STARKVILLE, Miss — #2 Arkansas baseball hit the road to Starkville for their first road series of SEC play, and the Hogs brought the bats with them. The Razorbacks slugged three homers in the first inning and never looked back, beating #3 Mississippi State 8-2. It was Arkansas' first win in Starkville since 2014.
Patrick Wicklander made his first Friday start of the season, and rewarded the confidence from Dave Van Horn, delivering five innings of one run ball. Wicklander struck out three, giving up just two hits while walking four. He turned things over to Peyton Pallette in the sixth. Pallette, who had been starting Friday's the last few weeks, was immaculate in relief, shutting down the Diamond Dawgs.
Matt Goodheart, Cayden Wallace, and Christian Franklin all homered in the first to vault the Hogs in front before Mississippi State even saw a pitch. Franklin continued to swing a blazing hot bat, adding another solo homer in the fourth.
Arkansas tacked on two more in the 7th, courtesy of RBIs from Goodheart and Brady Slavens. Slavens added another RBI single in the ninth for good measure.
Arkansas goes for the series win on Saturday at 2pm, with Zebulon Vermillion getting the start for the Hogs.
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