Arkansas drops Eastern Illinois behind Noland, Kjerstad

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…