Arkansas beats NC State 21-2, is win away from College World Series

FAYETTEVILLE – Arkansas is just one win away from returning to the College World Series.

The top-ranked razorbacks pounded the first game of the NCAA Fayetteville Super Regional # 17 North Carolina State 21-2 at Baum Walker Stadium on Friday. The 21 runs were the most in an NCAA postseason game in Arkansas, and the Razorbacks’ 19-run win margin was also a program postseason record.

The teams should play again on Saturday at 2 p.m. If Arkansas wins on Saturday, it will enter the College World Series for the third year in a row. If NC State wins, the Wolfpack will force a winner-take-all game on Sunday night.

Robert Moore scored two home runs, and Cullen Smith and Charlie Welch also came in to bring the season up to 106 total. All four homers scored multiple runs and helped Arkansas quickly break an early 1-0 deficit.

The Razorbacks (50-11) won 13 games for the 12th time and improved to 30-6 at home.

Smith had the biggest swing of the game – a two-out grand slam in the third inning that put Arkansas 7-1 ahead. It was Smith’s 11th home run and fifth in the postseason. Smith scored three home runs at the SEC two weeks ago and hit a homered in the regional opener against NJIT last week.

Moore scored his first home run in the second inning, putting Arkansas 2-1 ahead. Moore’s homer to right midfield was also scored by Welch, who doubled on the racket in the previous game.

The Razorbacks extended their lead to 3-1 in the third game when Casey Opitz triggered with two outs, stole second base and scored on Jalen Battles’ RBI single.

Arkansas’ first seven runs came against NC State starter Reid Johnston (8-3). The fourth year junior right-handed player allowed 6 hits, walked 1, and hit 5 in 3 innings.

Garrett Payne allowed three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Welch hit a home run on the opposite field into the bullpen on right field to give the Razorbacks a 9-1 lead, and Moore doubled up and scored a double from Opitz RBI.

Moore got 4 for 5 with 5 runs and 5 RBI, and Welch went 3 for 4 with 4 runs and 4 RBI each. Each player finished a triple punch for the cycle.

Arkansas took the game way out of reach when it hit 12 batters during a sixth sixth inning against NC State auxiliaries John Miralia and Coby Ingle.

Brady Slavens had a double with two runs and scored a single from Welch. It was Slavens’ first goal in three games since returning from a sprained ankle that forced him to miss five games.

Opitz, Braydon Webb, and Matt Goodheart all went in the sixth with bases loaded.

Welch added a base-laden walk to start a five-run rally with two outs in the eighth inning. Zack Gregory scored on a wild field from NC State pitcher Cooper King, and Moore followed left with a triple home run to bring his team leading season to 16 homers overall.

NC State Pitching gave eight walks and hit three batters.

Arkansas starter Patrick Wicklander was drawn after 99 pitches in six innings. Wicklander (7-1) allowed 1 run, 6 hits, 2 walks and dropped 6.

Heston Tole took one and failed to score in two goalless innings. Kole Ramage allowed a run in ninth place.

NC State (33-18) took a 1-0 lead when Jose Torres homered to lead the top of the second inning. The Wolfpack had the chance to extend their lead after two walks without outs, but stranded runners on second and third base after good defensive games from Webb in midfield and Moore on second.

Webb, replacing Christian Franklin (illness), ran down a flyball in flat left field that kept NC State catcher Luca Tresh in third place. Moore made a dive stop on a ground ball and knocked out leadoff hitter Austin Murr at first base to end the inning.

The Wolfpack gambled away another run-scoring chance when two-hole hitter Tyler McDonough flew into midfield with the bases loaded in the fourth inning. NC State has stranded eight base runners. Arkansas ran aground seven.

The Razorbacks beat the Wolfpack 17-7. Nine of Arkansas’ hits came with runners in scoring position.

Murr’s RBI triple, with two outs in the top of the ninth, was NC State’s first since the fourth inning.

source https://collegeeducationnewsllc.com/arkansas-beats-nc-state-21-2-is-win-away-from-college-world-series/