Knight, Kjerstad down No. 2 Florida

Florida pitcher Brady Singer (51) throws against Arkansas during the first inning in the Southeastern Conference NCAA college baseball tournament, Saturday, May 27, 2017, in Hoover, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

Arkansas 6, Florida 3 - Final

Matt Cronin got Nick Horvath to pop out to Carson Shaddy for the first out in the home 9th. Brady Smith, though, doubled down the left field line to keep Florida alive.

Cronin then struck out Wil Dalton swinging for the second out and Nelson Maldonado to end the game. Heston Kjerstad led the Razorbacks with a 3-for-3 night, driving in a pair, and Carson Shaddy plated three.

Arkansas is now 4-0 in Southeastern Conference play and will vie for a series win tomorrow at 11 a.m. on ESPN2.

Arkansas 6, Florida 3 - Middle 9th Inning

Eric Cole knocked a single into center to get things going in the top of the ninth for his first hit tonight, and Jack Kenley followed with a single of his own, pushing Cole to third. Luke Bonfield then grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end the threat. He's 0-for-5 tonight.

Cronin is on to close things out for Arkansas in search of his fourth save.

Arkansas 6, Florida 3 - End 8th Inning

Jonathan India opens the home 8th with a soft single to center, ending Rutledge's night. Dave Van Horn is calling on Matt Cronin for what could very well be a six-out save opportunity.

Cronin entered and struck out Deacon Liput on four pitches for the first out of the inning. Heston Kjerstad made a great catch in foul ground up against the wall for the second out. He's had a really solid night.

Cronin promptly struck out pinch-hitter Jonah Girand on three pitches to end the inning. The top of the Arkansas order is due up in the ninth.

Arkansas 6, Florida 3 - Middle 8th Inning

Florida starter Brady Singer has been pulled for reliever Andrew Baker. Singer went seven innings, gave up seven hits, six earned runs and struck out seven.

Jordan McFarland reached first base safely after hitting a dribbler toward third. The first base umpire initially ruled McFarland safe after a close play. Jonathan India made a terrific play to even give himself a chance on the play. After a somewhat length video review, McFarland was safe.

Heston Kjerstad drew a walk in his fourth at-bat of the night, subsequently ending Baker's outing.

Gators reliever Jack Leftwich came in and struck out Grant Koch and Carson Shaddy looking to end the threat.

Arkansas 6, Florida 3 - End 7th Inning

Jack Kenley entered the game at third base as a defensive replacement for Casey Martin.

Blaine Knight struck out Nick Horvath for his 10th of the night. He's one shy of tying a career high. It's also Arkansas' fifth consecutive game with 10+ strikeouts as a staff.

Wil Dalton, though, homered off of Knight after recording two quick outs in the seventh. It's his 10th of the season - a great figure for a leadoff hitter. Knight walked Nelson Maldonado to end his night. Jackson Rutledge is now on in relief with two outs and a man on.

Knight went 6 2/3 innings, gave up five hits, three earned runs, walked four and fanned 10.

Rutledge induced a groundball to end the seventh inning.

Arkansas 6, Florida 2 - Middle 7th Inning

Jax Biggers reached base on an error by Florida second baseman Blake Reese after Carson Shaddy struck out swinging. Eric Cole's rough night continued with his second strikeout of the night. He's 0-for-4.

Casey Martin drew a four-pitch walk to put two men on with two outs. Luke Bonfield then grounded out. Deacon Liput made a nice play deep in the hole at short and got enough behind his throw to beat Bonfield at first.

The 1-4 hitters in the Razorbacks lineup are a combined 0-for-15 tonight. The bottom half of the order has done the bulk of the damage.

Arkansas 6, Florida 2 - End 6th Inning

Florida's Jonathan India reached first safely after a ground ball bounced off of Casey Martin's glove at third. Blaine Knight put an end to Deacon Liput's hot streak with a flyout to center then got Blake Reese to pop out to Carson Shaddy for the second out. Austin Langworthy flew out to Kjerstad in left to end the inning.

Knight is at 97 pitches through six innings.

Arkansas 6, Florida 2 - Middle 6th Inning

Freshman Heston Kjerstad homered to deep right to extend Arkansas' lead in the top of the sixth. Kjerstad is 3-for-3 tonight with a pair of runs driven in. He's so, so impressive.

Arkansas 5, Florida 2 - End 5th Inning

Blaine Knight has carved up the 1-3 spots in Florida's lineup tonight. Knight got Wil Dalton to ground out to Jax Biggers, struck out Nelson Maldonado and JJ Schwarz lined out to left. Dalton, Maldonado and Schwarz are 0-for-9 tonight. Knight now has nine strikeouts through five.

Arkansas will send Fletcher, McFarland and Kjerstad to the plate to begin the sixth.

Arkansas 5, Florida 2 - Middle 5th Inning

Nothing doing for Arkansas in the fifth. Brady Singer needed just 11 pitches. Eric Cole went down on strikes to open the fifth. He's now 0-for-3. Casey Martin hit a squibber back toward the mound and Singer made a nice play and throw to first to beat him by a step. Luke Bonfield then popped out in foul ground.

Arkansas 5, Florida 2 - End 4th Inning

Blaine Knight walked his third batter of the night to kick off the Florida fourth, and Deacon Liput then homered to right to get Florida on the board. Liput is now 6 for his last 6 at the plate.

Following the home run, Knight tallied his eighth strikeout of the night and induced a sharp groundball to Carson Shaddy. Nick Horvath singled to extend the inning, but Keenan Bell flew out to deep left to end the inning.

Eric Cole, Casey Martin and Luke Bonfield are due up for Arkansas in the fifth.

Arkansas 5, Florida 0 - Middle 4th Inning

Dominic Fletcher led off the fourth with a home run to deep right to extend the Razorbacks' lead. It's Fletcher's third of the season and Arkansas' 42nd of the year.

Heston Kjerstad continues to swing a hot bat, singling to center to give him his second hit of the game. Grant Koch then dumped a single into right field to put runners on the corners with just one out.

Carson Shaddy's sacrifice fly to center brought in Kjerstad to push Arkansas' lead to 5-0. Shaddy has driven in three runs tonight.

Arkansas 3, Florida 0 - End 3rd Inning

Blaine Knight struck out the side in the Florida third and looks to be back in control after a rocky second inning. He fanned leadoff man Wil Dalton for the second time tonight and sat down Nelson Maldonado and JJ Schwarz to end the inning.

Arkansas will send Dominic Fletcher, Jordan McFarland and Heston Kjerstad to the plate to to start the fourth.

Arkansas 3, Florida 0 - Middle 3rd Inning

Arkansas went down quietly in the third. Eric Cole flew out to left, Casey Martin went fishing out of the zone and struck out on a nasty slider from Brady Singer and Luke Bonfield hit a sharp groundball to first, but Keenan Bell swallowed it up without issue for the final out.

Arkansas 3, Florida 0 - End 2nd Inning

Blaine Knight began the second with another strikeout, his third of the game. Florida's Deacon Liput then laid down a great bunt and reached first safely without a throw to give him his fifth hit in as many at-bats.

Knight issued his first walk of the night to Blake Reese, putting two on with one out, then walked Austin Langworthy to load the bases. But, Knight rebounded and forced Nick Horvath to pop out to Jax Biggers for the second out and struck out Keenan Bell to end the threat and preserve a 3-0 lead.

Arkansas 3, Florida 0 - Middle 2nd Inning

Luke Bonfield flew out to the warning track to begin the second before Dominic Fletcher laid down a perfect bunt for Arkansas' first hit of the game. Jordan McFarland battled back after falling behind in the count and drew a walk. It's only the sixth walk issued by Singer this season.

Heston Kjerstad then laced a double off the wall in left to bring in Fletcher and give the Razorbacks an early 1-0 lead.

After Grant Koch popped out to first with two men in scoring position, Carson Shaddy hit a ball sharply up the middle that ricocheted off of Brady Singer's foot/ankle and into right field, plating two more runs. Arkansas could not have asked for a better start to this series.

The Razorbacks are 11-2 this season when scoring first.

Arkansas 0, Florida 0 - End 1st Inning

Blaine Knight looked very sharp in the first inning. He struck out the first two batters he faced and got a lazy fly ball to right to end the inning. The Gators made weak contact the first time around.

Luke Bonfield, Dominic Fletcher and Jordan McFarland are due up in the second for Arkansas.

Arkansas 0, Florida 0 - Middle 1st Inning

Gators starter Brady Singer zipped through the top half of the first to begin the night. Singer opened with a strikeout of Arkansas leadoff man Jax Biggers, got Eric Cole to fly out to center and struck out Casey Martin looking.

Blaine Knight heads to the mound for the Razorbacks.

Pregame