FAYETTEVILLE, Ark — There was no drama on opening weekend for Arkansas as they made quick work of Eastern Illinois but the competition took a step up on Thursday.
Gonzaga twice rallied to tie the game but a pair of runs in the seventh inning was enough for the Razorbacks as they took the series opener, 7-5, inside Baum-Walker Stadium. The two teams will resume the series on Friday at 3 p.m.
It was a bullpen game for both teams as each starting pitcher failed to make it out of the third inning.
Arkansas took the first lead in the second as Robert Moore picked up his first two RBI as a Razorback with a double down the left field line. Gonzaga tied the game in the next half inning with a two run home run to right from Brett Harris.
The Razorbacks then regained the lead in the third on a Jacob Nesbit run scoring groundout. Casey Opitz then added two more in the frame thanks to a generous scoring decision as his pop fly in shallow centerfield was not caught thanks to a windy day. Two runs scored giving Arkansas a 5-2 lead.
With the game knotted at 5-5 in the seventh, Gonzaga looked to get out of a jam as Christian Franklin grounded to second with the bases loaded but the relay throw was just late, allowing Heston Kjerstad to score. Matt Goodheart later scored in the inning on a wild pitch to set the final margin.
Zebulon Vermillion came on in the ninth to pick up his first save of the season.
