Arkansas tops Evansville in opener

Arkansas junior Jake Wise connects for a two-run home run Friday, Feb. 22, 2013, during the second inning of play against Evansville at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville.
Arkansas junior Jake Wise connects for a two-run home run Friday, Feb. 22, 2013, during the second inning of play against Evansville at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville.

— Arkansas' freshmen continued to come through big Friday.

Tyler Spoon had a three-run single in the sixth and Jordan Farris added a three-run home run in the seventh, helping the No. 1 Razorbacks to a 10-4 win over Evansville at Baum Stadium.

Both hits came with two outs in the inning and helped pick up Arkansas after Ryne Stanek struggled in a three-inning start on the mound. Stanek threw 76 pitches and allowed two runs on four hits in a no-decision.

The Purple Aces took a 2-0 lead on a Kevin Kaczmarski single in the top of the second, but the Razorbacks tied the game when Jake Wise hit a two-run home run in the bottom half of the inning.

Wise, who finished with three hits, gave Arkansas the lead on a RBI single in the fourth and scored on a passed ball to extend the advantage to 4-2.

Two runners scored on Spoon's single and Joe Serrano added another run when Spoon was caught in an inning-ending rundown between first and second base. Evansville added two runs in the top of seventh to pull within 7-4 before Farris' first career home run.

Brandon Moore earned the win by pitching 3 2/3 innings of relief. The right-hander allowed one earned run on four hits and struck out two.

Jalen Beeks added 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief and Chris Oliver recorded the final three outs. Arkansas (5-1) combined to record 11 strikeouts.

Evansville (1-3) dropped its third consecutive game after a season-opening win at Arkansas-Little Rock last Friday. Purple Aces starter Kyle Freeland was handed the loss after allowing four runs on seven hits in five innings. The left-hander struck out five.

The teams will play in the second of the three-game series on Saturday at 1:05 p.m. Right-hander Barrett Astin will start the game on the mound for Arkansas.

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