FAYETTEVILLE -- University of Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said sophomore Caleb Bolden would start today's series-finale against Gonzaga with the No. 5 Razorbacks eyeing a sweep.
The game is scheduled for a 1 p.m. first pitch, though a solid chance for rain is in the forecast.
Bolden (0-0) did not allow a run in three innings in his first appearance of the year in last Saturday's 10-1 win over Eastern Illinois. The right-hander from Texarkana, Texas, will be making his first start since April 17, 2018, against Missouri State.
Bolden missed the 2019 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in December 2018.
[Video not showing up above? Click here to watch » https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRz3CBWzeDE]
He'll be matched up against right-hander Nick Trogrlic-Iverson (0-1, 4.50), a 6-1 junior college transfer from Oakville, Ontario, Can.
"Fastball, slider, changeup," Gonzaga Coach Mark Machtolf said of the right-hander's repertoire. "He pitched well the first game. ... He'll give us a chance to win, I think."
Hitting streaks
Christian Franklin and Heston Kjerstad both had hits Saturday to remain the only Razorbacks with a hit in all six games.
Franklin doubled in the second inning and scored the game's first run on Robert Moore's sinking line drive to center field. The sophomore is hitting a team-high .429.
[Video not showing up above? Click here to watch » https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLA23MdOw3U]
Kjerstad hit an RBI double during the Razorbacks' two-run fifth inning and went 1 for 4 on Saturday to drop his average to .400.
Defensive gem
Arkansas second baseman Robert Moore made the game's top defensive play in the eighth inning.
The freshman charged hard on Mason Marenco's slow roller to the right side, picked the ball while on the run and back-hand flipped it to Cole Austin for the final out of the eighth inning.
Moore had his first college home run, his first stolen base and his first glove-hand assist in the game and was asked which he liked the best.
[Gallery not loading above? Click here for more photos » arkansasonline.com/223uabaseball/]
"Probably the glove flip," Moore said.
The 5-9, 165-pounder from Leawood, Kan., got a glove tap from pitcher Kevin Kopps as he kept up his sprint right into the Arkansas dugout.
Bag swiping
The Razorbacks stole four bases on four tries for their biggest steal number of the season. Zack Gregory, Christian Franklin, Casey Martin and Robert Moore had the swipes, in that order, in consecutive innings from the fifth through the eighth.
"The pitcher, he was pretty fast to the plate," Franklin said. "In the video, he was kind of slow. But we knew the catcher's arm wasn't amazing or above average, so we wanted to take advantage of that and we did it today."
Gregory's a go
Freshman Zack Gregory got his first start in the outfield for the Razorbacks.
The 5-10, 185-pounder from Keller, Texas, started in left field and hit leadoff, taking the spot Braydon Webb held the first five games.
"Well, first off, Webb didn't do anything not to play, and I told Webb that," Coach Dave Van Horn said. "I said, 'Hey, you're not going to play today.' He didn't smile at all when I said it."
Van Horn said he told Webb he needed to mix things up and see another player.
"We played the same lineup, the same guys five games in a row and there's still another player or two I need to see and we're going to need them throughout the year."
Gregory went 2 for 4, drew a walk, scored a run and struck out in the first inning.
"He's a tough out at the plate," Van Horn said. "He makes contact. He found a way to get two hits ... took a nice walk.
"Sometimes he's a little too patient at the plate. I'd like to see him swing more, but he does have the on-base percentage-type mentality and I like that."
Dom run
Arkansas catcher Dominic Tamez continued an interesting run for the Razorbacks this season.
The streak: Having a player with the first name Dominic on the roster for 10 consecutive seasons.
The run began with Dominic Ficociello, primarily a first baseman, from 2011-13. He was followed by Dominic Taccolini, who pitched for the Razorbacks between 2014-17. Taccolini overlapped one season with outfielder Dominic Fletcher (2017-19), who trumped the first two by playing in two College World Series rather than one.
Tamez is a freshman from San Antonio who has gotten spot duty behind Casey Opitz early this season.
Kjer-plunk
Arkansas right fielder Heston Kjerstad was hit on his right foot by a pitch in the eighth inning for his first hit by pitch of the season.
Kjerstad moved into sole possession of eighth place in the Arkansas record books with the 31st hit by pitch of his career, breaking a tie with Brian Anderson (2012-14) and Carson Shaddy (2015-18). Collin Kuhn is the all-time leader with 53.
Casey's Ks
Arkansas shortstop Casey Martin struck out in his first three plate appearances to bring his career total to 150.
The junior from Lonoke moved to ninth on the Razorbacks' career chart for strikeouts. He dropped Luke Bonfield (148) back into 10th place on the list.
Among three-year players, Brett Eibner is the Arkansas record holder with 161 strikeouts, while Danny Hamblin holds the career record with 235.
Sports on 02/23/2020