Arkansas 9, Texas A&M 3, Final
Carson Shaddy slammed a three-run homer in the first inning and Eric Cole added a two-run single in the fifth to lead Arkansas past Texas A&M, 9-3, in the SEC baseball opener Friday night at Baum Stadium.
Blaine Knight (8-0) allowed three runs on five hits -- two of them homers -- as the No. 6 Razorbacks maintained a half game lead in the SEC West. That improves Arkansas to 34-15, 15-10. The No. 20 Aggies are 34-15, 12-13.
Jack Reindl gave up two hits while recording the final six outs for the Hogs. Attendance was 9,032. Game time for the second game of the series is at 1 p.m. Saturday. Reindl struck out the side in the ninth.
Arkansas 9, Texas A&M 3 - Middle 8th Inning
Jack Kenley made two great catches behind reliever Jake Reindl to keep the Aggies off the scoreboard in the top of the eighth. Braden Shewmake reached on a hit by pitch with one out and advanced to second base on indifference.
The Aggies have stranded five runners.
Arkansas 9, Texas A&M 3 - Middle 7th Inning
Blaine Knight labored a little in the seventh, allowing a base hit and not getting a double play because of an overthrown ball at first by Carson Shaddy. But Knight got out of the inning with his 11th strikeout, a swing and miss by Michael Helman on a 3-2 slider that was clocked at 83 mph.
Arkansas has pitchers warming in the bullpen. It seems unlikely that Knight won't come out another inning. He has 105 pitches.
Arkansas 9, Texas A&M 3 - End 6th Inning
The Aggies put a runner on third after a leadoff error, but Blaine Knight worked around it for his fourth scoreless inning. Knight also recorded a strikeout, tying his season high with 10.
The Razorbacks went down in order in the bottom of the inning.
Arkansas 9, Texas A&M 3 - End 5th Inning
Casey Martin added a deep sacrifice fly to center field to score Hunter Wilson. The inning ended when Heston Kjerstad grounded out up the middle.
The final line on Texas A&M starter Mitchell Kilkenny: 4 1/3 innings, 7 runs, 9 hits, 3 walks, 3 strikeouts. The other two runs were charged to Asa Lacy.
Kilkenny entered the game with the SEC's lowest earned run average, but it increased significantly from 2.20 to 2.85.
Arkansas 8, Texas A&M 3 - Bottom 5th Inning
The Razorbacks are blowing the game open. Jack Kenley reached on a bases-loaded walk, Hunter Wilson followed with a hit by pitch and Eric Cole singled up the middle to score two more. The Aggies are going back to the bullpen.
Casey Martin will bat next with runners on the corners and one out.
Arkansas is out-hitting Texas A&M 10-4 now.
Arkansas 4, Texas A&M 3 - Bottom 5th Inning
Arkansas has the bases loaded and Texas A&M is changing pitchers, but the Razorbacks just missed a huge chance to score multiple runs here in the fifth. With three on and no outs, Grant Koch smoked a ball down the third base line. From our vantage point - and to just about everyone in Baum Stadium - the ball looked fair, but third base umpire Ray Gregson called it foul. Gregson had to jump to get out of the way of the ball, which was hit right past the third base bag.
Koch later hit into a fielder's choice on a 3-2 pitch and Luke Bonfield, who led off with a walk, was forced out at the plate. Jack Kenley, the shortstop substitute for Jax Biggers, is now up against Texas A&M left-hander Asa Lacy. Kenley bats from the left side and is 0-for-1.
On Biggers, his first-inning injury is being described as a contusion and he was taken to a hospital for an X-ray.
Arkansas 4, Texas A&M 3 - Middle 5th Inning
Minus the home runs, Blaine Knight has pitched well in his final regular-season home start. He struck out two in the fifth inning and has nine strikeouts overall. He is eighth on the Arkansas career strikeout list with 220.
The Aggies have only four hits against Knight and are not getting a lot of good swings against him. Arkansas is out-hitting Texas A&M 8-4.
Arkansas 4, Texas A&M 3 - Top 4th Inning
Will Frizzell is the second Aggie to take Blaine Knight deep. His two-run home run into the wind landed in the right field bullpen and pulled Texas A&M within a run.
Hunter Coleman also scored. Coleman reached on an infield hit when Carson Shaddy's throw to first base was late and wide. It appeared Coleman made a move toward second base, but new first baseman Hunter Wilson did not tag him as he walked back to the base, despite the pleas from the crowd. Wilson has had an eventful night already with his foot coming off the bag on one play and misjudging a popup in foul ground on another.
The Aggies have three runs on four hits against Knight.
Arkansas 4, Texas A&M 1 - End 3rd Inning
Luke Bonfield led off with a single in the third inning, but was stranded at second. The Razorbacks have stranded three on six hits and a walk.
Arkansas 4, Texas A&M 1 - Middle 2nd Inning
Clean-up hitter Hunter Coleman took Blaine Knight deep to left field to lead off the second inning. The Aggies also put their next two hitters on with a hit by pitch and single past third base, but Knight struck out three to limit the damage.
Knight had several great pitches with runners on base. Zach Deloach and Aaron Walters both looked at strike three on 1-2 fastballs, and George Janca chased an 80 mph slider away.
Knight has five strikeouts.
Arkansas 4, Texas A&M 0 - End 1st Inning
The Razorbacks had a great two-run rally, capped by Carson Shaddy's three-run home run to give Arkansas a four-run lead. Shaddy's homer followed an RBI single by Dominic Fletcher that scored Heston Kjerstad from second base.
Shaddy's home run went into the Hog Pen in left field. The senior who is playing his final regular-season home series jumped up and down between third base and home plate, urging the crowd to get louder.
Grant Koch followed the home run with a walk on a full count, but the inning ended when Jack Kenley grounded out. Kenley replaced Jax Biggers after Biggers injured his hand on a failed bunt attempt. It appeared Biggers had a bloody hand and went to his knees.
The four runs allowed are already a career high by Texas A&M starter Mitchell Kilkenny, who leads the SEC in earned run average.
Pregame
We have the best weather for a game this year - mid 80s at first pitch with a stiff south wind blowing into the stadium.
It's a good-sized crowd with the potential to get bigger. This is graduation weekend, which should bring some parents to the ballpark, and the 6 o'clock first pitch is about 30 minutes earlier than usual on Friday.
There are not a lot of notables in either team's lineup. Arkansas previously announced it would start Hunter Wilson at first base.
Veteran umpire Scott Cline is behind the plate.