FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KFSM) - Two names that were talked about all offseason long as players who needed to have a big year for Arkansas to get back to the College World Series for a third straight season were Connor Noland and Heston Kjerstad.
They did not disappoint on opening day.
Noland set a career high with 11 strikeouts while allowing one run in six and 2/3 innings pitched while Kjerstad belted a pair of solo home runs and drove in three runs as Arkansas took down Eastern Illinois 5-1 inside Baum-Walker Stadium.
Noland was in complete control for most of the afternoon as he had five strikeouts in the first two innings and allowed just two hits and walked one on 86 pitches.