Arkansas Razorbacks stifles Gators bats in series opening loss
Arkansas ace Connor Noland stifled the Florida baseball bats for seven effortless innings. He gave up one hit to second baseman Colby Halter to lead off the game and then didn’t allow another. Gators’ hitters only managed one hit and a walk while striking out seven times against Noland. His bullpen allowed two hits and a walk in the final two frames but hung on to beat the Gators, 8-1, Thursday night at Florida Ballpark.
Noland and Florida’s Hunter Barco cruised effortlessly through the first three frames.
Barco then ran into trouble in the top of the fourth inning, though. He caught Razorbacks‘ third baseman Cayden Wallace to lead off the frame. Second baseman Robert Moore walked following a Barco strikeout. Right fielder Chris Lanzilli struck out but Florida catcher BT Riopelle couldn’t corral it, allowing Wallace and Moore to advance to scoring position. Catcher Michael Turner singled to shortstop, giving Arkansas the 1-0 lead.
The Razorbacks pushed across another run in the following two innings. Barco led off the inning, hitting a batter that eventually came around to score via a Wallace RBI single. Lanzilli hit a lead-off solo home run in the sixth.
Coach Kevin O'Sullivan pulled Barco later in the inning after he gave up a single and another walk. Barco finished his outing after five innings, giving up four hits and three earned runs while striking out seven and walking three.
Meanwhile, Noland continued to breeze through Gators’ hitters. He went seven innings only allowing a hit and a walk along with zero earned runs while striking out seven.
Florida finally got a runner in scoring position after first baseman Kendrick Calilao singled and shortstop Joshua Rivera earned a walk with only one out. However, the Gators popped out and flew out to end their eighth-inning threat.
Arkansas exploded for five runs in the top of the ninth, and Florida broke the shutout in the bottom half to get to the final score of 8-1.
Florida and the Razorbacks return for the second game Friday at 6:30 p.m. EDT and can be seen on SEC Network+.
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