Arkansas put up 5 early runs on Tanner Houck, then a weather delay chased the Missouri ace as Arkansas cruised to a 9-2 road win in the series opener.
The Razorbacks (19-4, 4-0) won for the 11th time in 12 games and improved their winning streak to 7. Missouri (20-2, 3-1) had its 20-game winning streak snapped.
Arkansas led 5-0 by the time the game was delayed by rain and lightning for 2 hours and 11 minutes in the top of the fourth inning.
Arkansas starter Blaine Knight returned to the mound after the day, but Houck’s outing was finished. The Razorbacks scored 5 runs against him in the top of the second inning to break the game open early.
Jake Arledge was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, scoring Carson Shaddy. Chad Spanberger followed with a two-run single to right-center. Arledge scored on an error to make it 4-0 and Grant Koch singled down the left-field line to score Spanberger.
Spanberger went 2 of 5 with a trio of RBIs. Bonfield, Koch, Shaddy and Dominic Fletcher also had 2 hits. Eric Cole drove in 2 runs.
Knight went 6 innings, striking out 7 and allowing 5 hits and 2 runs, both earned. Dominic Taccolini threw 3 shutout innings to close the game, fanning 4.
Arkansas got to Cameron Dulle, Houck’s relief, quickly, tacking on an additional run in the top of the fourth.
Knight
Game two of the series is Saturday at 2 p.m. on the SEC Network. The finale is Sunday at 1 p.m. and will be aired on SEC Network+.