FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – A four-run first inning was too much to overcome for No. 18 Vanderbilt as the Commodores dropped the series opener 6-2 to Arkansas at Baum Stadium Friday night.
Vanderbilt (28-11, 7-9) starter Tyler Beede found trouble quickly in the first inning when Arkansas’ (24-15, 8-8) Andrew Benintendi and Joe Serrano each singled with one out to put two runners aboard. Beede issued a walk to Brian Anderson to load the bases but looked to be out of the inning when Blake Baxendale hit a slow roller up the middle that Vince Conde fielded and stepped on second base. But Anderson’s slide into second was enough to keep Conde from completing the double play and allowed a run to score. Anderson’s slide proved important as Eric Fisher launched the first pitch he saw into the Vanderbilt bullpen in right field for a four-run first inning.
Faced with an early deficit the Commodores climbed back into the game in the third inning thanks to the Arkansas defense. Jason Delay singled up the middle and Dansby Swanson followed with a sharp single to left field with two outs. Xavier Turner appeared to have ended the inning with a ground ball to shortstop but Michael Bernal’s throw short hopped the first baseman and allowed Delay and Wiseman to score and cut the Razorback lead in half.
Arkansas starter Trey Killian, however, settled in and cruised into the seventh inning when the Commodores loaded the bases with two hits thanks to three singles. The Razorbacks turned it over to Zach Jackson, who struck out Delay to end the Commodores’ last threat of the game.
Beede took the loss allowing six runs on a career-high 10 hits with six strikeouts over seven innings. The Commodores collected six singles in the loss with six different players recording hits. Turner pushed his hitting streak to 24 games with an infield single in the sixth inning.
Killian earned the win with 6.2 innings of work, allowing two unearned runs on six hits. Fisher drove in two runs to lead the Razorbacks.
Vanderbilt returns to action tomorrow night at 6:05 p.m. on Cox Sports.
