UA shuts out Missouri to finish sweep
Chad Crunk
FAYETTEVILLE – Four
Arkansas pitchers combined to post a four-hit shutout as the No. 18
Razorbacks completed a two-game midweek sweep of Missouri with a 2-0
win on Wednesday afternoon at Baum Stadium.
Arkansas won its fourth straight game and improved to 33-13 on the season, while Missouri fell to 23-21 with the loss.
Trent
Daniel, Michael Gunn, Colby Suggs and Barrett Astin combined to post a
four-hit shutout of the Tigers. The shutout was Arkansas’ seventh this
season, the most in a season since the 1986 pitching staff had eight
shutouts. With its performance today, Arkansas lowered its team ERA to
an SEC leading 2.61.
Gunn (1-0) picked up the first win of his
collegiate career, throwing 1.2 hitless innings out of the bullpen with
a strikeout. Astin earned his eighth save of the season, throwing a
scoreless ninth inning.
Daniel started for Arkansas and pitched
well, but did not receive a decision. Daniel threw a career-long five
innings and allowed just two hits, while striking out four.
Suggs
also pitched well out of the bullpen. Suggs entered the game with two
outs, runners on second and third and got a strikeout to get out of the
jam. He finished the game by throwing 1.1 shutout innings.
Missouri
reliever Jake Walsh (2-3) took the loss after giving up two runs, both
earned, on one hit and striking out two in 1.1 innings.
Matt
Reynolds provided the only run-scoring hit in the game with a pinch hit
RBI double in the sixth inning. The double extended Reynolds’ streak of
reaching base to 28 straight games.
Jacob Mahan had a pair of
hits for Arkansas at the plate. Jimmy Bosco and Dominic Ficociello each
had one hit for the Razorbacks.
Dillon Everett, Jake Ivory, Conner Mach and Andreas Plackis each had one hit to account for Missouri’s four hits in the game.
Each
offense was quiet until the bottom of the sixth inning, when Arkansas
put together a two-run rally. Ficociello reached on an infield single
to lead off the inning and then stole second base. With one out, Bo
Bigham was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second. Reynolds
then came off the bench and deposited a double down the left field
line, scoring both Ficociello and Bigham to put Arkansas in front 2-0.
Missouri
put two runners in scoring position in the seventh, but wasn’t able to
dent home plate. Eric Garcia drew a leadoff walk. After the next two
batters were retired, Garcia stole second. A walk to Brannon Champagne
put runners at first and second. The Tigers then executed a double
steal with Garcia advancing to third and Champagne moving to second.
Suggs got Case Munson to strike out looking to end the threat.
The
Tigers would get a hit in both the eighth and ninth innings, but were
unable to score a run as Arkansas held on for the 2-0 victory.
|