Arkansas heads west for series with Southern Cal starting Thursday

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas takes its first road trip of the 2019 season this week as it makes its first trip in program history to historic Dedeaux Field, the home of the USC Trojans.

The Razorbacks and Trojans will start their three-game series on Thursday with a 9 p.m. first pitch.

The Razorbacks (3-0) are coming off a three-game season-opening sweep of Eastern Illinois after getting a strong offensive showing in a Saturday double-header, followed by a walk-off single by sophomore Heston Kjerstad in the final game on Sunday.

Winning all three games by a combined score of 30-12, Arkansas opened the year with a series sweep for the sixth-straight season.

USC (2-1) comes into the weekend after opening the season with a series win over Omaha. The Trojans looked primed to sweep the Mavericks after wins of 6-5 and 11-0 in games one and two, but could not complete a huge comeback in game three after scoring eight unanswered runs. USC fell in the final game, 12-9.

This is the second-straight year that Arkansas will take on USC. Last year, the Trojans visited Baum-Walker Stadium and it was the Hogs that walked away with the series win in dramatic fashion.

With the series tied 1-1, the two teams were locked in tight contest in game three and the game was subject to a curfew due to the Trojans having to catch their flight back to California. The umpires determined that the eighth inning would be the final frame of the game and Arkansas came through with a bottom of the eighth walk-off hit by Dominic Fletcher, winning 7-6.

Follow Live

All three games this weekend will be available on PAC-12 Network-Plus, which can be viewed online on Pac-12.com. Phil Brame (PXP) will have the radio call on the Razorback Sports Network.

Fans can listen to the radio call via the Razorback Gameday app and on ESPN Arkansas 95.3 in the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs and 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home.

Pregame coverage begins 30 minutes prior to first pitch.

Important Links

Game 1 – WATCH | LIVE STATS

Game 2 – WATCH | LIVE STATS

Game 3 – WATCH | LIVE STATS

Probable Starters

Thu. | 9 p.m. | (ARK) RHP Cody Scroggins (0-0, 9.00 ERA) vs. (USC) LHP Quentin Longrie (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Fri. | 8 p.m. | (ARK) RHP Isaiah Campbell (1-0, 5.40 ERA) vs. (USC) RHP Kyle Hurt (0-0, 3.60 ERA)

Sat. | 8 p.m. | (ARK) RHP Connor Noland (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. (USC) LHP John Beller (1-0, 0.00 ERA)

Hogs Blast Panthers On Opening Week         

For the sixth-straight season, Arkansas opened its campaign with a series sweep dating back to 2014. The Razorbacks swept Eastern Illinois by a combined score of 30-12, scoring 10+ runs in each of the first two games.

The Hogs completed the sweep on Sunday with a walk-off single by sophomore Heston Kjerstad in the bottom of the ninth, his second walk-off of his career.

No K’s On Opening Day          

On Opening Day, Arkansas achieved more than just scoring 15 runs on 18 hits en route to its 25^th-straight season-opening win. The Hogs also did not strike out in 46 batters, a feat that hadn’t been achieved since 7-6 victory over Troy on Feb. 28, 2010.

Washington, Jr. Coming Through In A Pinch 

West Memphis, Arkansas native Curtis Washington, Jr. came through when his name was called on Sunday in helping Arkansas finish off the sweep of Eastern Illinois.

Making just his second appearance of the weekend off the bench, Washington pinch hit for Jordan McFarland in the seventh inning and was asked to drop a sacrifice bunt. He did one better and drew the walk to put two on base with no outs and eventually led to Arkansas’ second run.

In the ninth inning, Washington saddled his first career hit with a lead-off single. He later scored the winning run on Kjerstad’s walk-off hit.

Ezell Owns Eastern Illinois     

Following his four-hit day in the doubleheader on Saturday, graduate transfer Trevor Ezell added another hit to his already growing total against the Panthers in his career on Sunday.

Dating back to his four years at Southeast Missouri State, which played in the same conference (Ohio Valley Conference) as EIU, Ezell is now 21-for-44 (.477) against the Panthers in 12 games.

He finished last weekend leading all hitters with a .500 average (5-for-10) with two doubles, four runs scored, one home run and five RBIs.

Near Immaculate Inning         

Freshman Patrick Wicklander nearly achieved a feat that some pitchers only dream of when he came out of the bullpen in the sixth inning to relieve Jacob Kostyshock last Sunday against EIU.

Wicklander struck out the heart of EIU’s lineup consisting of Jimmy Govern, Hunter Morris and Ryan Knernschield and did it on 10 pitches, just one shy of the near immaculate nine-pitch, three-strikeout inning.

Wicklander finished his first career outing with 2.1 innings thrown, one run allowed and four strikeouts on 31 pitches.

Early Season Streaking          

Trevor Ezell, Heston Kjerstad, Casey Martin and Jack Kenley are the only Razorbacks to record at least one hit in each game this season, earning them a three-game hitting streak going into the road series at USC.

Combined the top three of Arkansas’ lineup plus Kenley are hitting .391 with eight extra-base hits, three home runs and 12 RBIs.

They’re also slugging at a .717 clip as a group. Ezell leads all Hog hitters with an even .500 average (5-for-10) with four runs scored, two doubles, one home run and five RBIs.

Up Next

Arkansas will return home after this weekend’s series with USC and will stay home for nearly the whole month of March.

The Hogs will kick off a 14-game homestand with a single midweek game against Memphis on Wednesday, Feb. 27.

First pitch between the Razorbacks and Tigers is set for 3 p.m. at Baum-Walker Stadium.