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Razorbacks Dominate No. 1 Texas to Clinch Series Win
Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

For the second consecutive night, No. 11 Arkansas asserted control over the nation’s top-ranked team, using a mix of timely hitting and dominant pitching to earn a 6-1 win over No. 1 Texas on Friday at Baum-Walker Stadium. The result clinched a historic series win for the Razorbacks (39-9, 16-7 SEC), their first over the Longhorns (38-7, 19-4 SEC) in a weekend set since 1989, when both programs were members of the Southwest Conference.

With the series already in hand, Arkansas enters Saturday’s finale with a chance to complete a sweep and match its best-ever 24-game start in SEC play (17-7), a benchmark it has reached five times previously.

Wood Leads Relentless Razorback Staff

Making just his third start since returning from injury, sophomore right-hander Gage Wood delivered his most complete performance of the season. In four innings of work, Wood struck out a career-high nine batters, allowed only two hits, and issued no walks. The lone run he surrendered came on a solo home run in the fourth—Texas’s only real offensive highlight of the evening.

Wood’s outing set the tone for an Arkansas pitching staff that finished with 15 strikeouts on the night, marking back-to-back games in which Razorback pitchers overwhelmed the Longhorn lineup.

Early Runs Provide Breathing Room

The Razorback offense wasted no time building a cushion. In the second inning, Brent Iredale opened the scoring with a solo home run, his 12th of the season. Moments later, Kuhio Aloy delivered the game’s biggest swing an opposite-field, bases-clearing double that gave Arkansas a 4-0 lead and full control of the game’s pace.

Texas briefly narrowed the gap with a solo homer in the fourth, but Arkansas responded methodically. A hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded in the fifth and a walk under similar circumstances in the sixth added two insurance runs, extending the lead to 6-1.

Bullpen Preserves the Lead with Precision

Once Wood exited, the Razorbacks handed the ball to their bullpen, which continued the pattern of precision and power. Gabe Gaeckle contributed three shutout innings, striking out five, while Aiden Jimenez closed the door with two scoreless frames and another strikeout. Altogether, Arkansas pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts without issuing a single walk, an effort that neutralized a Texas team averaging over seven runs per game.

Aloy, Iredale Anchor the Lineup

At the plate, Aloy’s three-RBI night boosted his season total to 63, along with a .363/.436/.626 slash line through 44 games. Iredale’s production also remained consistent, improving his season line to .298/.459/.603, with 12 home runs and 53 RBI.

As Arkansas eyes a potential sweep on Saturday, the series has already served as a statement: the Razorbacks are capable of matching the nation's elite, not just with talent but also with execution.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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