Razorbacks click on all cylinders in rout of UAPB

Arkansas center fielder Dominic Fletcher heads to third Tuesday, April 16, 2019, on a double by Heston Kjerstad during the first inning against Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville.

— Arkansas was not as hospitable to the second in-state opponent to visit Baum-Walker Stadium in 2019.

Dominic Fletcher, Casey Martin and Jack Kenley all blasted home runs and the Razorbacks pounded out 16 hits en route to 16-4 run-rule rout of Arkansas-Pine Bluff in seven innings Tuesday.

The Razorbacks (27-10) scored five runs before recording an out in the game, which was much different outcome than a 17-7 home loss to Arkansas-Little Rock two weeks ago.

“They were just better than we were,” UAPB head coach Carlos James said. “That’s pretty much the way it is. Sometimes that is both the simple answer and the correct one. There is no other answer that I can really give.

“They hit the ball, they got guys on and moved them around, they did what they needed to do. Every time we had a threat to score, they caught a ball and made a play. It is what it is at this point.”

But James was thrilled at the chance his Lions (6-28) got in playing Arkansas, which ended a long history of not scheduling in-state schools last fall.

“It is one of those things that you always want to play against your peers in state no matter what,” James said. “Just like I reiterated over the past few weeks, there is a definite pecking order in the state and we understand that, we as coaches get it.

“If I am out there recruiting and (Arkansas coach Dave) Van Horn shows up to see a kid that can play in the SEC, he is not going to choose UAPB over Arkansas. That is just not going to happen.”

James also noted playing in-state teams has put a different face on the Razorbacks.

“The other part it kind of opens up is now Arkansas is not looked at as the villain,” James said. “Everybody used to go, 'They don’t want to play anybody in-state, they want to keep all the money for themselves,' but now by playing everybody, I will root for them. There is now a mutual respect.”

Van Horn had said earlier in the week that he was glad Arkansas was scheduling in-state teams even if it lost to Little Rock.

"I'm glad we're playing them,” Van Horn said. “I'm looking forward to playing them this year and every year. I think it's good for baseball in the state."

Trevor Ezell, Martin and Fletcher all had three hits each while Heston Kjerstad, Kenley and Matt Goodheart added two hits apiece before 3,097 fans.

That followed piling up 22 hits while rallying for 14-12 win at then-No. 7 Vanderbilt on Sunday.

“It was contagious,” Van Horn said. “It was contagious on Sunday. They guys didn’t want to let each other down, they kept fighting and I mean we had 22 hits on Sunday and another 15 of 16 today.”

Goodheart, who entered the game fourth in the SEC in hitting, has been on a tear since getting new contact lenses and had two hits and three walks against UAPB pitchers Carlos Benoit, Race Tittle and Payton Burks.

“Well, I think he could hit anyway,” Van Horn said. “ I think he just… I don’t know all the details. I just think he needed to get some things straightened out and obviously maybe just increase those lenses just a little bit.

“The key to hitting is seeing the ball, seeing the spin and if you can’t see it at 20/20 vision, you’re already a little bit behind. Especially at night, you’ve got to be able to see. He’s hit during the day, he’s hit at night and we’re glad he’s here.”

Van Horn hopes to continue the offensive fireworks, but know that his team’s three-game home series with No. 2 Mississippi State beginning Thursday will be a challenge.

“That’s hard to do and I think the offense is clicking a little bit now and it’s going to need to with the team that’s rolling in here on Thursday,” Van Horn said. “If you look at their numbers, it’s the best in the SEC by 15, 20 or 25 batting average points, so we have our hands full.”

Connor Noland (1-2), who has struggled recently on the mound and gave up five runs without recording an out at Vanderbilt last Saturday, needed just 24 pitches to get through two innings Tuesday. Noland allowed two hits and fanned two.

He will be available in relief for Saturday, Van Horn said. Arkansas used six pitchers Tuesday with Elijah Trest, Collin Taylor, Carter Sells, Marshall Denton and Liam Henry all following Noland to the mound and combining to give up nine hits.

“We just want to get (Noland) out there and kind of get him untracked," Van Horn said. "I thought he was good. He was anywhere from I think 88 to 91 (mph) on our equipment and had a little sink on his fastball and threw a couple of pretty good breaking balls and really didn’t kind of nibble.

“He attacked and that was good to see pitching ahead. But that will be his role into this weekend.”

It has been humbling for Noland, who was 11-0 as a senior at Greenwood High School last year.

"Well, you think about the freshmen, they’ve really never failed,” Van Horn said. “(He was) 11-0 in high school and team wins a state championship. Other freshmen have the same story and they’ve failed at the plate, failed in the field. So I think he’s handled it real well. He’s handled it.

“He’s gotten taken out of games early. He doesn’t complain. He just works and he realizes how tough this league is and it’s unforgiving. But he bounced back today and I’m sure the next time he gets the ball, I think he’ll do well and continue to climb back up and be a big part of our pitching staff like he is.”