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Arkansas Powers Past EIU In Season Opener

Razorbacks blast Eastern Illinois in game one of 2019 season
Christian Franklin

FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) – It was a cool, brisk afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium but the Arkansas bats eventually heated up in the season opener.

The Razorbacks exploded for eight runs in the fourth inning as they hammered Eastern Illinois 15-7  in the season opener.

The two teams will play game two of the doubleheader with first pitch scheduled for approximately 3:45 p.m..

With a handful of returnees, a pair of new faces took the spotlight in the opener. Freshman Christian Franklin sent a three run home run into the right field bullpen to give Arkansas a 4-0 lead in the fourth inning. The Razorbacks then added five more runs in the inning to blow the game open and build a 9-0 lead.

Casey Optiz added a two run double in the fourth while Heston Kjerstad blasted a two run home run over the right field bullpen.

Preseason all-American Casey Martin had three hits in the opener while senior transfer Trevor Ezell sparked the offense with a solo home run in the third to start the scoring and then added a two run double in the fifth.

Isaiah Campbell picked up the win on the mound as he threw five innings while allowing three runs on five hits and struck out five. Campbell retired the first 12 batters he faced but ran into trouble in the fifth after sitting in the dugout for half an hour thanks to the Hogs’ offensive explosion in the fourth.

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