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McEntire’s start, Wood’s finish with timely hits gives Hogs a series win

Razorbacks get 6-4 win over struggling Ole Miss for an easier bus trip back to Fayetteville for everybody.

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Arkansas got what coach Dave Van Horn really wanted no matter how it looked Saturday afternoon in Oxford, Miss.

He wasn’t really wanting to ride a bus for 5.5 hours back to Fayetteville, Ark.

“Just glad we got a couple of wins and we get out of here,” Van Horn said after a 6-4 win over Ole Miss. “We just fought ’em.”

It was that kind of a day. Even though the Rebels are defending national champions, they have struggled after getting through non-conference play with a 16-3 record.

The loss Saturday dropped the Rebels to 2-10 in the SEC while the Razorbacks are now 25-6 overall and 8-4 in the league after winning two-of-three.

It’s the only bus trip of the year for the Hogs for a variety of reasons that aren’t just about saving some money. Getting in and out of Oxford isn’t the easiest thing in the world for anything outside of a small jet.

“This is a tough place to play,” he said after beating the Rebels in back-to-back road series for the first time since 2008 and 2010. “It will make the ride home a lot better.”

The Hogs kept getting a lead, then Ole Miss would figure out a way to tie it up. Arkansas took a 1-0 lead in the third on a homer by Caleb Cali, then the Rebels chipped back with a run in the fourth to tie the game against Hogs’ starter Will McEntire.

Less than a week ago, Van Horn didn’t even know if he would be available after a flu diagnosis Sunday that forced him to go with Hagen Smith and a committee in a 7-4 loss. McEntire got the start in the last game Saturday.

“He fought as long as he could,” Van Horn said later. “It was good we kept scoring.”

After the Hogs scored a pair of runs in the top of the fifth. Caleb Cali, who was 2-for-3 at the plate, scored one of them on a wild pitch and Peyton Stovall singled in John Bolton.

And, of course, the Rebels tied the game in the bottom of the inning.

The Hogs pushed two more runs across in the top of the seventh inning and Gage Wood, who worked the final three innings, held the Rebels to a single run to close out the series.

Arkansas will host Little Rock for games on Tuesday night and Wednesday evening before a weekend series with Tennessee, who is struggling this season.

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2024 Razorbacks Football

Thu, Aug 29vs UAPB (Little Rock)W, 70-0
Sat, Sep 7@ Oklahoma StateL, 31-39 2OT
Sat, Sep 14vs UABW, 37-27
Sat, Sep 21@ AuburnW, 24-14
Sat, Sep 28vs Texas A&M (Arl)L, 21-17
Sat, Oct 5vs TennesseeW, 19-14
Sat, Oct 19vs LSUL, 34-10
Sat, Oct 26@ Mississippi StateW, 58-25
Sat, Nov 2vs Ole MissL, 63-35
Sat, Nov 16vs Texas11:00 AM
Sat, Nov 23vs Louisiana TechTBD
ESPN+/SECN+
Sat, Nov 30@ MissouriTBD
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2024 High School Rankings

Following is the Arkansas Sports Media High School Football Poll including the Overall Top 10, the top five in Classes 7A, 6A, 5A, 4A, 3A and 2A, plus the top three in the 8-man division, as voted by a panel of sports media from around the state for the week ending August 24. Ranking is given with first-place votes received, records, total points and ranking from last week's poll:
OVERALLRecordPtsPrv
1.Bryant (18)8-02521
2.Conway (6)8-02302
3.Greenwood (2)8-02103
4.Little Rock Parkview7-11714
5.Bentonville5-31416
6.Benton7-11265
7.Fayetteville6-21008
8.Pulaski Academy6-2757
9.Rogers5-3459
10.Shiloh Christian6-24010
Others receiving votes: Marion 13, Valley View 9, Joe T Robinson 8, Mountain Home 4, Cabot 3, Elkins 3.
CLASS 7A
1.Bryant (20)8-01241
2.Conway (6)8-01052
3.Bentonville5-3753
4.Fayetteville6-2455
5.Pulaski Academy6-2354
Others receiving votes: Rogers 5.
CLASS 6A
1.Greenwood (26)8-01301
2.Benton7-11022
3.Shiloh Christian6-2713
4.Marion7-1524
5.Mountain Home7-131
Others receiving votes: Little Rock Catholic 4.
CLASS 5A
1.Little Rock Parkview (23)7-11271
2.Joe T Robinson7-1902
3.Valley View (3)8-0803
4.Hot Springs Lakeside7-1484
5.Farmington7-130
Others receiving votes: Camden Fairview 4, Maumelle 4, Morrilton 3, Greenbrier 2, Harding Academy 1.
CLASS 4A
1.Elkins (19)8-01161
2.Arkadelphia (5)6-2792
3.Little Rock Mills (1)8-0703
4.Warren6-2404
5.Malvern (1)8-0315
Others receiving votes: Dardanelle 22, Southside Batesville 11, Mena 8, Bauxite 7, DeWitt 4, Highland 2.
CLASS 3A
4.Bismarck (15)8-01054
5.Fordyce (4)8-0765
Prescott (3)7-1531t
1.Osceola (2)6-149
3.Mayflower (1)8-036
Others receiving votes: Booneville (1) 31, Rivercrest 19, Mansfield 14, Charleston 4, Rison 3.
CLASS 2A
1.Carlisle (21)8-01211
2.Conway Christian (4)8-01042
3.Des Arc7-1663
4.Bigelow (1)6-2455
5.Murfreesboro6-230
Others receiving votes: Marked Tree 10, Mineral Springs 6, Junction City 5, Cross County 1, Mount Ida 1, Poyen 1
8-MAN SANCTIONED
1.Strong-Huttig (25)5-0761
2.Midland (1)7-0502
3.Cedar Ridge7-1253
Others receiving votes: Rector 5.

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ESPN ARKANSAS 99.5 IN FAYETTEVILLE, 95.3 IN THE RIVER VALLEY, 96.3 IN HOT SPRINGS, 104.3 IN HARRISON-MOUNTAIN HOME.