Diamondhogs Open The Season With A Win

MOBILE, Ala. - Blake Parker and Danny Hamblin both connected for solo home runs as Arkansas opened the season with a 4-1 win over George Mason at the Jaguar Invitational in Mobile, Ala., on Friday. The Razorbacks received outstanding pitching from junior college transfer Chris Rhoads and played superb defense behind him. Rhoads won his first appearance in a Hogs` uniform by allowing just one run on four hits in six innings of work. The right-hander surrendered two of the four hits he allowed in the first inning, including a seeing-eye single between the first and second basemen by Scott Kreiger to give George Mason an early 1-0 lead. The Arkansas offense struggled to get on track in the season opener with five hits and benefited from a struggling George Mason defense that committed four errors. "We have to drive in runs," Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn said. "Our older guys did not do a good job today and some guys were just trying too hard. I expect us to be better tomorrow." Parker got the Hogs on the scoreboard in the second inning with a towering home run to left field to tie the game at 1-1 as the ball cleared the 50-foot high Stanky Field scoreboard. Parker also homered in the 2004 season opener at Dallas Baptist. The junior from Fayetteville also made his first career start at third base on Friday and recorded five assists at the hot corner. A Patriots` throwing error in the fifth inning gave the Razorbacks a 2-1 lead that they would not relinquish. George Mason shortstop Brent Weiss threw wide of first base on a Craig Gentry ground ball that allowed Chris Hollensworth to score from second base. Hamblin extended that lead to 3-1 in the sixth inning with a leadoff home run to left-center field. The blast was his first of the season and the 19th of his career. Arkansas tacked on an insurance run in the eighth inning with a squeeze bunt by Stephen Robison. He beat out the play at first and scored Clint Arnold, who led off the inning with a single to right field. Trey Holloway took over for Rhoads in the seventh inning for his first action since fracturing his elbow at Centenary on March 23, 2004. Holloway worked two-scoreless innings, facing seven batters and not allowing a hit. Daryl Maday came on to work the ninth inning and earn his first career save. He struck out one and faced the minimum. Arkansas takes on Oklahoma State Saturday at 4:30 p.m. at Stanky Field in the second game of the Jaguar Invitational. The Hogs face host South Alabama on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. -- HOGS -- George Mason vs Arkansas (Feb 10, 2006) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Box score (NCAA) Play-by-Play Line score -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Box score (NCAA) Arkansas Razorbacks George Mason vs #20 Arkansas Feb 10, 2006 at Mobile, Ala. (Stanky Field) George Mason 1 (0-1) Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Wiggins, Spencer cf...... 3 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 York, Matt rf............ 4 1 0 0 0 1 4 0 0 Jacobsen, Robby c........ 4 0 0 0 0 1 5 0 2 Kreiger, Scott 1b........ 4 0 2 1 0 0 4 1 0 Slattery, Casey dh....... 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 Pomykala, Brett lf....... 4 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 Youngs, Tyler 3b......... 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 0 Genovese, Mike ss........ 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Weiss, Brent 2b.......... 2 0 0 0 0 1 4 1 0 Gibbons, Eric p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Tinsley, Billy p........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Stone, Phil p........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 31 1 4 1 0 6 24 7 5 Arkansas 4 (1-0) Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Craig Gentry cf.......... 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Ben Tschepikow 2b........ 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 1 Danny Hamblin 1b......... 4 1 1 1 0 0 17 0 2 Clint Arnold dh.......... 4 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 Jake Dugger lf........... 3 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 Blake Parker 3b.......... 2 1 1 1 2 0 0 5 1 Chris Hollensworth rf.... 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 Stephen Robison rf...... 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 Brian Walker c........... 2 0 0 0 1 1 5 1 0 John Henry Marquardt ss.. 2 0 0 0 1 2 0 3 2 Chris Rhoads p........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Trey Holloway p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Daryl Maday p........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 28 4 5 3 5 5 27 14 8 Score by Innings R H E ------------------------------------------- George Mason........ 100 000 000 - 1 4 4 Arkansas............ 010 011 01X - 4 5 2 ------------------------------------------- E - Jacobsen(1); Kreiger(1); Genovese 2(2); Hollensworth(1); Walker(1). DP - MASON 1. LOB - MASON 5; AR 8. 2B - Wiggins(1); Kreiger(1). HR - Hamblin(1); Parker(1). HBP - Weiss; Dugger. SH - Wiggins(1); Walker(1); Marquardt(1). CS - Dugger(1). George Mason IP H R ER BB SO AB BF ----------------------------------------------- Gibbons, Eric....... 6.0 3 3 2 3 4 20 25 Tinsley, Billy...... 0.2 0 0 0 1 0 2 4 Stone, Phil......... 1.1 2 1 1 1 1 6 7 Arkansas IP H R ER BB SO AB BF ----------------------------------------------- Chris Rhoads........ 6.0 4 1 1 0 5 23 23 Trey Holloway....... 2.0 0 0 0 0 0 5 7 Daryl Maday......... 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 3 3 Win - Rhoads (1-0). Loss - Gibbons (0-1). Save - Maday (1). HBP - by Gibbons (Dugger); by Holloway (Weiss). PB - Jacobsen(1). Umpires - HP: Ron Pellitier 1B: Kevin Assman 3B: Mark Seibert Start: 2:30 pm Time: 2:20 Attendance: Game: AR01 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Play-by-Play Arkansas Razorbacks George Mason vs #20 Arkansas - Play-by-Play Feb 10, 2006 at Mobile, Ala. (Stanky Field) Score by Innings R H E ------------------------------------------- George Mason........ 100 000 000 - 1 4 4 Arkansas............ 010 011 01X - 4 5 2 ------------------------------------------- George Mason starters: 2/cf Wiggins; 8/rf York; 14/c Jacobsen; 35/1b Kreiger; 33/dh Slattery; 7/lf Pomykala; 25/3b Youngs; 11/ss Genovese; 15/2b Weiss; 12/p Gibbons; Arkansas starters: 12/cf Gentry; 8/2b Tschepikow; 3/1b Hamblin; 4/dh Arnold; 24/lf Dugger; 20/3b Parker; 10/rf Hollensworth; 21/c Walker; 9/ss Marquardt; 30/p Rhoads; George Mason 1st - Wiggins singled to shortstop. York reached on a fielder`s choice; Wiggins out at second ss to 2b. Jacobsen grounded out to ss; York advanced to second. Kreiger singled through the right side, advanced to second on the throw, RBI; York scored. Slattery grounded out to 2b. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB. Arkansas 1st - Gentry flied out to rf. Tschepikow flied out to 3b. Hamblin reached on an error by ss. Arnold struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB. George Mason 2nd - Pomykala struck out looking. Youngs grounded out to 2b. Genovese grounded out to p unassisted. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Arkansas 2nd - Dugger hit by pitch. Dugger out at second p to 1b to 2b, caught stealing. Parker homered to left field, RBI. Hollensworth grounded out to 3b. Walker struck out swinging. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB. George Mason 3rd - Weiss struck out swinging. Wiggins doubled down the lf line. York grounded out to 3b; Wiggins advanced to third on the throw. Jacobsen struck out looking. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB. Arkansas 3rd - Marquardt walked. Marquardt advanced to second on a throwing error by c. Gentry popped up to 2b. Tschepikow lined into double play 3b unassisted; Marquardt out on the play. 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 0 LOB. George Mason 4th - Kreiger grounded out to 2b. Slattery grounded out to 1b unassisted. Pomykala struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Arkansas 4th - Hamblin flied out to rf. Arnold flied out to rf. Dugger singled to right field. Parker grounded out to 3b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB. George Mason 5th - Youngs flied out to cf. Genovese grounded out to 3b. Weiss reached on an error by rf, advanced to second. Wiggins grounded out to 1b unassisted. 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB. Arkansas 5th - Hollensworth walked. Walker out at first p to 2b, SAC, bunt; Hollensworth advanced to second. Marquardt struck out swinging. Gentry reached on a throwing error by ss, advanced to second; Hollensworth scored, unearned. Tschepikow flied out to lf. 1 run, 0 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB. George Mason 6th - York struck out swinging. Jacobsen grounded out to 3b. Kreiger doubled to right center. Slattery grounded out to 1b unassisted. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB. Arkansas 6th - Hamblin homered to left center, RBI. Arnold grounded out to 2b. Dugger struck out looking. Parker walked. Hollensworth lined out to ss. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB. George Mason 7th - Robison to rf for Hollensworth. Holloway to p for Rhoads. Pomykala grounded out to ss. Youngs flied out to rf. Genovese popped up to 1b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Arkansas 7th - Tinsley to p for Gibbons. Walker walked. Marquardt out at first 3b to 2b, SAC, bunt; Walker advanced to second. Gentry popped up to rf. Tschepikow reached on a fielding error by 1b; Walker advanced to third. Stone to p for Tinsley. Hamblin flied out to lf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB. George Mason 8th - Weiss hit by pitch. Wiggins grounded out to p, SAC, bunt; Weiss advanced to second. York grounded out to 3b; Weiss advanced to third. Jacobsen flied out to lf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB. Arkansas 8th - Arnold singled to right field. Dugger grounded out to 1b unassisted; Arnold advanced to second. Parker walked. Arnold advanced to third on a passed ball. Robison singled, bunt, RBI; Parker advanced to second; Arnold scored. Walker flied out to cf; Robison advanced to second; Parker advanced to third. Marquardt struck out looking. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB. George Mason 9th - Maday to p for Holloway. Kreiger grounded out to 3b. Slattery struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b. Dropped foul ball, E2. Pomykala grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 0 LOB. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Line score Arkansas 4, George Mason 1 (Feb 10, 2006 at Mobile, Ala.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- George Mason........ 100 000 000 - 1 4 4 (0-1) Arkansas............ 010 011 01X - 4 5 2 (1-0) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Pitchers: George Mason - Gibbons; Tinsley(7); Stone(7). Arkansas - Rhoads; Holloway(7); Maday(9) . Win-Rhoads(1-0) Save-Maday(1) Loss-Gibbons(0-1) T-2:20 A-0 HR AR - Hamblin (1); Parker (1). Game: AR01