Fayetteville, AR- Mississippi State opened up the series with an ugly performance, falling to Arkansas 8-1.

Arkansas starter Connor Noland was the show star tonight, as he dominated the Mississippi State lineup. In seven innings of work, the former 3-star quarterback recruit allowed no walks and just four hits, two of which came from the bat of Bulldog catcher Logan Tanner. Tanner got the lone run across for State with a solo homer to left field in the fourth inning.

“He was really able to command the zone,” said Mississippi State Hear Coach Chris Lemonis.” “The two breaking balls would get you off the fastball.”

The Razorback offense had no problem getting to Mississippi State starter Preston Johnson tonight, putting up six runs in the 2nd inning. Shortstop Jalen Battles got them going with a 2-run blast to left, and after Johnson had allowed a walk and three singles, switch-hitting 2nd baseman Robert Moore smoked a triple into the right-center gap to clear the bases and put the Hogs up 6-0.

Battles got to Johnson again in the third inning with his 2nd jack of the night to extend the Arkansas lead to 7-0, and Johnson's day would be done after the fourth. Freshman left-hander Cole Cheatham replaced Johnson in the fifth and got into some trouble during the sixth inning, walking three consecutive Arkansas hitters with two outs. Drew Tally was able to get the Bulldogs out of a jam, forcing a flyout, but Arkansas plated their eighth run of the night on a sac-fly by Michael Turner, a transfer catcher from Kent State, in the seventh.

When Connor Noland came out of the game, the Bulldog offense was left with no easy pass, as back-to-back shutdown innings by Zebulon Vermillion and Kole Ramage closed out the game for the Razorbacks.

Mississippi State will look to even up the series tomorrow with Parker Stinnett taking the mound, set to face Arkansas lefty, Hagen Smith.