Arkansas pitchers DJ Baxendale and Brandon Moore combined to allow just one run on four hits, and the Hogs bats came to life Saturday evening as the Razorbacks downed Kent State 8-1 in the first round of the College World Series.
“I thought it was a very clean game,” said Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn. “Both teams played very good defense. We got off to a good start offensively. We had a good plan against (David) Starn. I was proud of our hitters.”
Arkansas catcher Jake Wise had two hits, including a solo home run and three RBIs to help the Hogs down the Golden Flashes.
“When I hit it, I thought it was a double,” Wise said of the home run, his second of the season. “I was ahead 1-0 and was looking for something elevated against him. He left it over the plate and I was able to square it up.”
Now, Arkansas will advance to the winners bracket to face the two-time defending national champion South Carolina Gamecocks on Monday at 8 p.m.
The Gamecocks took two-of-three games from the Razorbacks in their conference matchup earlier this season.
Arkansas is expected to start sophomore right hander Ryne Stanek against the Gamecocks Monday night. Stanek has started 16 games in 2012 and has a 7-4 record with a 2.91 ERA. In 86.2 innings of work, Stanek has struck out 80 and is holding the opposition to a .235 batting average.
Monday night’s game will be televised by ESPN2, and will also be streamed online at ESPN3.com.
