Arkansas run-rules Ole Miss to win series opener in 7 innings
By David Wasson
Published:
The 22nd-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks baseball team made an emphatic statement to start their pivotal SEC weekend series Friday against 17th-ranked Ole Miss, thumping the visiting Rebels 12-2 in a seven-inning, run-rule shortened game in front of 10,676 at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville.
Arkansas (31-16 overall, 12-10 SEC) can earn a series sweep in Game 2 on Saturday (3 pm ET, SEC Network+). Ole Miss (31-16, 11-11) has lost four straight.
Four Razorbacks hitters slugged home runs Friday night in the opener, as both TJ Pompey and Ryder Helfrick each hit three-run blasts, Camden Kozeal smacked a two-run homer and Kuhio Aloy added a solo shot.
Arkansas did most of its damage in the sixth inning, a 5-run surge that included an Aloy RBI groundout and a Maika Niu RBI single before Helfrick ripped his three-run homer to right field to make it 11-1. After Ole Miss’ Austin Fawley hit a solo homer in the top of the seventh, Aloy doubled home a run for a 10-run cushion that kicked in the mercy rule.
Aloy went 3-for-4, and Nolan Souza added two hits for Arkansas. No Ole Miss hitter had more than one hit. Hunter Dietz (6-1) earned the victory, while Hunter Elliott (4-2) took the loss.
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
