FAYETTEVILLE — A cold and wet weekend inside Baum-Walker Stadium could not deter a red-hot Arkansas baseball offense.
The No. 2 Razorbacks (30-3, 11-1 SEC) have matched their best start in program history after cruising to a three-game sweep over Missouri. The Hogs also started 30-3 last spring behind a dominant pitching staff.
But this year's team has turned the tide on its offensive struggles with one of the best lineups in America. Arkansas scored at least 14 runs in all three games, earning a 21-3 victory Saturday before sweeping a seven-inning doubleheader on Sunday.
Here are three observations from the Razorbacks' weekend sweep over the Tigers (11-20, 0-12).
Arkansas baseball produces historic weekend at the plate
The Razorbacks' 51 runs this weekend are the most they've ever scored in an SEC series, eclipsing the 50 runs they scored against South Carolina in 1997. All three games against Missouri were just seven innings, making the feat even more impressive.
Everyone in the lineup contributed to this destruction of Missouri's pitching staff, but Cam Kozeal and Charles Davalan were the biggest sparks for a second straight week.
After haunting his former team last weekend in Nashville, Kozeal went 9 for 12 with 13 RBIs and 7 runs. Dave Van Horn rewarded the first baseman by moving him up to third in the batting order for the series finale, and Kozeal repaid the faith with two home runs. One of them was a grand slam, and the Vanderbilt transfer leads Arkansas with a .417 batting average.
Davalan was just 5 for 13, but he hit a pair of home runs in game two and now leads the Hogs with 11 this season. The Canadian outfielder finished the weekend with nine RBIs.
But again, this was a dominant weekend ...
