Arkansas pitcher Kevin Kopps said all of his pitches were working well, especially his cutter that led to seven strikeouts in 11-5 win.
Lemonis on weather giving Bulldogs problems in 11-5 loss
Mississippi State coach Chris Lemonis with the media after dropping the series and he credited the wind as causing defensive problems.
Razorbacks clinch first series road win downing Bulldogs
STARKVILLE, Miss. — Statement made.
Arkansas marched into Dudy Noble Field and won their first SEC road series of the season, clinching the three-game weekend set with an explosive 11-5 rain-interrupted win on Saturday afternoon.
Christian Franklin continued his tear, launching one of the Hogs’ four homers and powering the offense to its fifth double-digit scoring output of the year.
Arkansas’ bullpen, meanwhile, was dominant in relief of starter Zebulon Vermillion.
Caleb Bolden, Caden Monke and Kevin Kopps combined to allow one run on three hits and a walk while striking out nine over 5.2 innings.
Kopps earned his second save of the season, punching out seven in his four shutout frames.
The Razorbacks, Baseball America’s No. 1 team in the country, improve to 18-3 overall and 4-1 in SEC play on the year with the win against the No. 2 Bulldogs.
Saturday’s series-clinching victory marks the first time since the 2012 campaign that Arkansas has won a road set in Starkville.
Arkansas fell behind 3-0 early, but there were plenty of runs to come. The Hogs scored one in the top of the third, taking advantage of an error in center field to cut the deficit to two.
When Mississippi State re-extended its lead to three in the bottom of third, the Razorbacks came back with four in the top of the fifth.
Braydon Webb’s one-out homer set the stage for Franklin’s two-out, three-run blast, which put Arkansas up, 5-4.
The Bulldogs tied the game at five, but the Hogs kept coming. Cullen Smith and Matt Goodheart each homered in the top of sixth, pouring on three runs to open an 8-5 advantage.
Although a 75-minute rain delay wreaked havoc in the seventh, Arkansas did not skip a beat.
The Razorbacks tacked on two more runs in the top half of the inning when play resumed and one more in the ninth, putting the game away for good.
Monke, who struck out both batters he faced in his two-thirds of an inning, earned his third win of the year.
Arkansas goes for the sweep tomorrow afternoon, hoping to do so in Starkville for the first time since the 2010 season.
First pitch in the finale against Mississippi State is set for 2 p.m. on the SEC Network with Tom Hart (play-by-play) and Kyle Peterson (analyst) on the call.
How to listen and watch Hogs against Oral Roberts in NCAA’s Sweet 16
• Who: No. 10 (3 seed) Arkansas Razorbacks (23-6) vs. (15 seed) Oral Roberts (18-10)
• What: Arkansas and Oral Roberts will be meeting for the second time this season.
• When: Saturday, March 27, 6:25 p.m. (ESPN Arkansas pregame live from Indianapolis with Tye Richardson starts at 4:45 p.m.)
• Where: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, NCAA Sweet 16, Indianapolis, Ind.
• TV: TBS (Kevin Harlan, Dan Bonner, Dana Jacobson). Watch NCAA March Madness Online: CLICK HERE. Download the March Madness App: CLICK HERE
• Radio: ESPN Arkansas 95.3 in the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs, 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home and 99.5-95.3 in Fayetteville (Chuck Barrett and Matt Zimmerman)
INDIANAPOLIS — Arkansas will be playing in its first NCAA Sweet 16 since 1996 when the 10th-ranked and third-seeded Razorbacks face 15th-seeded Oral Roberts on Saturday in the South Region of the NCAA Tournament.
Game time is set for 6:25 p.m. and televised on TBS.
Our Pregame coverage starts at 4:45 p.m. with Tye Richardson live from Indianapolis and you can hear it on the radio at ESPN Arkansas 95.3 in the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs and 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home or ESPN Northwest Arkansas 99.5 in Fayetteville.
Arkansas and Oral Roberts met earlier this year on Dec. 20 in Bud Walton Arena.
Arkansas trailed at halftime (40-30) but out-scored Oral Roberts, 57-36, in the second half to win 87-76. Justin Smith and Desi Sills each posted double-doubles in the win and each had career highs in rebounds.
Smith led all players with 22 points and pulled down a game-high 17 rebounds. Smith hauled in 10 offensive rebounds as the Razorbacks had 24 offensive boards and out-rebounded the Golden Eagles, 58-32, overall.
Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.
Big third, fourth innings pace Hogs past Bulldogs, 8-7
Arkansas came back from a four-run deficit by scoring four runs in the bottom of the third and two in the fourth to defeat Mississippi State, 8-7, at Bogle Park on Saturday afternoon.
The Razorbacks (27-3, 8-0 SEC) are the SEC’s only unbeaten team and off to their best start to a season through 30 games in program history.
How it happened
Mississippi State (15-13, 0-8 SEC) took a 4-0 lead scoring a single tally in the first inning and three runs in the second. All four runs were unearned via two errors.
The Razorbacks loaded the bases in the second, and pinch hitter Rylin Hedgecock singled to left and outfielder Sam Torres reached on a fielder’s choice, making the score 4-2.
The Bulldogs stretched their lead back to four on a solo homer and RBI double in the third.
The following half inning, Arkansas loaded the bases and utilized free runners to their advantage.
Designated player Lauren Graves walked, infielder Nicole Duncan walked, Torres hit an RBI single and outfielder Hannah McEwen was hit by a pitch tying the score at 6-6 after the third.
For the second straight game, infielder Linnie Malkin gave Arkansas the lead, smacking a solo homer to right in the fourth, putting the Razorbacks up a run.
After infielder Keely Huffine singled and Duncan was hit by a pitch, Torres blooped a base hit to left, giving the Razorbacks a much-needed 8-6 cushion.
Mississippi State tried to rally in the sixth and doubled in a run.
Pitcher Mary Haff came in from the bullpen and inherited two runners in scoring position with one out and recorded a popout and a strikeout to end the frame.
Autumn Storms started for the Razorbacks and went 2.2 innings, allowing six runs, however, just two were earned. Reliever Jenna Bloom (6-1) proved to be crucial in the winning effort, retiring eight in a row, and allowing three hits with a strikeout.
Haff (3) picked up her third save of the season, firing 1.2 innings with two strikeouts and an intentional walk.
Mississippi State used four pitchers, with reliever Aspen Wesley (2-4) taking the loss. She threw 0.2 innings, allowing two earned runs.
The Bulldogs outhit Arkansas, 10-8, and had four extra base hits. Arkansas’ only extra base hit of the day was Malkin’s solo home run.
She led the offense with a 3-for-4 day at the plate and scored three runs. Torres recorded a career-high three RBI and finished 2-for-3 with a walk.
Dating back to 2018, the Razorbacks have won five straight games against Mississippi State.
Arkansas and Mississippi State play the series finale at 1 p.m. tomorrow, March 28, on SEC Network+.
Hogs start fast, then cruise to 8-2 win over ’Dogs in weekend series
STARKVILLE, Miss. — In the most anticipated college baseball matchup of the young season, Arkansas lived up to the hype and then some.
The Razorbacks burst out of the gate with three solo shots in the top of the first inning, sucking the energy out of a packed Dudy Noble Field from the get-go in a convincing 8-2 win against Mississippi State on Friday night.
Matt Goodheart and Cayden Wallace went back-to-back before Christian Franklin launched his first of two homers on the evening as the Hogs scored three runs in the first and never looked back.
Arkansas, Baseball America’s No. 1 team in the country, improves to 17-3 overall and 3-1 in SEC play on the year with the win against the No. 2 Bulldogs.
Friday night’s victory is the Razorbacks’ first in Starkville since March 29, 2014.
Patrick Wicklander earned the start and was brilliant in his five innings of work. The lefty kept Mississippi State off balance, allowing only one run on two hits and four walks while striking out three.
The San Jose, Calif., native carried a no-hitter through the first 4.1 innings before giving up a single. His dominance on the mound coupled with the Razorback offense was more than enough.
Ahead 3-0 in the top of the fourth, Arkansas added two more runs to extend its lead to five. Franklin’s second solo shot of the ballgame, which was crushed over the wall in left field, led off the inning before Robert Moore’s sacrifice fly drove in one.
The Bulldogs closed their deficit to four in the bottom half of the fifth, but the Hogs had more runs left in the tank.
A two-run seventh inning was powered by Goodheart and Brady Slavens, who both singled in base runners to extended Arkansas’ lead to six.
By then, Wicklander’s night was done. Peyton Pallette entered in the top of the sixth and retired the first eight he faced while striking out one along the way.
After Slavens’ second RBI single of the night in the top of the ninth grew the Hogs’ lead to seven, Pallette came back out for the bottom half of the inning and closed out the game.
The righty locked down Arkansas’ 8-2 win and earned his second career save in the process, striking out two in four innings while allowing a run on two hits and a walk.
The Razorbacks look to clinch their second SEC series win tomorrow afternoon. First pitch in game two against Mississippi State is set for 2 p.m. on SEC Network+.
Van Horn on Hogs’ ‘great win’ over Bulldogs to start series
Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn talked with the media after the 8-2 win over Mississippi State behind some “great defense,” four homers.
Franklin after pair of homers big part of Hogs rolling over Bulldogs
Arkansas opens series with Mississippi State by getting an 8-2 win behind Christian Franklin’s pair of homers, part of team’s four in game.
Lemonis on Bulldogs’ struggles in opening Arkansas series with loss
The Razorbacks racked up 10 hits, including four homers in an 8-2 win and Mississippi State’s Chris Lemonis talked about it later.
Malkin’s homer enough with Hogs’ pitching to down Bulldogs
Infielder Linnie Malkin’s two-run home run that landed in the Bogle Park left field parking lot was the only swing Arkansas needed in a 2-0 win over Mississippi State on Friday night.
The Razorbacks (26-3, 7-0 SEC) continued their best start to league play in program history and remain the SEC’s only undefeated team in conference play this season.
Courtney Deifel tallied her 200th career win, improving to 200-136 in her seven seasons as a head coach.
How it happened
Arkansas’ Mary Haff and Mississippi State’s (15-12, 0-7 SEC) Annie Willis both got off to good starts inside the circle.
Each pitcher held their opposition to just two baserunners each over the first three innings.
Outfielder Hannah McEwen gave the Razorbacks a much-needed baserunner, drawing a leadoff walk to begin the bottom of the fourth.
With two outs, Malkin socked her 11th homer of the season and the first Arkansas hit of the day, giving the team a 2-0 lead.
Mississippi State tried to start a rally in both the fifth and sixth innings by putting two runners on in each frame, but could not score, leaving all four on base.
Reliever Autumn Storms came out of the bullpen to record the sixth inning’s final out and worked a clean seventh, closing the game.
Outfielder Sam Torres registered Arkansas’ only other hit of the day on an infield single to short in the sixth.
Haff (16-2) built on her nation-leading win total by tossing 5.2 innings and allowing four hits and one walk with four strikeouts.
Storms (2) registered her second save in as many games and struck out two in 1.1 frames. The pitching staff notched their fifth shutout of the year and first since an 8-0 win over Texas Tech on Feb. 28.
Annie Willis (7-3) went the distance for the Bulldogs, surrendering two hits, three walks and two earned runs. She fanned a season-high 12.
Mississippi State outhit Arkansas, 4-2, holding the Razorbacks to a season-low total.
Torres, McEwen and infielder Braxton Burnside each drew a walk, and infielder Keely Huffine was hit by a pitch, to account for the only other Razorback baserunners.
The Razorbacks won a game when held to two or fewer hits for the first time since defeating Georgia Tech, 2-0, on Feb. 8, 2015.
Arkansas and Mississippi State play the middle game of the series at 1 p.m. tomorrow, March 27, on SEC Network+.
Torres points out key in Muss’ new deal not salary, but buyout
Fox Sports Radio’s Aaron Torres tells Hog fans Eric Musselman’s key number to watch is not the salary, but how much he has to pay to leave.
