The Arkansas baseball team braved the cold weather and completed a doubleheader seven-inning sweep over Eastern Illinois at Baum Stadium on Monday in front of 442 fans.
With the Razorbacks down by a run heading to the last of the fifth inning in game two Bobby Wernes belted a solo blast to left field for his first long ball as a Razorback to tie the game 1-1. The Arkansas offense would go on to score three more runs in the inning, capped by a two-run double off the wall in left field from Tyler Spoon to make it 4-1.
Michael Bernal added plenty of insurance in the sixth inning, stepping to the plate with the bases jammed and belting a grand slam to left field for his first home run of the year to make it 8-1.
Josh Alberius picked up the victory in relief. He retired all nine batters he faced, recorded two strikeouts and picked up his first collegiate victory.
In game one, the Hogs scored a pair of early runs and held on for a 4-1 seven-inning victory.
The Arkansas offense did all the damage it would need in the second inning when Wernes came to the plate with the bases loaded and drilled a two-run single through the left side to plate Chad Spanberger and Rick Nomura and make it 2-0.
After Eastern Illinois scored a run in the sixth, Arkansas came back with two more runs of its own, using a balk to plate Spoon. Clark Eagan singled home another run to cap the two-run frame.
Arkansas and Eastern Illinois are scheduled to play the third and final game of the series Tuesday, with first pitch slated for noon at Baum Stadium.