Razorbacks hold on to sweep Aggies

Arkansas pitcher Cody Adcock throws during a game against Texas A&M on Saturday, April 29, 2023, in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE — The sixth-ranked Arkansas baseball team finished its third sweep of an SEC opponent Saturday. 

It didn’t come easy. 

The Razorbacks nearly let an eight-run lead slip away, but held on for an 8-7 victory over Texas A&M at Baum-Walker Stadium. 

The Aggies chipped away against a thin Arkansas bullpen in the late innings. Jace LaViolette pulled Texas A&M within 8-7 with a lead-off home run to right field in the ninth, but Arkansas left-hander Parker Coil retired the Nos. 7, 8 and 9 hitters in the Aggies’ lineup to earn his first save. 

The game ended when Coil struck out freshman catcher Max Kaufer, a .154 hitter. Both teams struck out 11 times. 

Arkansas (33-11, 14-7 SEC) went ahead 8-0 following a five-run fifth inning against Texas A&M right-hander Chris Cortez. Ben McLaughlin and John Bolton had RBI hits in the inning, and the Aggies committed two errors that assisted the rally.

Texas A&M (25-19, 9-12) scored six runs during the sixth, seventh and eighth innings against Arkansas relievers Zack Morris and Ben Bybee. 

Christian Foutch allowed a two-run single to pinch hitter Ryan Targac and hit Hunter Haas with a pitch to force home a run to cut the lead to 8-3 in the sixth. All three runs were charged to Morris, who left with the bases loaded and two outs. 

Foutch failed to record an out in the sixth inning and Bybee struck out two-hole hitter Jack Moss to strand the bases loaded. Bybee allowed three runs during the seventh and eighth innings. 

Coil induced an inning-ending shortstop-to-second base-to-first base double play in the top of the eighth. That stranded two Aggies after second baseman Peyton Stovall committed a fielding error and failed to turn an earlier double play to prolong the inning. 

Arkansas went ahead 2-0 in the third inning against Texas A&M left-handed starter Will Johnston. Bolton reached on a bunt single, advanced on an errant pick-off throw and a wild pitch, and scored on Kendall Diggs’ sacrifice fly. 

Bolton finished 3 for 3 with 2 RBI and 1 run. 

Caleb Cali singled with two outs in the third, stole second base and scored on Jace Bohrofen’s RBI single to put Arkansas head 2-0.

The Razorbacks extended their lead to 3-0 in the fourth inning on Diggs’ second sac fly. It scored Brady Slavens, who walked to lead off the inning. 

Arkansas right-hander Cody Adcock pitched four scoreless innings in his first SEC start since April 2. Adcock allowed 1 hit and 3 walks, and struck out 4. He threw 38 of 72 pitches for strikes. He threw 45 pitches four days earlier at Missouri State. 

Morris pitched a scoreless fifth and came to the mound with an 8-0 lead. It appeared he would make it through a second scoreless inning in the sixth, but loaded the bases when he allowed a LaViolette single and hit Jordan Thompson with a pitch with two outs. 

Arkansas improved to 28-3 at home. The Razorbacks are scheduled to play Tuesday against Lipscomb at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock.