On an opening weekend that started off cold with temperatures hovering around the low 40s at first pitch, Connor Noland heated up the strike zone.
The sophomore from Greenwood, Ark., struck out a career-high 11 batters on 86 pitches over 6 1/3 innings. He allowed just two hits and one unearned run in the Razorbacks’ 5-1 win.
Noland pitched into the seventh inning before an error from shortstop Casey Martin allowed an Eastern Illinois runner to score.
Noland was helped by a power surge at the top of the lineup in the fifth inning. With Braydon Webb on first base, Christian Franklin turned on a pitch from junior right hander Will Klein and deposited the ball beyond the Arkansas bullpen in left field.