Moore offense for Razorbacks

Arkansas photo courtesy of Arkansas Athletics.

Arkansas has one of nation’s most balanced offensive attacks.

In Friday’s Super Regional win over North Carolina State, the bottom of the order really showed out.

Led by second baseman Robert Moore’s two home runs, the Razorbacks blasted the Wolfpack 21-2 to move to within one win of the school’s third straight trip to the College World Series.

Arkansas’ five through nine hitters combined for 13 hits, including four home runs, and 16 RBIs against NC State. They also scored 13 runs.

Moore was 4-for-5 with five runs scored, three extra base hits and five RBIs. He gave the Razorbacks a 2-1 lead with a two-run homer in the second inning. He capped the scoring with a three-home run in the eighth.

Charlie Welch went 3-for-4 with three runs scored, two extra base hits and three RBIs.

Welch was the starting designated hitter after Braydon Webb started in centerfield for the ailing Christian Franklin (strep throat).

He doubled and scored on Moore’s home run in the second inning. He belted a two-run homer in the fifth and added an RBI single in the sixth.

Welch continued his late-season magic in Friday. He stroked a walk-off single in the win over Florida to clinch the SEC regular-season championship. He mashed a three-run homer up cinch the NCAA Regional win over Nebraska on Monday.

Cullen Smith added a third-inning grand slam in the blow out win.

Arkansas now leads the NCAA with 106 home runs and 354 walks.

The Razorbacks pounded out 16 hits in the win. Eight of the nine starters had at least one hit and seven of the nine starters scored at least one run.

The big night on offense also allowed Arkansas to give ace reliever Kevin Kopps another day to rest after throwing 195 pitches in the Super Regional.

Patrick Wicklander worked six innings for the win. He held the Wolfpack to one run and six hits, with two walks and six strikeouts. Heston Tole and Kole Ramage worked the final three innings.