Dazzling bullpen, freshman star power top-ranked Arkansas baseball to sweep over Ole Miss

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Another conference sweep has Arkansas baseball off to its best start in 42 years.

The No. 1 Razorbacks (27-3, 11-1 SEC) went 3-0 this weekend against Ole Miss (18-15, 3-9) to run their home winning streak to 21 games, which marks a program record. The Hogs sit alone atop the SEC standings and are now starting to create significant separation from the rest of their division rivals.

Here are four observations from another dominant weekend at Baum-Walker Stadium.

Bullpen continues to dazzle for Arkansas baseball

Eight relievers combined to give up just two runs across 12 1/3 innings this weekend. Will McEntire and Gabe Gaeckle continue to be the top two options out of the bullpen.

Gage Wood was perhaps the brightest development of the weekend, with the righty recording the final six outs and giving up just one hit in the Hogs' 8-3 win Friday night. Wood, who was the Arkansas closer last year, struck out five batters and appeared to put behind some early season struggles.

"That’s as good as (Wood's) been this year," Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn said. "When you look at his numbers, he’s struck out maybe 21 or 22 and only walked a couple. But I like the way he kept the ball down, kept it around the knees. He mixed it up and pitched with a little attitude and I really liked that."

A great weekend at the plate for the left side of the infield

Shortstop Wehiwa Aloy and third baseman Jared Sprague-Lott carried the offense through the first two games, combining for 10 RBIs.

Wehiwa Aloy hit two home runs and now leads Arkansas with eight long balls and 32 RBIs. Aloy's three-run shot proved to be the difference in Thursday's 5-2 victory.

After a slow start to the season, Aloy has turned it on in the SEC and is now living up to preseason expectations with a 13-game hitting streak in the middle of the Hogs' batting lineup.

"It's just being more mature at the plate and just sticking to an approach," Aloy said on his resurgence.

Sprague-Lott continues to affirm his standing as the starting third baseman. The Richmond transfer hit a solo home run in game one and gave the Hogs an early lead with a two-RBI single in game two. Sprague-Lott is now hitting .296 on the season.

A freshman is quickly becoming a star

Nolan Souza had a miserable time hitting against Arkansas' pitchers in the preseason, but he's turned into an every-day starter against right-handed pitchers.

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The lefty smacked a pair of homers Sunday as the designated hitter, driving in five runs as Arkansas clinched the sweep with a 6-3 victory. His second home run of the day turned a tie game into a three-run lead.

Souza went 5-for-7 on the weekend and is now tied for second on the team with six homers while hitting a team-high .357.

Short outings for the starters

None of the Arkansas starters had their best stuff this weekend. Hagen Smith did strike out 12 across six innings, but he had a season-high four walks and gave up two runs, which raised his ERA to 1.76. Even when he isn't hitting high gear, Smith is still dominant.

The other two weekend starters couldn't get past the fifth inning. Mason Molina and Brady Tygart both lasted just 4 1/3 innings and exited with their games still in the balance. Van Horn said Tygart was sick this weekend and may have ran out of gas in his start.

Still, both pitchers have terrific numbers, and with Arkansas' bullpen, they don't need to be unnecessarily pushed deep into games.

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Arkansas baseball sweeps Ole Miss behind dominant bullpen and freshman star