Kentucky 1, Arkansas 0 — End 3rd Inning
Neither goes down as an error, but a couple of defensive miscues allowed Kentucky to score the game’s first run with two outs in the third.
Third baseman Jared Sprague-Lott could not handle Devin Burkes’ liner, which was scored a single. Burkes was caught in a pickoff a few pitches later, but Peyton Stovall did not apply the tag in time even though the ball was in time to second base.
Ryan Waldschmidt doubled off the center-field wall on the next pitch to score Burkes easily.
Smith struck out two in the inning. He has struck out six, but his pitch count of 53 is probably higher than desirable at this point in the game.
Arkansas 0, Kentucky 0 — Middle 3rd Inning
The top of the Razorbacks’ lineup showed promise in the third, but hard contact by Peyton Stovall and Wehiwa Aloy resulted in outs.
Stovall was robbed of a leadoff single up the middle with a diving stop by second baseman Emilien Pitre. After a Jared Sprague-Lott strikeout, Aloy flew out to the warning track in left.
Arkansas has had two warning track shots tonight.
Arkansas 0, Kentucky 0 — End 2nd Inning
Hagen Smith struck out all three hitters in the second inning. He has been flashing a 96-97 mph fastball and 83-85 mph slider and has 4 strikeouts through a couple of perfect innings.
Arkansas 0, Kentucky 0 — Middle 2nd Inning
Peyton Holt hit an infield single and Ryder Helfrick walked with no outs, but the Razorbacks’ scuffling part of the lineup could not produce.
Kendall Diggs struck out — his 14th consecutive out — for the first out of the inning. After Hudson White beat out a double-play ball, Ty Wilmsmeyer grounded out for his 20th consecutive at-bat without a hit.
Arkansas has stranded three, including two in scoring position against Trey Pooser.
Arkansas 0, Kentucky 0 — End 1st Inning
Hagen Smith sat down Kentucky in 15 pitches in the first inning. After a couple of quick fly outs, Smith went to a full count against Grant Smith but struck him out with a slider.
Arkansas 0, Kentucky 0 — Middle 1st Inning
Peyton Stovall singled on the game’s second pitch. He went to second on a ground out by Wehiwa Aloy for the second out and was stranded there when Ben McLaughlin flew out to the warning track in right field.
Pregame
Arkansas and Kentucky will get underway at 5:30 pm Central from Kentucky Proud Park.
First place is on the line this weekend. Both teams enter with 16-5 SEC records and the series winner is guaranteed to be in at least a tie for first place with six games to play.
It is overcast with rain chances tonight in Lexington but as of now there are no delays in sight.
Hagen Smith will start for the Razorbacks. He is top five in many national pitching categories and Arkansas has not lost a game with him on the mound.
Kentucky will throw right-hander Trey Pooser, a fifth-year player who spent the previous four seasons at the College of Charleston.
Here is the Razorbacks’ lineup for the game:
2B Peyton Stovall
3B Jared Sprague-Lott
SS Wehiwa Alloy
1B Ben McLaughlin
LF Peyton Holt
DH Ryder Helfrick
RF Kendall Diggs
C Hudson White
CF Ty Wilmsmeyer
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LHP Hagen Smith
