FAYETTEVILLE — The No. 7 Arkansas Razorbacks swept their second doubleheader in five days on Thursday, and this time they did it the hard way.
The University of Arkansas struggled to deliver a clutch hit for most of seven innings in the nightcap before rallying for four runs in the eighth for a 5-4 win over Illinois-Chicago before an announced crowd of 10,559 at Baum-Walker Stadium.
The Razorbacks (9-3) put together the rally against Tanner Shears (1-1) to post their season-high fourth win in a row. They also swept a doubleheader from Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday in more comfortable fashion.
Arkansas blasted the Flames (4-7) 13-4 in the opening game with a season-high tying three home runs in support of Connor Noland (2-1).
The drama level rose in Game 2. Arkansas drew nine walks and a hit by pitch through the first seven innings to go along with a leadoff double by Chris Lanzilli in the fourth and a single by Peyton Stovall, but could only cash in with Stovall’s RBI single in the sixth.
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“That second game was I would say one of the more frustrating games that we’ve been involved in this year because nothing would go our way,” Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said.
“That was a really good win, the first game. The second game was probably even better because for about six or seven innings it just didn’t seem like it was going to go our way at all. Anytime we did hit a ball it was at somebody. We just left way too many runners on early, and we were very fortunate to win, but good doubleheader sweep for us.”
Zack Gregory had a run-scoring double to trigger the eighth, which began with Lanzilli reaching on a hit by pitch. Jalen Battles scored on a wild pitch, just under the tag of Shears, to make it 4-3.
Batting against a drawn-in infield, Stovall drove in the tying run with a single under second baseman Clay Conn’s glove.
“I knew I was probably going to get a heater,” Stovall said. “He wasn’t really locating his off speed very well. When that passed ball happened and Jalen ended up scoring and I saw that the infield was in, I knew I had to put something in play, especially to the right side.”
Michael Turner, who reached base six times on the day, delivered the critical blow, a two-out flare into right-center field to plate Stovall with the go-ahead run.
“I got ahead in the count and that was big,” Turner said. “Honestly I tried to do a little too much and got jammed, but me and [strength coach] Blaine [Kinsley] were doing some extra pushups before the game, so I had just enough to get it out there.
“I feel like I’ve hit a few balls hard this year that have gotten caught and I paid my taxes a little bit on that last one.”
VIDEO: Dave Van Horn, players recap doubleheader sweep of UIC
Brady Tygart (1-0), the fifth Arkansas pitcher, got the final four outs for his first career victory. He walked pinch hitter Luke Picchiotti to open the ninth, but Turner gunned him out on a steal attempt for the fourth caught stealing or pickoff by the Razorbacks in the game.
“Brady Tygart did a tremendous job there at the end closing that thing out,” Van Horn said. “He was throwing the ball extremely well, 95, 96 [mph] every pitch. And then … his breaking ball was really good tonight.”
In Game 1, the Razorbacks got a six-run sixth inning and Jalen Battles, Cayden Wallace and Brady Slavens all homered.
Noland shut the Flames out on a hit and two walks through six innings and entered the seventh with a 7-0 lead.
Noland said his curveball, slider and fastball were all effective.
“I honestly didn’t feel too good in the bullpen,” Noland said. “So I was kind of concerned for that first two or three innings. But I noticed I had the curveball working and throwing it in the place that I wanted.”
The Flames broke through with three doubles while scoring three in the seventh inning to chase Noland, who struck out 11 batters and gave up 3 runs on 4 hits through 6 2/3 innings.
“I thought Connor was outstanding,” Van Horn said. “Fastball both sides of the plate with sink. Slider, curveball, change-ups to lefties. I thought he pitched extremely well.”
PHOTO GALLERY: Arkansas vs. UIC, Game 1
Illinois-Chicago lefty Nate Peterson (1-2) gave up a first-inning run on Lanzilli’s two-out single after Wallace’s leadoff walk before retiring 13 consecutive batters.
“You have to give their lefty credit, Peterson” Van Horn said. “He was everything that we had heard. He was really good. I felt like that was an SEC Friday night type of game, 1-0 going into the sixth I think. We finally got to him.”
The Razorbacks chased Peterson in the sixth. Turner hit a bases-loaded single to plate two, then Slavens launched a two-run double into the right-field corner before Battles’ two-run shot to left field.
Leading 7-3 in the seventh, Arkansas added a run on a Turner single. The Razorbacks erupted again in the eighth with Slavens’ solo shot to right field and Wallace’s first homer, a three-run blast to left field after singles by Battles and Stovall.