Trojans Topple No. 5 Arkansas for Highest Ranked Win Since 2011

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Junior Jacob Weatherley fanned six over the course of the final five innings and allowed just one run as the Trojans steadily built a large lead, culminating in a Little Rock victory over 5^th ranked Arkansas 11-4 on Wednesday evening at Baum-Walker Stadium. The win improves the Trojans record to 18-12 on the season as they now look ahead to an Ohio Valley Conference weekend series at Eastern Illinois.
 
This win marks the second time that Little Rock has come up to Fayetteville and defeated the Razorbacks, with the first being in the first ever matchup between the programs on April 2, 2019, a game the Trojans won 17-7. Little Rock is now 2-4 all-time against Arkansas since 2019 and remains the only school within the state of Arkansas to beat the Razorbacks.
 
The Trojans went down early in the second inning when Arkansas was able to strike for three runs off of two homeruns in the frame, this would be the final time until the ninth that the Razorbacks were able to scratch any runs off of the Little Rock pitching staff.
 
Little Rock answered back immediately in the top of the third. Alex Seguine and Tyler Williams got on base with a walk and single before advancing to scoring position on a wild pitch. A single from Ty Rhoades scored Seguine and sent runners to first and third before a chopper from Syler Trevino snuck under the first baseman's glove and allowed Williams to scamper home. A sac fly off the bat of Luke Pectol brought Rhoades home and evened the score at three apiece.
 
It wouldn't be until the top of the sixth inning when the Trojans took the lead for good. With the bases loaded and one out, senior Jake Wright hit a jam shot towards the first base side of the pitcher's mound. Upon being fielded, the Razorback pitcher looked to go home for a potential 1-2-3 double play but stumbled, throwing the ball to the backstop and allowing two Little Rock runs to come home. One more Trojan run would come across in the inning on a groundout to first base as Little Rock doubled its run total in the inning from three to six.
 
Weatherley was able to work around a pair of Trojan errors in the bottom of the sixth to get back to the dugout with the lead intact. Little Rock continued with the momentum and stretched the lead out to seven runs in the seventh. Things began with a single to center from Noah Brewer and double struck by Christian Bernabe to score one run before Bernabe came home on the next hit, a single to left by Jaxson Anderson. Wright then came up to the plate with another big opportunity, this time taking advantage in a more conventional way. The senior from Bryant clubbed a 1-1 pitch into left field where it sailed over all defenders as well as the fence. The two run homer put the Trojans in the driver's seat for the remainder of the game.
 
Following a bottom of the seventh that saw Weatherley strike out two more hogs, both looking, Little Rock was able to add one more insurance run in the top of the eighth on a bases loaded wild pitch that brought Pectol home.
 
Both sides went down quietly in the bottom of the eighth and top of the ninth as the Trojans were kept off the board for the first time since the fifth inning. Weatherley took the mound looking to close things out in the ninth and despite a meaningless run crossing the plate, struck out two including the final out to secure the win for Little Rock.
 
Five Trojans collected multiple hits on the day with Pectol leading the way in a 3-for-4 performance including a double, scoring twice and driving in one run.
 
Despite scoring 11 runs on the afternoon, only one Little Rock player had multiple RBI. Wright was the hitter to do this, bringing home two on his homerun in a 1-for-4 game.
 
Walks were a big reason for Tuesday's result and on Wednesday the tables had turned as Trojan hitters were able to work nine free passes off the Razorback staff.
 
Weatherley earned the win in the game for his efforts over the final 4.2 innings. The junior from Jonesboro struck out six and allowed just two hits on 107 pitches out of the bullpen.
 
The Trojans will now return to conference play and look ahead to a weekend series at Eastern Illinois before coming back to Gary Hogan Field to complete the home and home midweek series with ULM next Tuesday.
 
For the latest information on Little Rock Baseball, make sure to check out LRTrojans.com. You can also find the team on social media at @LittleRockBSB on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
 
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