Tag: Chris Lanzilli

Sticks of the game: Homers come up huge as Arkansas sweeps UIC

Chris Lanzilli’s walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth was the game-winner for Arkansas over UIC.

Arkansas baseball is mostly used to rolling through its nonconference schedule with sweeps. There may be an occasional two-out-of-three here or there, but generally Dave Van Horn teams run roughshod over teams from non-power conferences.

That hadn’t been the case in 2022 until Sunday. Cayden Wallace’s eighth-inning grand slam turned a two-run deficit into a two-run lead before the Flames re-tied things in the ninth.

In the bottom of the ninth, after Michael Turner’s double, Chris Lanzilli walked-off with a two-run shot to left-center, lifting the Diamond Hogs to a 10-8 and a four-game sweep.

The third-ranked Diamond Hogs are back at it Tuesday and Wednesday for a two-game set with visiting Grambling. SEC play begins Friday at Baum-Walker Stadium with three games against Kentucky.

Arkansas’ Stick of the Game, catcher Michael Turner, perfect at plate

Arkansas baseball is being led by a pair of transfer in Chris Lanzilli and Michael Turner.

A day after being named in comparison to all-time great Buster Posey, Arkansas catcher Michael Turner looked the part.

The Kent State graduate transfer was named to the watch list for the award in honor of the Florida State and San Francisco Giants great earlier in the week. Saturday, in Arkansas’ 10-1 win over Illinois-Chicago, Turner was perfect from the plate with a home run in the blowout.

He was the best hitter on a day when every member of the Arkansas lineup collected at least one hit. Only two starters didn’t cross the plate, even, as the four home runs the Diamond Hogs jacked at Baum-Walker Stadium gave just about everyone a chance.

Arkansas’ series with UIC closes on Sunday from Fayetteville. First pitch is at 12:30 p.m.

Arkansas baseball smashes UIC for third win of series

Four different Arkansas hitters each homered in Saturday’s blowout of Illinois-Chicago.

Arkansas had a four-run third inning and a five-run sixth Saturday against Illinois-Chicago, providing more than enough to roll over the Flames at Baum-Walker Stadium, 10-1.

The No. 3 Diamond Hogs have won each of the first three games in their first four-game series of the season. They had swept UIC in a doubleheader Thursday before taking Friday off because of the snow. The series capper is Sunday at 12:30 p.m.

Arkansas sent eight hitters to the plate in each of its big innings. Back-to-back home runs by Chris Lanzilli, whose shot was of the three-run type, and Brady Slavens, highlighted the first scoring outburst, which came in the third inning. Both homers came with two outs.

In the sixth, four straight hits started the frame for the Razorbacks. The fourth in that series was a grand slam by third baseman Cayden Wallace. After Robert Moore popped out, catcher Michael Turner followed with a solo shot.

In all, every single of Arkansas’ nine starters in the lineup had a hit. The Diamond Hogs as a team had 13, plus five more reaches via the walk.

Freshman Hagen Smith was on the easy end of the assistance. He struck out eight Flames hitters in five innings, giving up four hits and walking three.

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