FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas exploded for nine runs on five extra-base hits in the eighth inning to blow open its midweek opener against Memphis on Tuesday at Baum-Walker Stadium.
The No. 2 Razorbacks defeated the Tigers 14-1 to extend their win streak to three games. The teams are scheduled to play again Wednesday at 3 p.m.
The 14 runs were a season high for Arkansas (15-3). The Razorbacks scored 13 runs during their season-opening victory over Texas Tech on Feb. 20.
Arkansas’ biggest inning of the year included a leadoff home run by Braydon Webb; a two-run home run by Cayden Wallace and a grand slam by Jacob Nesbit with one out; and two-out RBI doubles by Christian Franklin and Zack Gregory.
The Razorbacks sent 14 batters to the plate and recorded 7 hits and 3 walks in the inning. Pinch hitter Ethan Bates also reached on a catcher’s interference call against Memphis preseason All-American Hunter Goodman.
Memphis pitchers James Muse and Brayden Green combined to throw 66 pitches in the eighth inning. Six earned runs were charged to Green, who threw 56 pitches to record two outs.
Wallace said Webb's home run ignited the rest of the lineup.
"It fired us up pretty well, and the dugout was electric," Wallace said. "That whole inning was just great to see everybody pat each other on the back. It's just great to see this team do an inning like that because we all knew we're capable of it. It's just fun when that stuff happens."
Webb’s home run and a single by Charlie Welch were allowed by Muse, who entered the game in the fourth inning and had allowed one run through his first 3 1/3 innings in relief of starter Dalton Kendrick.
The Razorbacks had six hits over the first seven innings, but poor command by Memphis pitching put an Arkansas runner on base in every inning but the fifth. The Razorbacks drew 10 walks and were hit by three pitches.
Arkansas scored 4 runs over the first 2 innings on 3 hits, 3 walks and 2 hit batters by the left-handed Kendrick, who entered the game with a 14.29 ERA.
Wallace’s RBI single in the first inning gave the Razorbacks a 1-0 lead, and Arkansas added three runs in the second inning on Franklin’s bases-loaded walk and a two-run single by Welch.
"We put together some innings earlier that were maybe one hit, some walks, some hit by pitches, getting pitch counts up — just enough to grab a 4-0 lead at the time," Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said.
"It was nice to see a little bit of pop there in that eighth inning and put that thing away."
All four runs allowed by Kendrick came with two outs in an inning. The Razorbacks have scored 10 two-out runs in the last two games.
Nesbit extended the Razorbacks’ lead to 5-1 on a bases-loaded infield single to score Brady Slavens in the seventh inning. Nesbit was initially ruled out on a close play at first base, but the call was overturned by replay.
Nesbit, who played second base, was one of several players to get a rare start Tuesday. Arkansas withheld four every-day position starters — second baseman Robert Moore, catcher Casey Opitz, designated hitter Matt Goodheart and third baseman Cullen Smith — and played Wallace at third base instead of his usual position in right field.
Wallace, a freshman from Greenbrier, went 3 for 5 with 3 RBI and walked once. Wallace is 7 for 13 during the Razorbacks’ win streak.
Hitting leadoff in place of Moore, Webb reached base in all six plate appearances Tuesday. He walked four times and was hit by a pitch.
Webb’s home run raised his batting average to .094 following a 1 for 27 start to the season. He raised his on-base percentage by 95 points to .370 Tuesday.
"He brings a lot to our offense, and hopefully he can keep it going," Van Horn said. "I’m going to play him again tomorrow and get him some more at-bats."
Arkansas starter Caleb Bolden allowed the Tigers’ only run in the fifth on a two-out RBI hit by Memphis second baseman Braden Webb to score Taylor Howell. Reliever Ryan Costeiu allowed the RBI hit on his second pitch in relief of Bolden, who was taken out of the game after 4 2/3 innings.
Bolden was sharp for his first four innings. The only hit he allowed was a two-out triple to Goodman in the first inning. Alec Trela flied out to left field to strand Goodman.
Bolden hit a batter with one out in the second inning, but Austin Baskin hit into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning. Bolden retired the side in nine pitches in the third inning and in six pitches in the fourth.
Bolden walked Howell to lead off the fifth, and Howell advanced to third base on a wild pitch and a groundout. After getting ahead with a 1-2 count, Bolden walked Zach Wilson with two outs to prompt a pitching change.
Memphis (9-9) brought the tying run to the plate after Braden Webb’s single in the fifth, but Costeiu struck out Jaylen Wilbon to strand two base runners.
Costeiu, Elijah Trest and Peyton Pallette combined to retire eight consecutive batters before Braden Webb singled with one out in the eighth. Arkansas’ Zack Morris retired all three hitters he faced in the ninth.
The Razorbacks’ bullpen allowed two hits and did not walk a batter in 4 1/3 innings. Arkansas pitching recorded 10 strikeouts, led by Bolden and Costeiu with three apiece.
"I thought our pitching was solid tonight, and it was good to see some guys come in and really fill up the zone for the most part," Van Horn said. "I think Bolden had maybe...three walks, but other than that we made them earn pretty much everything they got."
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story had Braydon Webb's batting average incorrect. It has been corrected.