Fisher shines in debut as Hogs clinch series vs. JMU

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – True freshman Colin Fisher’s collegiate debut could not have gone any better.

The left-hander capped off the Razorbacks’ Opening Weekend with five shutout innings and four strikeouts to lead No. 2 Arkansas (3-1) to a 4-0 series-clinching win against James Madison (1-3) on Monday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium.

With the win, the Hogs clinched their 28th consecutive non-conference home weekend series win. Arkansas has not dropped a non-conference home weekend series since dropping two-of-three games to South Alabama in 2014.

Fisher dazzled in his first collegiate start on the mound, allowing just three hits over five scoreless innings. The Noble, Okla., native did not issue a walk and struck out four, earning the first win of his collegiate career in the process.

The Razorbacks provided Fisher with early run support, jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning thanks to Ben McLaughlin’s two-RBI single. McLaughlin finished with a team-leading two runs batted in on the day.

Arkansas struck again in the bottom half of the third, scoring a run on a two-out RBI single from Jayson Jones. The Razorback left fielder, who also made a pair of diving catches in the outfield, extended the Hogs’ lead to 3-0.

Wehiwa Aloy made it a four-run ballgame in the seventh with his bases-loaded RBI single to center. The Hawai’i native finished Monday’s contest with team-leading two hits and an RBI.

Koty Frank came on in relief of Fisher in the sixth and threw a scoreless frame in his lone inning of work, retiring the side in order. Will McEntire also made his second appearance of the season in the game, emerging from the bullpen to strike out the side in the top of the seventh before blanking the Dukes in the eighth.

Stone Hewlett, a transfer from Kansas, made his second appearance of the season in the ninth, toeing the rubber and firing a scoreless frame to complete the combined shutout and lock down the Hogs’ 4-0 win.

The Razorbacks hit the road next weekend, traveling to Arlington, Texas, to participate in the Kubota College Baseball Series at Globe Life Field. Arkansas will first take on No. 7 Oregon State at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23, on FloBaseball.