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Bucknam says Razorbacks’ 23rd indoor championship big accomplishmen

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Arkansas swept to the 23rd SEC Indoor team championship in school history in an intense battle at Gilliam Stadium on Saturday.

The Razorbacks claimed the title with 106 points followed by LSU (88), host Texas A&M (82), Florida (75), Tennessee (67) and Kentucky (55.5).

“We got back on the top rung again,” head coach Chris Bucknam said following the Hogs’ championship effort. “I hope Razorback nation and the state of Arkansas are happy that we won the toughest conference in the country, we won the championship. It feels good to be able to give that back. Winning this league is a huge accomplishment.”

Cameron Griffith won his third consecutive SEC Indoor 3,000m as the event became another key point producer for the Razorbacks. A total of 19 points were collected from a 1-4-6-8 finish to secure the team title. Griffith also finished as the meet’s top scorer with 20 points.

Winning in 8:10.24, Griffith bettered Missouri’s Thomas George (8:11.04) and Texas A&M’s Jon Bishop (8:11.59). The Razorback finishers included Emmanuel Cheboson (8:12.08) in fourth, Gilbert Boit (8:12.87) in sixth and Matt Young (8:14.09) eighth. Ryan Murphy (8:16.26) placed 11th.

Earlier in the day Griffith supplied a silver medal effort in the mile, posting a time of 4:15.03 as he challenged for the victory on the final lap. Missouri’s Martin Prodanov won in 4:14.92 while Florida’s Jack Guyton placed third in 4:15.16.

The Razorback heptathlon crew were in position for 20 points following the hurdles and pole vault to start the second day of the heptathlon. Career-best heights in the pole vault, propelled the Arkansas crew into strong scoring positions.

They managed to maintain that 20-point production through the final event – the 1,000m – as three registered career-best scores.

Markus Ballengee led the Arkansas crew with a score of 5,706 points to secure silver while Tyler Brendel collected bronze with 5,626 points. Daniel Sprejcher (5,389) and Etamar Bhastekar (5,191) finished fifth and seventh. Ballengee moves to No. 4 on the Razorback all-time list with Brendel at No. 7.

Following his silver medal effort in the long jump the night before, Laquan Nairn finished fourth in the triple jump with a leap of 52-2 ¾ (15.92).

Jalen Brown ran 46.29 to place fourth in his section and finish fifth overall in the 400m. Kieran Taylor finished sixth in the 800m with a 1:52.80. Keyshawn Andrews added two points to the Razorback team score, placing seventh in the 60m with a 6.75. Carl Elliott III added a seventh place in the 60m hurdles, posting a time of 7.92.

The Hogs finished second in the final event of the night – the 4×400 relay – with a time of 3:05.56. James Milholen led off with a 47.10 leg and was followed by a blazing 45.89 from Jalen Brown followed by Jeremy Farr (46.60) and Hunter Woodhall (46.04).

Information from Razorback Sports Communications is included in this story.

Surge on second day lifts Razorbacks to sixth straight SEC Indoor title

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — A big day of scoring on the second day of the conference meet secured a sixth consecutive SEC Indoor Championship and 10th overall for Arkansas on Saturday.

The Razorbacks totaled 102 points for the team victory with LSU runner-up at 87.5. Following were Georgia (78), Alabama (67), Kentucky (63), Texas A&M (58) and Florida (45).

“In addition to the distance and pole vault points we expected, we had scoring in the hurdles and the 800, events we didn’t expect to score,” Arkansas coach Lance Harter said. “That created that margin and the point difference where we could celebrate another victory in the SEC.

“Every time someone wins a title the others are trying to figure out what the combination is that’s needed to offset you. And it comes from 13 other teams.”

The women’s mile set the stage with 23 points from a 1-2-4 finish by Carina Viljoen (4:40.19), Krissy Gear (4:42.15) and Maddy Reed (4:44.36). With Viljoen’s victory, it marks the 12th time Arkansas has won the event in the SEC Indoor and the third consecutive year.

“Our first event of the day was the mile and they’re the ones who set the trend and momentum,” Harter said. “There is a lot of pressure on them, because they came in with great seed marks. They rose to the challenge and grabbed 23 points. We were off to the races.”

Katie Izzo won the 3,000m in 9:09.02 as the Razorbacks sealed the team victory with 19 points in the event. Viljoen (9:21.82) and Devin Clark (9:22.94) finished fifth and sixth while Abby Gray (9:31.35) placed ninth.

In the 60m hurdles another career best performance had Daszay Freeman finishing fourth in an elite field with a time of 8.15, which moves her to No. 5 on the Arkansas all-time list.

Five more points followed in the 800m as Shafiqua Maloney (2:08.19) and Kennedy Thomson (2:10.07) placed sixth and seventh. It marks the third consecutive career best time for Maloney, who improved the national record for St. Vincent.

Bailee McCorkle led the pole vault trio by clearing a pair of career best heights. Her clearance of 14-7 ½ (4.46) collected the bronze medal. McCorkle moved to equal No. 5 on the Arkansas all-time list, joining Desiree Freier at that height.

Lauren Martinez finished fifth while Kaitlyn Banas tied for 10th. Martinez cleared 13-11 ¼ (4.25) while Banas made 12-11 ½ (3.95).

The 4×400 relay finished fourth in 3:32.24 with a crew of Paris Peoples (53.96), Morgan Burks-Magee (51.76), Tiana Wilson (52.48) and Rosey Effiong (54.04). A 53.13 for Peoples placed her eighth in the 400m.

Information from Razorback Sports Communications is included in this story.

Hogs split with win over Villanova after earlier loss to Florida State on Saturday

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas earned a split during day three of the Wooo Pig Classic hosted at Bogle Park with a loss to Florida State and a win over Villanova.

Game 1: Florida State 2, Arkansas 1

Florida State utilized a leadoff walk in the second inning to score a single tally. The FSU runner took second on a groundout and then was doubled home with two outs.

The Seminoles took advantage of a leadoff error in the top of the sixth inning to score an important insurance run. Another double plated a run as three of FSU’s five total hits went for extra bases.

Junior Braxton Burnside and senior Ryan Jackson both singled to begin the sixth. Burnside registered the only Razorback run of the game on a wild pitch which sent her to third and then an overthrow by the catcher scored the run.

In the seventh inning senior Keely Huffine singled to try and spark a rally but was left on base to end the game.

Senior pitcher Autumn Storms (8-2) went the distance and only allowed one earned run. She struck out six, walked three and allowed five hits. FSU’s Caitlyn Arnold (3-2) pitched for five innings and did not allow an earned run with one walk and seven strikeouts. Kathryn Sandercock (1) earned her first save of the season by throwing the last two innings and only allowing two hits.

Sophomore catcher Taylor Greene came in as a defensive replacement early in the game and recorded a base hit in the fourth, her first of the season. Arkansas outhit FSU, 6-5, but had only one extra base hit.

Game 2: Arkansas 12, Villanova 4 (5 innings)

The Wildcats scored first with a two run homer in the top of the first inning, but the Razorbacks sliced the deficit in half in the bottom of the frame to make the score, 2-1. Junior Danielle Gibson lifted a deep sacrifice fly to left which plated junior Hannah McEwen.

Burnside followed up in the bottom of the second and tattooed a towering two run homer to claim a 3-2 Razorback lead.

The offense kept attacking and scored two more in the third. Redshirt freshman Valerie Ventura skied a double to right field which scored the first run and Arkansas capitalized on an error to score a second tally.

Villanova clubbed another two run homer in the fourth inning to make it a 5-4 ballgame. Arkansas plated three in the bottom of the stanza on a Gibson double, Malkin single and Huffine double as both teams scored back-and-forth to make it an 8-4 lead.

Arkansas scored four more in the bottom of the fifth inning and run-rule victory as Huffine’s RBI single to center closed the game.

Freshman Jenna Bloom (3-1) was the winning pitcher out of the bullpen. She went four innings and allowed two earned runs on two hits. She also struck out three.

Arkansas closes out its 12-game homestand tomorrow, March 1, with a 12:15 p.m. first pitch against Kent State.

Information from Razorback Sports Communications is included in this story.

Razorbacks can’t overcome early deficit, fall on road to Georgia

ATHENS, Ga. — Mason Jones, Isaiah Joe and Desi Sills each scored 20 points, but Arkansas could not overcome a 14-0 start by Georgia and fell, 99-89, Saturday evening at Stegeman Coliseum.

Arkansas worked its deficit to eight at halftime and came out quick to start the second half. However, Georgia regained the momentum and led by 11 with 10:52 left.

Jones led a rally, accounting for 12 points (scored 8 and dished out two assists), to get to within one (73-72). The Hogs were also down one (83-82) after two free throws with 2:45 remaining but could not get over the hump.

After Harris’ free throws, Anthony Edwards, who scored 26 to lead the Bulldogs, assisted on back- baskets and scored nine points inside the final 1:07 to secure the 10-point win.

Jones and Joe each scored 26 in the loss and Sills pumped in a career-high 21 points with six rebounds.

Arkansas returns home to host LSU on Wednesday (Mar. 4) for Senior Day. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.

Information from Razorback Sports Communications is included in this story.

Huffine’s career day paces Arkansas to sweep over ’Nova, Kent State

FAYETTEVILLE — Senior Keely Huffine turned in a career day at the plate by smashing two home runs and driving in six runs as Arkansas swept a pair of games at Bogle Park on Friday evening.

The Razorbacks recorded an 11-1 (5 innings) run-rule victory over Villanova and topped Kent State, 9-5.

Game 1: Arkansas 11, Villanova 1 (5 innings)

The Razorbacks outhit the Wildcats 11-3 and used a six run third inning and four run fourth to do most of its damage. VU held a 1-0 lead for an inning on a solo homer, but the Razorbacks scored the final 11 runs of the game.

Huffine put the Razorbacks on the board with a run scoring triple in the second. She clubbed the first of her two homers on the day and blasted a three-run shot over the left field wall in the third.

The Harrisburg product set a new career-high of four RBIs. Senior Sydney Parr and redshirt freshman Valerie Ventura also delivered RBI knocks in the frame.

Junior Linnie Malkin hit a grand slam over the center field wall in the bottom of the fourth to shorten the game to five innings.

Huffine (2-for-3), Ventura (2-for-3) and junior Braxton Burnside (2-for-3) all collected multi-hit games.

Senior pitcher Autumn Storms (8-1) coasted in her five innings and allowed just one run with four strikeouts.

Game 2: Arkansas 9, Kent State 4

Arkansas led the entirety of the game as Ryan Jackson put the Hogs in front on a two run homer in the third frame.

Malkin hit a solo bomb to begin a six run Razorback fourth. Two batters later, Huffine crushed her second homer of the day, a two run shot to left.

Jackson picked up another RBI later in the frame on a single and junior Kayla Green got in on the act with a two RBI single.

The Golden Flashes would not go away however, and with Kent State down to its final pitch, hit a two RBI base hit to right field. Another Flash crossed the plate in the inning on an error to make the Razorback lead, 8-3.

Arkansas sent another run across the home on junior Hannah McEwen’s sacrifice fly in the fifth.

Kent State plated two more in the top of the seventh on a single and wild pitch.

Freshman hurler Jenna Bloom (2-1) completed 6.1 innings, allowed five runs, two earned runs, four hits and struck out a career-best eight. Storms was called upon to record the final two outs after Kent State led off the seventh with a single and a double.

Arkansas plays another doubleheader tomorrow, Feb. 29. The Razorbacks take on No. 9 Florida State at 4:45 p.m. and have a rematch against the Wildcats at 7 p.m.

Information from Razorback Sports Communications is included in this story.

Carter ties career high on floor, wins 23rd career title in team loss at LSU

BATON ROUGE, La. — Junior Sophia Carter won her 23rd career title on Friday evening, tying her career-high score on the floor with a 9.950 in the event.

Carter’s performance helped Arkansas finish strong against No. 5 LSU but ultimately fell to the Tigers in Baton Rouge, 197.125 – 195.725.

Rotation One | Bars

Three performances highlighted the Gymbacks’ first rotation, starting with a 9.850 from senior Hailey Garner, who executed her giant full-Geinger, immediate overshoot beautifully.

Sophomore Kennedy Hambrick’s jaeger to immediate overshoot earned her a 9.825 on the bars, followed by Sarah Shaffer’s double-layout dismount that anchored Arkansas with a team-high 9.875.

Rotation Two | Vault

Sophomore Amanda Elswick continued to shine on the vault, hitting her Yurchenko 1.5 for a 9.850. Shaffer’s Yurchenko layout half earned her a 9.825. Arkansas finished the second rotation with a 48.850 on the vault, as they trailed LSU midway through the meet, 98.625–97.275.

Rotation Three | Floor

Arkansas picked up the pace in the third rotation, finishing with a 49.200 as a team. It marks the 19th meet-in-a-row that the Gymbacks scored 49.000 or higher in the event.

Redshirt-freshman Bailey Lovett’s famous double-layout first pass scored her a 9.900, making it six out of nine times this season she scored a 9.900 or higher.

Carter anchored the Razorbacks with her fiery routine, complete with double-back roundoff and double-pike last pass that earned her the event title. The floor title is the 13th of her career and fourth this season.

Rotation Four | Beam

The Razorbacks posted their second-highest beam score of the season in the final rotation, a 49.250.

Lovett and Hambrick tied their career highs with a 9.900 and 9.925 respectively. Lovett shined with her front aerial, back layout and Hambrick nailed her back-handspring layout, switch leap series.

Next meet

Arkansas is on the road again, next Friday as they travel to Denton, Texas, for a quad meet hosted by Texas Women’s University.

The Gymbacks will see LSU once again at in Denton and joined by Centenary as well.

Information from Razorback Sports Communications is included in this story

Hogs lose first game of year against Oklahoma in Shriners Classic on Friday

HOUSTON — Arkansas suffered its first loss of the season, falling 6-3 to Oklahoma on Friday afternoon at Minute Maid Park in the first game at the Shriners College Classic.

The Razorbacks battled from behind to take a 3-2 lead, but a couple of fielding mistakes with the game tied proved to be the difference. The Sooners scored three runs in the seventh to drop its first game of the Shriners College Classic.

Sophomore right-handed pitcher Connor Noland started for the third consecutive Friday, going 5.1 innings against Oklahoma. He allowed three runs, two earned, on six hits, striking out five in the contest.

He gave way to right-hander Kevin Kopps, who entered with a runner on first in the sixth, allowed one in the frame, then retired the next two batters to keep the game tied at three.

He got the decision after allowing three runs, all unearned, on three hits.

For the first time this season, Arkansas did not draw first blood, as Oklahoma plated a run in the bottom of the second for a 1-0 lead.

With one away, OU put two in scoring position with a single and a double, allowing Trent Brown’s sacrifice fly to center field to score Brady Harlan for the first run of the game.

Oklahoma brought in another run afterward on an RBI groundout from Brady Lindsly, scoring Tanner Tredaway after he doubled and moved to third on a passed ball.

The reigning SEC Player of the Week Robert Moore evened the score in the top of the fifth thanks to a two-run home run to right field.

His second homer of the season scored Cole Austin (single) to tie the game, then Jacob Nesbit put his first home run of the year in the Crawford boxes in left field six pitches later to give the Hogs a 3-2 lead.

It was the second time this season Arkansas has hit back-to-back homers in a game, last doing so in the season opener behind knocks from Christian Franklin and Heston Kjerstad.

A home run from Lindsly in the bottom of the sixth inning tied the game again at 3-3.

OU quickly put runners on the corners with nobody out in the bottom of the seventh behind a two-base error and a fielder’s choice sac bunt.

A single from Brandon Zaragoza through the left side of the infield gave Oklahoma the lead, 4-3, then another single from Tanner Tredaway loaded the bases with no outs.

After a strikeout, OU added two more on another single to left field, then an errant throw allowed another runner to score to push the lead to 6-3.

Kjerstad and Nesbit both finished the game with two hits each, as Arkansas totaled 10 in the game.

The Razorbacks return to action on Saturday in primetime against Texas at 7 p.m. at Minute Maid Park.

Bud Light Seltzer Morning Rush Podcast — Georgia tomorrow, Clay on the combine and more!

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Tye & Tommy on a Justin Stepp story, Georgia preview, Clay on the combine, plus a joke or two at the end!

Late seventh-inning clutch hits lift Baylor past Arkansas, 3-2

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas battled back from a one0run deficit in the fourth inning, but delivered clutch hits in the top of the seventh to earn a 3-2 road victory over the Razorbacks at Bogle Park on Thursday evening.

The Razorbacks collected two of their four total hits to begin the fourth inning. Junior Hannah McEwen sent a single up the middle which put a runner on base for junior Braxton Burnside’s two run home run to left field.

Burnside’s third homer of the season produced all the Razorbacks’ offense.

Senior pitcher Autumn Storms (7-1) was tagged with her first loss of the season and allowed all three earned runs in six innings of work. She struck out three but stayed out of trouble most of the game by inducing 14 ground outs.

The Lady Bears, who have won their last 13 games, continued their season-long trend of scoring late. Down to its final three outs, Baylor put two runners in scoring position on a single and double to table set the rally.

Arkansas went to its bullpen, but Baylor kept attacking and hit an RBI single and double to claim a 3-2 lead. Freshman Jenna Bloom inherited runners on second and third with nobody out and escaped the jam with a pop out and two strikeouts.

Arkansas attempted to start a two out rally in the bottom of the seventh as junior Kayla Green singled for the second time.

Junior pinch runner Nicole Duncan was the game’s tying run and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch but was left there on a strikeout.

Baylor’s Aliyah Pritchett moved from shortstop to the rubber in the fifth inning and earned the win (5-0). The freshman worked the final two innings and allowed just one hit.

Gia Rodoni completed the first five innings inside the circle for the Lady Bears and allowed both Arkansas runs but struck out seven.

Alyssa Avalos put Baylor on the scoreboard first in the third frame with a solo homer. The Lady Bears have won each of their last five games by one run.

Arkansas plays a twinbill as part of the second day of Wooo Pig Classic action on Friday. The Razorbacks face Villanova at 4:45 p.m. and Kent State at 7 p.m.

Musselman on Henderson’s improvement, Sills’ admitting mistake sign of maturity

Arkansas coach Eric Musselman on Thursday afternoon talked about Ethan Henderson’s increased minutes and Desi Sills making a mistake and coming to him with it during win over Tennessee on Wednesday night.