Diamond Hogs roll past JMU 15-5
Arkansas is one win away from clinching its first series of the 2024 season.
With a score of 15-5, the Razorbacks take game two of their four-game series with James Madison University. Arkansas will face JMU two more times before the series ends.
After two scoreless innings, the Hogs jumped to a 7-1 lead through five innings. James Madison’s Max Kuhle was pulled from the mound after giving up three runs in the third and fourth innings, but his replacement right-hander Sean Culkin allowed two more runs in the fourth without retiring a single Arkansas batter.
The Hogs were rolling into the sixth, but the Dukes took advantage of a pitching change and made the game interesting. Lefty Parker Coil gave up four runs in just 0.2 innings before Van Horn made the switch to grad transfer Koty Frank to finish out the game.
Arkansas responded with a six-run inning in the sixth. Second baseman Peyton Holt initiated the scoring frenzy with a single to centerfield, bringing in Wehiwa Aloy. It ended with a Kendal Diggs single on JMU right-fielder, Brendan O’Donnell’s error.
Going into the bottom of the eighth, Arkansas led 13-5; and with one score, it could end the game in a mercy rule. Aloy came to the plate with two outs and singled to left field bringing in two runs to win the ball game. Aloy was 0-7 going into the at-bat, so a game-winning swing was much needed for Arkansas’ three-hole hitter.
Arkansas will face James Madison again on Sunday, February 18th, in the third game of the series.
