FAYETTEVILLE — The third-ranked Arkansas baseball team had an emphatic response Sunday when McNeese State posed a mid-game challenge at Baum-Walker Stadium.
The Razorbacks answered the Cowboys’ 4-run top of the fifth inning with 6 runs in the bottom of the fifth, then scored 8 more in the sixth to initiate an 18-5 run-rule victory in 7 innings over McNeese State.
Arkansas (13-2) swept the weekend series and won its ninth consecutive game.
“I just really liked the way our team responded after we gave up the four-run lead,” Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said.
A pair of outfield transfers from Missouri provided the biggest swings with two outs in the fifth inning. Ty Wilmsmeyer’s 2-run single on a 3-2 pitch put the Razorbacks ahead 7-5, then Ross Lovich belted a 3-run, 360-foot home run to right field on the next pitch to give Arkansas a comfortable lead again at 10-5.
“Obviously we got punched in the mouth right there,” Wilmsmeyer said. “They had a big inning to take a lead on us there. The energy in the dugout, there was belief that we’re going to win and punch back. We were able to get some guys on, get a few big hits in a row and Ross got his first Razorback bomb, which was pretty cool to see.”
VIDEO: Van Horn, players recap sweep of McNeese State
Arkansas scored 13 runs Sunday with two outs in an inning. For the weekend series, the Razorbacks were 15 for 35 and had 23 RBI when down to the final out.
“I feel like a lot of guys got it done this weekend,” said first baseman Ben McLaughlin, who went 4 for 5 with 3 RBI, on the Razorback Sports Network postgame show. “It wasn't just a couple guys. I felt like we finally passed the baton as a team hitting, 1 through 9. This is what we knew we could do. I think we've done it now for two games and I think it's just going to keep coming.”
Arkansas sent 14 batters to the plate during the big sixth inning and scored in several ways. The inning included a walk, hit batsman and wild pitch with the bases loaded, a fielder’s choice RBI by Lovich and RBI hits by Peyton Stovall, Kendall Diggs and McLaughlin.
The Razorbacks out-hit the Cowboys 12-6 and drew 10 walks. Every Arkansas batter reached base at least twice.
Batting leadoff, Lovich led the team with 4 RBI. He is 9 for 16 with 9 RBI during Arkansas' homestand that began Feb. 27.
“Ross is a tough out,” Van Horn said. “He just brings a lot to the table.”
The Cowboys (8-8) roughed Arkansas starter Mason Molina and reliever Gage Wood in the top of the fifth. McNeese State loaded the bases with a double, single and walk from the bottom three positions in its batting order to force a pitching change.
The Cowboys took a 5-4 lead on Chase Keeton's one-out RBI single to right field. That followed Cooper Hext's two-run triple that tied the game. Conner Westenburg also had a fielder's choice RBI in the inning.
Three runs were charged to Molina, who allowed 4 runs, 3 hits and 3 walks and struck out 4 in 4-plus innings. He threw 44 of 77 pitches for strikes.
“Mason did not command his fastball at all,” Van Horn said. “Everything was up. He’s hard to hit when he's up, but he's got to be in the zone. He had a lot of bad misses.”
PHOTO GALLERY: Arkansas run rules McNeese State
It appeared for a while that Molina might cruise to another win on the mound.
Stovall, Wehiwa Aloy and McLaughlin had two-out RBI singles up the middle over the span of four at-bats in the bottom of the third inning to give Arkansas a 4-0 lead.
“We got a lot of big hits [yesterday], and then today same thing,” Van Horn said. “Concentration level, you’ve got to be good, a little bit lucky — we got big, big, big hits with two outs and kept adding to leads.”
McNeese State did not record its first hit until Parker Stroh hit a one-out solo home run to right field in the top of the fourth.
Wood rebounded from the rough start to his relief outing and pitched 2 1/3 innings. He allowed 1 run, 3 hits and struck out 3, and threw 25 of 33 pitches for strikes.
Right-hander Dylan Carter made his season debut in the seventh, 10 months following Tommy John surgery. Carter retired the Cowboys’ Nos. 2 and 3 hitters to end the game.
“It was nerve racking; I’m not going to lie,” Carter said. “I just haven’t been out in a game in so long, so just being able to settle my nerves was a big key. Now…it’s like, all right, it’s time to ride for the rest of the year.”
Why Arkansas won
The Razorbacks scored 14 runs in the fifth and sixth innings to respond after McNeese State took its only lead of the weekend.
Player of the Game: Ben McLaughlin
McLaughlin went 4 for 5 with 3 RBI. His hits came during the Razorbacks' big innings — the 4-run third, 6-run fifth and 8-run sixth.
McLaughlin raised his batting average to .364 and improved his team-leading RBI total to 15.
Up next
Arkansas is scheduled to host Oral Roberts on Tuesday at 6 p.m.