FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas hit five home runs and bashed Northwestern State 19-2 in the first game of a midweek series Tuesday at Baum-Walker Stadium.
The game was called with one out in the top of the ninth inning after heavy rainfall made the infield unplayable.
The No. 7 Razorbacks (31-10) scored multiple runs in five of eight innings. Arkansas scored five runs in both the seventh and eighth innings.
Heston Kjerstad, Curtis Washington and Zack Plunkett each had three hits to lead Arkansas. Kjerstad and Washington hit home runs and were a triple shy of the cycle. Plunkett had three doubles.
Washington's leadoff home run in the seventh inning was the first home run of his career.
Jordan McFarland, Dominic Fletcher and Jack Kenley also hit home runs. The five home runs were the Razorbacks' most since they hit five home runs in both games of a doubleheader against Kentucky last March.
Arkansas finished with 19 hits and improved to 22-4 at home.
The Razorbacks lost two runs when Kjerstad made a base-running mistake in the fifth inning. Believing a Plunkett fly ball had been caught, Kjerstad peeled toward the dugout and was passed on the base path by Kenley, who was running behind him. The mistake resulted in Arkansas' third out of the inning.
Kole Ramage allowed two runs in five innings to earn his seventh win for the Razorbacks. Ramage allowed five hits and struck out five batters.
Zebulon Vermillion, Kevin Kopps and Jacob Kostyshock each pitched one scoreless inning. Jacob Burton walked a batter and recorded the only out of the ninth inning.
Northwestern State (23-16) recorded eight hits. Sam Taylor had both RBI hits for the Demons.
The teams are scheduled to play again Wednesday at 3 p.m.
EARLIER
Arkansas 19, Northwestern State 2 - Final
The game has been called with one out in the top of the ninth inning. A heavy rainstorm came through and caused the tarp to come onto the field. The head coaches met with the umpires and determined they didn't want to play anymore.
We'll have more on this game later at WholeHogSports.com.
Arkansas 19, Northwestern State 2 - End 8th Inning
Zack Plunkett's RBI double scored Jordan McFarland. Curtis Washington flied out to end the inning.
Plunkett has three doubles tonight. He should have 3 RBI, but was stripped of two for Heston Kjerstad's base-running gaffe earlier in the game.
Arkansas 18, Northwestern State 2 - Bottom 8th Inning
The Demons have had multiple chances to end the eighth inning, but can't get the elusive second out. The Razorbacks have scored on a bases-loaded walk, and a Jordan McFarland infield single and throwing error that cleared the bases.
Northwestern State is making another pitching change as Zack Plunkett comes to the plate. If he reaches, Curtis Washington will have a chance to hit for the cycle. He is a triple shy.
Arkansas 14, Northwestern State 2 - End 7th Inning
The Razorbacks stranded two in the seventh when Curtis Washington struck out to end the inning. He led off the inning with a home run.
Jacob Kostyshock will pitch for Arkansas in the eighth inning.
Arkansas 14, Northwestern State 2 - Bottom 7th Inning
The Razorbacks are pouring it on. Dominic Fletcher's two-run home run to the opposite field was Arkansas' fifth of the night - the most since the Razorbacks hit five against Kentucky twice during a doubleheader last March.
Matt Goodheart also had a two-run double in the inning that scored Trevor Ezell and Casey Martin. Ezell struck out but reached on a wild pitch, and Martin walked.
The Razorbacks have scored five runs without an out in this inning.
Arkansas 10, Northwestern State 2 - Bottom 7th Inning
Curtis Washington led off the bottom of the seventh with a home run into the opposing bullpen. That is Washington's first career home run and the Razorbacks' fourth homer of the game.
Arkansas 9, Northwestern State 2 - Middle 7th Inning
The Demons scored a run against Kevin Kopps in the seventh inning, and stranded another at third base. Sam Taylor had an RBI in the inning, his second RBI of the game.
Arkansas 9, Northwestern State 1 - End 6th Inning
Heston Kjerstad has had a great game - he's a triple shy of hitting for the cycle - but he just made a big-time blunder that cost Arkansas two runs in the sixth inning.
Zack Plunkett doubled with two outs and Kjerstad and Jack Kenley both came home. But Kjerstad apparently thought the ball was caught and peeled off before touching the plate. Washington touched home, so both runners were out.
Kjerstad has had a few mental gaffes today. He slowed down going into second on what could have been a triple in the second inning, and he threw a ball in from right field on the third out of an inning, apparently thinking it was only the second out.
Arkansas 9, Northwestern State 1 - End 5th Inning
The Demons made a couple of really good defensive plays in the outfield and Arkansas stranded runners in scoring position when Matt Goodheart struck out to end the inning.
Zack Plunkett and Trevor Ezell both reached on walks.
Zebulon Vermillion will pitch the sixth inning for the Razorbacks. Kole Ramage's final line: 5 innings, 1 run, 5 hits, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts. He is in line to be the winner for the seventh time this season.
Arkansas 9, Northwestern State 1 - Middle 5th Inning
The Demons are on the board. Three of the first four batters singled against Kole Ramage, and leadoff hitter Sam Taylor's RBI scored Lenni Kunert.
That likely will be all for Ramage, who is in line for his seventh win.
Arkansas 9, Northwestern State 0 - End 4th Inning
Arkansas scored four in the fourth inning to extend its lead to nine runs.
The inning ended when Jordan McFarland hit a weak liner to shortstop that stranded Dominic Fletcher at third base. Matt Goodheart scored from third on an RBI ground out by Jack Kenley.
Kole Ramage will throw again in the fifth inning, but it might be his last of the night. Arkansas has some activity in the bullpen.
Arkansas 8, Northwestern State 0 - Bottom 4th Inning
Casey Martin scored from third base on Matt Goodheart's RBI single. Goodheart extended his hit streak to 14 games.
Dominic Fletcher followed with a single and both advanced on a fly out by Heston Kjerstad. There are two runners in scoring position with one out in the inning.
Arkansas 7, Northwestern State 0 - Bottom 4th Inning
Casey Martin's two-run triple has extended the lead to 7-0. It scored Curtis Washington Jr. and Trevor Ezell. Washington doubled to lead off the inning and Ezell was hit by a pitch. There are no outs in the inning.
Kole Ramage pitched well for Arkansas in the top of the inning, working around a Tyler Smith double. Ramage has allowed two hits, walked one and struck out three.
Arkansas 5, Northwestern State 0 - Bottom 3rd Inning
The Razorbacks had back-to-back home runs on back-to-back pitches. Jack Kenley crushed the first pitch from reliever Jose Vasquez to right field - his eighth home run of this season and of his career.
Heston Kjerstad's homer was his 10th of the season, which leads the team.
Arkansas 4, Northwestern State 0 - Bottom 3rd Inning
Heston Kjerstad crushed a home run with one out. The ball hit off the upper third of the batter's eye, above the 400-foot mark in dead-away center field.
Kjerstad is 2-for-2 tonight in his return from the one-game suspension he had to serve Saturday because of an ejection Friday night. He also had a double.
The Demons are going to the bullpen. Arkansas has chased Kyle Swanson after 2 1/3 innings.
Arkansas 3, Northwestern State 0 - End 2nd Inning
Matt Goodheart grounded out to end the inning, stranding base runners at second and first base. The Razorbacks have stranded three through two innings.
Arkansas 3, Northwestern State 0 - Bottom 2nd Inning
Trevor Ezell's sacrifice fly scored Zack Plunkett, who double and advanced to third base on a single by Curtis Washington Jr.
Arkansas 2, Northwestern State 0 - Bottom 2nd Inning
Jordan McFarland's first home run of the season has put the Razorbacks on the board. McFarland's two-run shot went over the wall in right-center field.
The homer came after Dave Van Horn had a lengthy argument with umpires. Jack Kenley had a fly ball caught by the left fielder, who lost control of the ball trying to transfer from his glove to hand. It was called a single on the field and Heston Kjerstad, who led off with a double, was able to advance to third base.
But after a review, the umpires correctly ruled Kenley was out. Van Horn was upset that they sent Kjerstad back to second base. It didn't matter when McFarland made his swing.
Arkansas 0, Northwestern State 0 - End 1st Inning
Kole Ramage sat Northwestern State down in order in the top of the first inning. Matt Goodheart reached on a two-out walk in the bottom of the inning and stole second base, but Dominic Fletcher struck out on a foul tip to end the inning.
Pregame
The game will begin on time, but the question is whether the teams will be able to get a full game in before the storms arrive in Fayetteville. As of right now it appears that will happen sometime between 8 and 9 o'clock.
It's also worth noting that a five-inning game can be ruled an official game, and that the weather doesn't look too good for tomorrow afternoon's game.
Arkansas will throw Kole Ramage tonight. Ramage, one of the team's top relief pitchers, has struggled of late. He might be asked to throw starter innings because of tomorrow's scheduled game and Arkansas' thin bullpen.
Northwestern State will start right hander Kyle Swanson, who is 0-1 this season with a 5.14 ERA.
Some notable lineup moves tonight for Arkansas: Zack Plunkett will start in place of Casey Opitz at catcher, Jack Kenley will start in place of Jacob Nesbit at third base, and Curtis Washington Jr. will start in place of Christian Franklin in left field. Trevor Ezell will give second base another try, as he has done in the midweek a couple of times in the past month, and Jordan McFarland will start at first base.