the Kentucky bullpen to add to the craziness. That extends Martin's hit streak to 13 games.

The Razorbacks now have 13 home runs in this series, including five in each of the game's today.

Arkansas 12, Kentucky 6 - Bottom 7th Inning

Carson Shaddy just hit another home run, this one an opposite-field shot that landed near the video board in right-center. The Razorbacks have hit 12 home runs in this series after entering the series with 26.

Arkansas 11, Kentucky 6 - End 5th Inning

Arkansas added another run in the inning on Luke Bonfield's RBI single to right field, scoring Eric Cole from third. The Razorbacks have scored 34 runs this weekend, which are the most ever in an SEC series under Dave Van Horn.

Arkansas 10, Kentucky 6 - Bottom 5th Inning

Carson Shaddy doubled to lead off the inning and Jax Biggers followed with a two-run home run. That is his second homer today and he has a combined 6 RBI.

Kentucky is going to the bullpen again after Eric Cole lined a single into right field. There still are no outs in the inning.

Arkansas 8, Kentucky 6 - Middle 5th Inning

Ben Aklinski's two-run home run to left just pulled the Wildcats within two runs. He hit the homer off Kacey Murphy, who has been a workhorse for Arkansas just four days after that start against Texas.

Aklinski flipped his bat and stomped on the plate after he hit the homer, which led to some words between he and Arkansas catcher Grant Koch.

Arkansas 8, Kentucky 4 - End 4th Inning

The Razorbacks stranded two in the fourth when Grant Koch flied out to right field. Heston Kjerstad walked with two outs and Dominic Fletcher, who doubled, had advanced to third on a groundout.

Both teams are stranding a lot of runners. Arkansas has left six and Kentucky five through four innings.

Arkansas 8, Kentucky 4 - Bottom 4th Inning

Luke Bonfield just hit his second home run of the day, a solo shot to left field. It could have been a two-run homer, but Casey Martin was rung up on a 3-2 pitch that appeared to be outside in the at-bat before him.

Dominic Fletcher followed with a double to send Kentucky to the bullpen again.

The Wildcats had two singles off Kacey Murphy in the top of the inning, but both were stranded when Luke Becker flied out to center field.

Arkansas 7, Kentucky 4 - End 3rd Inning

One of the few innings in which neither team scored today. Kentucky put its first batter on with a single but stranded him. Arkansas went down in order.

Arkansas 7, Kentucky 4 - End 2nd Inning

It is going to be a long nightcap. The Wildcats sent nine to the plate during a four-run second to make the deficit manageable. Arkansas stranded one in the bottom of the inning. The second lasted 30 minutes all told.

Kentucky's inning was aided by a Carson Shaddy error when he flipped wide of Jax Biggers covering second. Ben Aklinksi and Luke Heyer each had RBI hits to chase Arkansas starter Kole Ramage. Kacey Murphy is now in to pitch for the Razorbacks, four days after throwing six innings in a win over Texas.

Arkansas 7, Kentucky 0 - End 1st Inning

The Razorbacks scored seven runs on seven hits in the first inning, and stranded the bases loaded when Luke Bonfield flied out to the second baseman, who backpedaled into the outfield to make the catch. Just another incredible batting display by this team.

Arkansas 7, Kentucky 0 - Bottom 1st Inning

Carson Shaddy just hit an opposite-field bomb and the rout is on again. The Razorbacks have batted around in the first inning.

Arkansas 5, Kentucky 0 - Bottom 1st Inning

Arkansas has a multi-run first inning for the third time this weekend. Luke Bonfield's two-run double scored Jax Biggers and Eric Cole, who both singled to start the inning and advanced on a sac bunt by Casey Martin.

Heston Kjerstad followed with an RBI single that scored Bonfield. Jordan McFarland, who walked, went from first to third on the hit and Kjerstad went to second on the throw.

That forced a Kentucky pitching change in the first, but right-hander Zach Haake gave up a two-run single to Grant Koch in his first at-bat.

Dating to last Sunday's win over Kent State, the Razorbacks have scored 58 runs in their last 37 innings at the plate. That is against three teams that are expected to compete for conference championships, by the way.

Arkansas 0, Kentucky 0 - Middle 1st Inning

Arkansas freshman Kole Ramage worked a perfect first inning in his first career start. Ramage is the fifth Game 3 starter for the Razorbacks in five weekends this season.

Kentucky will throw freshman right-hander Daniel Harper, who has a 5.14 ERA in three appearances.

Game 1

Arkansas 14, Kentucky 2 - Final

Zebulon Vermillion allowed a run on two hits in the ninth, but it was an all-around great game for the Razorbacks.

Isaiah Campbell allowed just one run in eight innings. He allowed 3 hits, walked 4 and struck out 8. He also hit a batter.

Arkansas bats had 19 hits, including five home runs - one each by Jax Biggers, Eric Cole, Luke Bonfield, Heston Kjerstad and Zack Plunkett. Biggers led the Razorbacks with 4 RBI, and Kjerstand and Carson Shaddy had 3 RBI apiece.

The No. 10 Razorbacks improved to 15-4 overall and 2-0 in the SEC. The No. 4 Wildcats are now 14-5 overall, 0-2 SEC.

The second game will begin at 5:50 p.m.

Arkansas 14, Kentucky 1 - End 8th Inning

Zack Plunkett hit another no-doubter for Arkansas in the eighth. Tristan Pompey in left didn't even bother turning around as Plunkett sent it way into the Hog Pen.

The Razorbacks have hit five home runs today and eight in this series. Arkansas has outhit Kentucky 19-3.

Arkansas 13, Kentucky 1 - End 7th Inning

Kentucky held Arkansas scoreless for just the second time today. Isaiah Campbell is coming back for the eighth. He has thrown 86 pitches today and might be able to go the distance with this lead. Campbell has 7 strikeouts and 3 walks. This has been a great start after he struggled in his previous two outings.

Arkansas 13, Kentucky 1 - End 6th Inning

Arkansas scored again in the sixth when Jax Biggers' single to left scored Carson Shaddy. The Razorbacks loaded the bases in the inning, but stranded three when Luke Bonfield grounded out on a slow roller to the first baseman.

Arkansas is outhitting Kentucky 18-2.

Arkansas 12, Kentucky 1 - End 5th Inning

The Razorbacks put three more on against Kentucky left-handed reliever Brad Schaenzer and scored again on Dominic Fletcher's two-out RBI single. This has been a hitting clinic for Arkansas the past two days.

Arkansas 11, Kentucky 1 - Bottom 5th Inning

Kentucky has finally pulled the plug on starter Justin Lewis, who gave up 11 runs in 4 1/3 innings.

The Razorbacks have tacked on four more this inning on Carson Shaddy's RBI single just inside the right field line and Jax Biggers' three-run homer into the right field bullpen.

Every Arkansas batter has a hit today and the Razorbacks are outhitting the Wildcats 13-1.

Arkansas 7, Kentucky 1 - Middle 5th Inning

Kyle Cottam just hit his second solo homer of this series with a shot that hit the camera stand in center field. That broke up Campbell's no-hit bid, but Campbell bounced back to record consecutive outs to end the inning without further damage.

He has five strikeouts through five innings.

Arkansas 7, Kentucky 0 - Middle 4th Inning

Isaiah Campbell still hasn't allowed a hit through four innings. He did give up his second walk in the fourth, but ended the inning with a nice snag on a hard hit bouncer back to him on the mound. Kentucky has stranded three runners today.

Campbell is at 51 pitches and stands a good chance to stay in this one deep into the game, which should help an Arkansas bullpen that is a little thin right now because of the unavailability of Keaton McKinney and Jackson Rutledge.

Arkansas 7, Kentucky 0 - Bottom 3rd Inning

The Hogs are having a huge inning here. Casey Martin singled to extend his hit streak to 12 games, then scored on an RBI single by Dominic Fletcher. After a Jordan McFarland single, Heston Kjerstad hit a monster opposite-field home run into the Hog Pen to score three more.

Arkansas has six home runs already in this series to bring its total to 32 in 19 games. The Razorbacks are now top five nationally in that category and have taken the SEC lead away from Kentucky, which has 31.

Arkansas 3, Kentucky 0 - End 2nd Inning

The Razorbacks had two hits and a walk in the second, and scored a run when Heston Kjerstad scored on a wild pitch with the bases loaded. Kjerstad had reached on a one-out bunt single.

Eric Cole struck out swinging at a 3-2 pitch to end the inning, stranding runners at second and third.

Isaiah Campbell worked around a two-out base runner for the second straight inning in the top of the second. He has not allowed a hit and has four strikeouts.

Arkansas 2, Kentucky 0 - End 1st Inning

It was another big first inning for the Razorbacks. Eric Cole and Luke Bonfield each hit solo home runs to center field, riding a good wind to that part of the ballpark.

It is the second straight game Cole has hit a homer in the first. He has six home runs this season, which is tied with Casey Martin for the team lead.

Arkansas 0, Kentucky 0 - Middle 1st Inning

Isaiah Campbell had a strong top of the first for the Razorbacks. He struck out two, including clean-up hitter Luke Becker looking at a 1-2 inside fastball. Campbell worked around a two-out walk.

Pregame

It's sunny and breezy for today's game. It is warm in the sun and cool in the shade.

Arkansas is throwing Isaiah Campbell (1-2, 2.00 ERA). Justin Lewis (3-1, 4.07 ERA), a junior right-hander, will throw for Kentucky.

The Wildcats did something a little different today and took batting practice indoors. Arkansas took BP outside.

Ray Gregson is the home plate umpire today.