FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Southeastern Louisiana University baseball team scored seven runs in the sixth inning Friday on its way to defeating No. 3-ranked Arkansas, 7-3, at Baum-Walker Stadium at George Cole Field. 

Arkansas (5-3) scored first, picking up a run in the bottom of the third inning. Southeastern (5-5) strung together three hits off Razorback starting pitcher Connor Noland in the top of the inning but had nothing to show for it. In the bottom of the inning, Razorback center fielder Zack Gregory pulled a one-out double into the gap in right-center and eventually scored on a two-out single off the bat of Cayden Wallace. 

Noland struggled in the sixth. He hit SLU leadoff hitter Evan Keller with a pitch to open up the inning. After Tyler Finke was retired on a bang-bang play at first base, Rhett Rosevear (RBI) and Preston Faulkner both singled to chase Noland from the game. 

The Razorback brought in their closer, Kole Ramage, to snuff out the rally, but Bryce Grizzaffi greeted him with a run-scoring single to right. Ramage then issued back-to-back walks to Shea Thomas and Jake Johnson (RBI), mixing in a wild pitch. 

Reliever Issac Bracken did not have much better success, hitting Christian Garcia with a pitch (RBI). With two outs, Bracken walked Keller to plate another run. Finke greeted left-hander Zack Morris with a two-run single down the right-field line to close out the scoring. 

Lion starting pitcher Will Kinzeler backed up the offensive explosion by tossing a scoreless sixth, striking out a batter and getting a double-play ground ball after issuing a one-out walk. 

Arkansas picked up a pair of runs in the seventh, but reliever Gage Trahan retired eight of the nine batters he faced to close out the game. 

Kinzeler (2-0) earned the win, allowing one run on five hits in six innings of work. He walked a pair and struck out five. Trahan earned his second save in as many games, striking out three in 2.2 innings of scoreless relief. Noland (1-1) suffered the loss, allowing three runs on seven hits in 5.1 innings pitched. 

Faulkner and Finke picked up a pair of hits each for the Lions. 

UP NEXT

Following a schedule change, Southeastern will wrap up its series against the Razorbacks with a Saturday doubleheader. The first game will begin at 12 p.m. with the second game to follow approximately 45 minutes after game one’s completion.