Wehiwa Aloy, No. 1 Hogs get run-rule win over Trojans

By Jason Pattyson

FAYETTEVILLE — The top of the lineup carried the No. 1 Razorbacks past the Little Rock Trojans to an 11-0 run ruled victory Tuesday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium in front of 8,537 fans.

The Razorbacks looked to clean up their plate appearances Tuesday afternoon after they left room for improvement in the Auburn series. Plate discipline was an area Coach Dave Van Horn and hitting coach Nate Thompson wanted the players to focus on Tuesday. 

“Did a good job at the plate making their pitchers throw a lot of pitches,” Coach Van Horn said after the game. “The first inning (Austin) Stubber had to throw like 41 pitches, which is amazing.”

Peyton Stovall, Wehwa Aloy and Ben McLaughlin combined to go four for seven at the dish. They scored six runs and drove in six RBIs to lead the offense. 

Aloy, a sophomore transfer shortstop, brought the Hawaiian heat to the plate on this frigid day in March. He was perfect at the plate 3-3 sending a shot over the center field wall for his sixth home run of the season and his first grand slam as a Razorback. 

Stovall found his pitch in the third inning to smash his third home run to give Arkansas a 4-0 lead. 

Jack Wagner and Will Edmonson hit their first round trippers this season to help finish off the Trojans. 

The pitching was just as sharp as the offense shutting down the Trojan bats allowing just two hits over seven innings. Starter sophomore Ben Bybee (1-0) tossed three scoreless innings giving up a hit and that was it. 

“I thought Bybee was really good. Velocity was good, location for the most part was pretty good. I felt like the ball was coming out of his hand good,” Van Horn said on Bybee’s performance. “He threw some good changeups to a couple of their left-handers. You know, he’s got the breaking ball and when it’s on it’s good.”

Redshirt junior Dylan Carter pitched two scoreless innings in his longest outing this season after Tommy John surgery. Sophomore Christian Foutch gave up a hit over an inning of work and senior Stone Hewlett came in to shut the door for the Hogs 20th and victory this season.

The Razorbacks have a quick turnaround and welcome LSU to three game series starting this Thursday. The series hits close to home for Peyton Stovall, who is from Louisiana, and he’s excited for the series.

“Obviously, growing I would watch LSU all the time,” Stovall said about facing the Tigers.  “They’ve got a really good team. They’re well coached. Their pitching staff is also really good as well. It’s going to be fun. It’s going to be an electric environment. There’s going to be a lot of people there. It’s going to be great weather. So we’re looking forward to it.”

First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at Baum Walker Stadium Thursday evening and will broadcast on ESPN 2.