Arkansas opened its weekend series at Ole Miss with a bang Friday afternoon.
The fifth-ranked Razorbacks defeated the Rebels 11-2 in the first game of a doubleheader at Swayze Field. The teams are scheduled to play again Friday at 6 p.m.
Arkansas (24-5, 7-3 SEC) got six scoreless innings from left-hander Hunter Hollan and took command with a six-run fifth inning.
Brady Slavens’ one-out grand slam gave the Razorbacks an 8-0 lead in the fifth. Peyton Stovall also plated a run with a groundout and Jace Bohrofen had an RBI single in the inning against Ole Miss right-hander Jack Dougherty.
Slavens’ swing came on the 96th and final pitch by Dougherty (2-3), who suffered the loss after allowing 8 runs (6 earned) on 8 hits and 2 walks in 4 1/3 innings. Dougherty had a season-high seven strikeouts.
Caleb Cali hit an opposite-field home run to right-center field against Dougherty in the second inning to give the Razorbacks a 2-0 lead. Both runs were unearned because Bohrofen reached on a fielding error by Ole Miss second baseman Peyton Chatagnier.
Hollan was efficient early and the Rebels did not threaten him often during his 97-pitch outing. Hollan allowed 3 hits and 3 walks, and struck out 4 as he improved to 5-1.
Hollan faced one above the minimum number of Ole Miss batters through four innings, but worked around base runners late in his outing. He exited the game after Anthony Calarco drew a lead-off walk and Ethan Lege was hit by a pitch to begin the seventh inning.
Arkansas right-hander Dylan Carter retired three consecutive hitters to strand the base runners.
It appeared the Razorbacks’ big top of the fifth inning might have thrown off Hollan’s rhythm. The Rebels walked and singled against him to lead off the bottom of the inning, but the threat ended when Judd Utermark grounded into a third base-to-second base-to-first base double play, and TJ McCants lined out into the shift.
Arkansas turned three double plays.
Ole Miss (17-12, 1-9) also stranded two runners against Hollan in the sixth inning.
The Razorbacks went ahead 9-0 when Jared Wegner singled to score Josenberger in the top of the sixth. Bohrofen followed Wegner’s hit with a walk to load the bases, but Kendall Diggs hit into an inning-ending double play.
Arkansas missed on another opportunity to potentially enact a run rule in the top of the seventh inning when Slavens singled to lead off and advanced to third with one out. Parker Rowland struck out in a sacrifice fly situation against right-hander Jordan Vera before John Bolton grounded out to end the scoring threat.
Vera pitched the final 3 2/3 innings for the Rebels.
Ole Miss scored its only runs on Kemp Alderman’s two-out home run to left field in the eighth inning. Alederman’s homer came against Carter, who threw 33 pitches in two innings.
The Razorbacks responded in the top of the ninth. Bohrofen led off with a single and scored on Diggs’ RBI triple down the right-field line. Diggs scored on a sacrifice fly by Slavens.
Slavens went 3 for 4 and had his second career SEC game with 5 RBI to bring his career RBI total to 166. His RBI total ranks fourth nationally and first in the SEC among active players.
Right-hander Austin Ledbetter pitched the ninth for Arkansas.
The Razorbacks out-hit Ole Miss 15-6.