FAYETTEVILLE — The No. 3 Arkansas baseball team (22-2, 4-1 SEC) clinched their second straight SEC series win Saturday with a 12-3 win over the South Carolina Gamecocks (17-7, 1-4 SEC) at Baum-Walker Stadium.
Arkansas plated eight runs on five hits in the bottom of the first inning to set the tone for what was another dominant performance from start to finish. Five different Razorbacks drove in at least two runs apiece, including third baseman Brent Iredale, who scored three runs with a home run in the first inning.
Starter Gabe Gaeckle gave up three earned runs on two hits with three walks in just 1.2 innings pitched, but relievers Aiden Jimenez and Will McEntire cleaned things up afterwards. Jimenez pitched 4.1 scoreless innings with four strikeouts, while McEntire gave up just one hit and no runs across the final three frames.
Arkansas picked up two quick outs in the bottom of the first against South Carolina starting pitcher Jake McCoy before an impressive rally got going. Logan Maxwell was hit by a pitch and Kuhio Aloy singled before Brent Iredale brought both around with a three-run home run to left field.
The next five Razorbacks reached base safely, two of which scored runs in the process to make the lead 5-0 and chase McCoy. Reliever Roman Kimball entered and immediately gave up a two-RBI double to Wehiwa Aloy that put the Hogs ahead 7-0. An RBI walk from Kuhio Aloy made the lead eight runs before the frame finally came to an end.
Gaeckle ran into a pair of two out baserunners in the top of the second inning and the Gamecocks took advantage with an RBI single up the middle from second baseman Jordan Carrion. Things fell apart for Gaeckle after that, as he allowed the next four batters to reach and two runs to score in the process before head coach Dave Van Horn had seen enough.
Jimenez took over for Gaeckle and picked up the third out of the frame with the Hogs' lead cut to 8-3. The Hogs went down in order in the bottom of the second inning. Jimenez faced the minimum in the top half of the third, and the Hogs gained two runs back on a two-run home run from Charles Davalan to left field in the bottom half of the inning.
The Hogs put two more runners on in the frame, but South Carolina reliever Ashton Crowther stranded them to keep the Gamecocks' deficit at seven runs.
South Carolina threatened with bases loaded and one out in the top of the fifth, but a 6-4 double play on a lineout to Wehiwa Aloy at shortstop ended the Gamecocks' hopes of a big inning. The Razorbacks plated their 11th run of the game in the bottom half of the fifth via an RBI single to center from Kuhio Aloy.
Jimenez logged his fourth straight scoreless inning in the top of the sixth inning and the Hogs extended the lead to 12-3 courtesy of an RBI sacrifice fly out from Justin Thomas Jr. in the bottom of the sixth inning.
McEntire pitched a 1-2-3 top of the seventh inning for the Razorbacks. The Razorbacks went down in order in the bottom half, as well, despite the run rule being within reach for the second day in a row after the 12-2 win in seven innings Friday evening.
After both teams failed to get anything going at the plate in the eighth inning, the Hogs stuck with McEntire with a 12-3 lead entering the top of the ninth. The Bryant (Ark.) faced one more than the minimum to close things down in the win.
Up next, Arkansas will host South Carolina again Sunday with an opportunity to sweep the series at Baum-Walker Stadium. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. CT and the game will be streamed on SEC Network+.
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