Playing in front of 11,084 fans in a sold out Walker-Baum Stadium for the first time in the 2021 season the No. 1 team in the country rose to the occasion beating the No. 9 Florida Gators (35-17, 17-11) by a score of 6-1.
Arkansas (40-10, 20-8) followed their typical formula, getting a solid six innings from their starter before turning to the best reliever in the country to get the final nine outs, something Kevin Kopps has done often this season. The redshirt senior leads the nation with a 0.76 ERA and has made a strong case for SEC pitcher of the year.
Following a tough outing in Knoxville where he lasted just 2.2 innings, allowing five runs, Patrick Wicklander was sensational Thursday night in Fayetteville. The left-hander struck out a career-high 11 batters allowing just one home run in six innings.
The Gators looked like they came to play early. Tommy Mace gave up one hit but put up a zero in the first inning and Kendrick Calilao homered in the second to give Florida an early advantage.
Mace had to dig deep in the third frame. Casey Opitz led off the inning with a double and moved to third on Jalen Battles' fly out to deep right field. Mace struck out leadoff man Zack Gregory but walked the next two batters to load the bases for Brady Slavens. Mace was able to get Slavens to fly out harmlessly to Jud Fabian in center field to escape the jam.
Florida's night offensively, although they didn't know it at the time, was done. Nathan Hickey's two-out single in the third inning would be the last hit Florida recorded Thursday night. The three hits tied for a season-low.
Mace ran into a spot of trouble in the fourth inning. He hit Razorback center fielder Christian Franklin in the shoulder with his first offering in the inning. Mace got the next two batters via strikeout but Opitz (3-4) collected his second hit and tied the game with a single to right field.
Arkansas was really good with two outs. Seven of the Hogs' nine hits and five of their six runs came with two outs.
The Razorbacks also made Mace work, running his pitch count up to 100 in the fifth inning, getting to the Florida bullpen in the fifth inning.
Arkansas freshman Cayden Wallace had himself a night. The Texas native went 3-4 with two home runs and four RBI.
Kopps entered the game in the seventh inning and retired all nine batters he faced, striking out five in the process to earn his eighth save of the season.
The loss ends any slim chance that the Gators had at winning or sharing a SEC title and with Tennessee winning on Thursday night the Gators' chance at winning a SEC East crown is on life support. Florida would need Vanderbilt. to lose at least one more game and for the Volunteers to lose their next two, while Florida needs to win out.
The Gators will send Hunter Barco to the mound Friday night at 8:00 pm to try and even the series.
