FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) – Entering the weekend, Mississippi State was leading the SEC West and looked to be like a team that has a great chance at making a run to Omaha.
Three games later, it’s Arkansas who is now at the front of that conversation.
The Razorbacks completed a three game sweep of the No. 3 ranked Bulldogs thanks to seven scoreless inning from Connor Noland as Arkansas rolled to a 10-2 win on Saturday.
Mississippi State had lost back-to-back games just once this season but Arkansas gave them their first three game losing streak of the year. Arkansas has now won five straight and moves into first place in the SEC West.
Noland cruised through seven and 2/3 innings of work as he allowed just four hits and struck out five while not walking a batter on 89 pitches. The fifth inning had been an issue for the Razorbacks’ freshman but no such issues were present on Saturday as he picked up his second win in five days. Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn lifted Noland in the 8th with two outs and no runners on to allow the freshman to get a standing ovation from a packed Baum-Walker Stadium.
Jacob Nesbit provided plenty of offense for Arkansas as he drove in four runs, three coming on a home run that highlighted a huge eight run sixth inning that blew the game open. Nesbit also drove in the game’s first run in the fifth, a RBI single to center that drove in Jordan McFarland.
Arkansas will host Northwestern State for a pair of midweek games on Tuesday and Wednesday before welcoming Tennessee for a three game series next weekend. The Volunteers are coached by former Razorback assistant Tony Vitello.
