FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas junior left-hander Dallas Keuchel held Florida hitless until the sixth inning and the No. 18 Razorbacks had season highs for hits (14) and home runs (3) in an 11-4 victory over No. 19 Florida in the Southeastern Conference season opener for both teams Friday night at Baum Stadium.
Keuchel retired the first 14 Gator hitters of the contest, registered a season-best nine strikeouts over seven innings and allowed four singles. He was supported by an offense that featured a grand slam by freshman Zack Cox (3-for-4), a three-run homer by senior Ben Tschepikow (2-for-4) and a solo shot by sophomore Andy Wilkins (3-for-4).
The Razorbacks (10-3, 1-0 SEC) scored four unearned runs in the third inning against junior starter Billy Bullock (0-1) to open the scoring, with Tschepikow’s fifth home of the season making it 4-0.
Arkansas made it 6-0 an inning later when Wilkins hit his fifth homer of the season to lead off the inning and Ryan Cisterna delivered an RBI single off Florida redshirt freshman reliever Justin Poovey, who surrendered four earned runs and seven hits in 2.1 innings.
Arkansas made it 10-0 in the fifth on the first collegiate homer – a grand slam – of Cox’s career.
Keuchel, who went seven innings allowing four hits and one run while striking out nine, lost his shutout when junior Jonathan Pigott hit a sacrifice fly, driving home Buddy Munroe, who had broken up the Arkansas southpaw’s no-hit bid.
The Gators (9-5, 0-1 SEC) added three runs in the ninth off reliever Jeremy Heatley with Riley Cooper’s home run and Avery Barnes’ run-scoring double the big blows.
For Florida, Barnes finished with three hits and Cooper, Munroe and Mike Mooney all had two hits.
Freshman lefty Alex Panteliodis (2-1, 4.32 ERA) will try to even the series for the Gators tomorrow against junior right-hander Mike Bolsinger (1-0, 4.76 ERA). First pitch from Baum Stadium is 3:05 p.m. ET.