STARKVILLE, Miss. — Hunter Renfroe didn’t have a home run going into Friday night.
Now he has two, and the Arkansas Razorbacks’ 10-game winning streak is over.
Renfroe hit home runs in the first and third innings to spark Mississippi State to an 11-2 victory over No. 3 Arkansas in the opening game of their three-game series at Dudy Noble Field. An announced crowd of 4,007 watched the Bulldogs (16-7, 2-2 SEC) jump out to an 8-2 lead after four innings against the Razorbacks (20-3, 3-1) and All-American starting pitcher DJ Baxendale.
It was Arkansas’ first SEC road game after sweeping a three-game series against Alabama last weekend as part of a 10-game homestand at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville.
Adam Frazier and Mitch Slauter had three hits each for the Bulldogs, who outhit the Razorbacks 12-7.
“They got their leadoff man on in seven of their at-bats, and we couldn’t stop them,” Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said. “They just took it to us, and it was a big uphill climb that we never got to.”
Chris Stratton (5-0) earned the victory as Baxendale (5-1) was battered for 9 hits and 8 runs in 3 innings. The loss ended a string of seven consecutive victories dating to last season for Baxendale.
An anticipated pitching showdown between Stratton and Baxendale fizzled when Mississippi State scored two runs in each of the first four innings. Renfroe put Mississippi State ahead 2-0 with an insidethe-park home run in the first inning and then belted a long home run to left field off Baxendale in the third to give the Bulldogs a 6-1 lead.
Arkansas added another run in the fourth inning before Mississippi State countered with two runs to go ahead 8-2. The Razorbacks finished with 5 hits and 2 runs in 7 innings against Stratton, who was named the SEC’s pitcher of the week after striking out 17 in 8 2/3 innings last Friday at LSU.
Stratton had nine strikeouts and two walks Friday night.
“That was a solid effort from Chris,” Mississippi State Coach John Cohen said. “He did exactly what we needed him to do.”
Mississippi State’s Adam Frazier led off with a single in the first inning and stayed at first base when Baxendale retired the next two hitters. Renfroe then lifted a high fly ball to deep center field, where Jacob Morris drifted back against the wall but fell down when the ball went over his head. Renfroe followed Frazier home and scored with a headfirst dive across the plate.
Morris suffered a bloody mouth after he hit the wall, but stayed in the game and had a triple that led to a run.
“Baxendale is a great pitcher, but he had a tough night,” Renfroe said. “We hit the ball well and was able to score a lot of runs.”
Today’s game ARKANSAS AT MISSISSIPPI STATE
PITCHING MATCHUP Arkansas: Ryne Stanek (RHP, 5-0, 1.52 ERA). Mississippi State: Nick Routt (LHP, 1-2, 4.05 ERA). Stanek allowed 5 hits and 2 earned runs in 5 1/3 innings in his last start against Alabama. SHORT HOPS DJ Baxendale lost for the first time since May 21, 2011, when Ole Miss beat Arkansas 2-1. ... Mississippi State had lost 9 of its last 11 games to Arkansas before Friday’s victory over the Razorbacks.
THE WEEK AHEAD
TODAY at Mississippi State, 2 p.m. SUNDAY at Mississippi State, noon MONDAY off TUESDAY off WEDNESDAY off THURSDAY off FRIDAY at LSU, 7 p.m.
Sports, Pages 17 on 03/24/2012