FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) – Carson Shaddy and Grant Koch felt right at home Friday afternoon as Arkansas took on Eastern Illinois. After all, the two were playing on their home field and less than a mile from their high school alma mater.
The pair of Razorbacks each belted a home run over the left field wall in the third inning as Arkansas handled business against the Panthers 5-2 inside Baum Stadium.
Koch finished with a pair of hits while Shaddy went 1-of-4 after being moved to the cleanup spot after playing the first eight games in the two-hole position in Dave Van Horn’s lineup.
Dominic Taccolini was sharp through the first three innings but allowed a pair of runs in the fourth after a walk and a pair of singles. The Arkansas right-hander settled down to throw a scoreless fifth inning and picked up his third win in as many starts.
Zach Jackson came into close the game out in the ninth and did just that after recording a pair of strikeouts for his third save of the season.
Arkansas and Eastern Illinois will play in game two of the weekend series at Noon on Saturday.