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Home runs lift Razorbacks past Aggies to open series
COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Arkansas used the home run ball five times Thursday night to pull out a 7-3 victory over Texas A&M at Blue Bell Park.
Arkansas has won five-straight conference series openers and 20 SEC games for the first time in the Dave Van Horn era.
Arkansas remains one game ahead of Mississippi State in the SEC Western Division with two games to play. The Bulldogs defeated South Carolina, 24-7, for their 44th victory and 19th in conference play.
The Hogs were able to get ahead of Aggie starter Chris Weber for five runs in five innings and it all began with a three-run homer by redshirt senior Trevor Ezell in the third inning.
What followed were four more home runs off the bats of Casey Martin in the fifth and ninth, Matt Goodheart in the fifth and Jack Kenley in the sixth, marking the sixth time this year and second in the last four games that the Hogs have hit four or more home runs in a game and third with five or more.
The win by the Razorbacks was their 40th of the year and 20th in league play.
It’s the third-straight year and fifth time in the last six years the Hogs have totaled 40 or more wins. This year’s team is the fastest Razorback team to reach 40 wins since 1989.
It’s also the first time Arkansas has won 20 or more games in SEC play since 1999 and first under coach Dave Van Horn. Arkansas won a school-record 22 games in conference play in 1999 under long-time head coach Norm DeBriyn.
Once again, right-hander Isaiah Campbell gave Arkansas a quality outing, going six innings strong with only two runs allowed, one being earned and six strikeouts.
Campbell has 10 quality starts in his last 11 outings and picked up his 10th win of the year, making him the second pitcher (Blaine Knight) in the last six years to win 10 or more games in a single season.
They got five on it
For the second time in four games, Arkansas hit five home runs in Thursday’s contest, upping their season total to 75, which now leads the SEC.
Casey Martin went deep twice in the game, his first multi-home run game this season, while Trevor Ezell, Matt Goodheart and Jack Kenley also launched homers.
Martin is now tied for the team lead with Heston Kjerstad with 14 home runs this season. Ezell’s three-run bomb was his eighth of the year and second in four games. Goodheart’s was his second this year and Kenley’s was his 11th. Martin and Goodheart’s home runs in the fifth inning were of the back-to-back variety.
It’s the second time this year the Hogs have gone back-to-back, the last coming against Northwestern State on April 23.
Chicks dig extra-base hits
Eight of Arkansas’ 10 hits Thursday night went for extra-bases, three from doubles coupled with the five home runs.
It’s the most extra-base hits in a game for the Hogs since April 27 where they notched 10 against Tennessee. Arkansas has 20 extra-base hits in the last four games and is averaging 8.5 runs per game over that same stretch.
Bullpen picks up Campbell in final three innings
After Isaiah Campbell held Texas A&M down for six innings, he handed over the ball to Kevin Kopps, who pitched a beautiful seventh inning before running into trouble in the eighth.
Jacob Kostyshock, making his third appearance in three games, came on to relieve Kopps in the middle of the eighth after A&M scored to make it 6-3.
Kostyshock was able to strand two runners and pick up a big strikeout of the potential game-tying run at the plate.
Junior Matt Cronin finished off the ninth inning, but it wasn’t a save situation as he faced five batters and gave up one hit and one walk.
Razorback quotables
“You’ll notice Casey isn’t hooking the ball as much, he’s just staying through the middle. There’s a lot of times that we wouldn’t let him pull the ball during batting practice. We just told him to stay through the middle and he started having success in the games. He’s bought in and he just has so much bat speed that he can wait longer than a lot of people. He’s just got to learn that. He’s still growing up and still developing. He’s paid attention and has seen what’s worked for him and taken it to the game.” — Coach Dave Van Horn on Casey Martin’s play over the last month
“We’ve got some guys with some power, but we’re not trying to make it a habit. You’ve got to give Texas A&M a little bit of credit, they struck us out 18 times tonight, we just took some good swings and a few of those home runs were with two strikes. We just took advantage of a couple of balls that were left up in the zone.” — Van Horn on his team’s five-home run day
Up next
Arkansas and Texas A&M will be back on the field tomorrow with first pitch from Blue Bell Park at 6:30 p.m.
You can hear the game on ESPN Arkansas 95.3 in the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs and 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home.
The game will be televised online only via SEC Network+.
Golden Hurricane’s five-run seventh too much for Hogs to overcome
STILLWATER, Okla. — Arkansas was unable to recover from a five-run seventh inning by Tulsa and was shutout in the first game at the Stillwater Regional on Thursday evening.
Five errors, three in the seventh inning alone, plagued the Razorbacks and allowed five Tulsa runners to cross the plate.
Arkansas threatened the Tulsa defense multiple times, with runners in scoring position in the first, fourth and fifth innings. Seven Razorbacks were left stranded over the course of the game.
Senior Ashley Diaz and sophomore Danielle Gibson each recorded two hits in the loss. Diaz and Gibson have combined for 33 multiple-hit games this season, with 17 from Diaz and 16 from Gibson.
Junior Autumn Storms earned the start and recorded the loss. In her 14th complete game of the season, Storms recorded six strikeouts and gave up no walks in her fifth-straight appearance.
The Razorbacks drop into the elimination bracket and will face the non-advancing team of the Oklahoma State-BYU match up Thursday night.
Hogs’ Martin named semifinalist for Dick Howser Trophy
DALLAS — Arkansas shortstop Casey Martin is one of 26 college players named by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers’ Association (NCBWA) as a Dick Howser Trophy semifinalist on Thursday.
This is 33rd year for the Dick Howser Trophy, which is given to the top player in collegiate baseball.
The finalists will be announced on Thursday, June 6. The 2019 award will be presented at TD Ameritrade Stadium in downtown Omaha, the home of the College World Series for the eighth year.
The winner will be unveiled on MLB Network on Friday, June 14, and then, a press conference with the winner will be held on Saturday, June 15 at 10 a.m., the opening day of the 2019 CWS.
Martin, who after a stellar freshman season, has already been named to numerous All-American and all-conference teams throughout his career, will now hope to add one of college baseball’s highest honors to his collection.
Hitting .311 through 52 games, Martin already has 12 home runs and 50 RBIs this season, which nearly match his totals from a year ago (13 HR, 49 RBIs).
The Lonoke native has top-10 totals in the SEC in hits (70), doubles (19), runs scored (55), total bases (131), RBIs (50) and home runs (12).
He’s also totaled three inside-the-park home runs this year and has seven games with three hits or more.
Seven of the 26 semifinalists come out of the SEC and outfielder Andrew Benintendi was the last Razorback to win the award back in 2015, the same year he won the Golden Spikes Award and helped Arkansas to the College World Series.
This year Martin is one of only two shortstops on the prestigious list.
The Dick Howser Trophy, given in memory of the former Florida State University All-America shortstop and major league player and manager, who died of brain cancer in 1987, is regarded by many as college baseball’s most prestigious award.
Criteria for consideration of the trophy include performance on the field, leadership, moral character and courage, qualities that were exemplified by Dick Howser’s life.
Martin and the Razorbacks are on the road this week for their final regular-season series of 2019 as they get set to take on 17th-ranked Texas A&M starting on Thursday at Blue Bell Park.
Game one is slated for a 6 p.m. first pitch tonight on ESPNU.
A complete list of the 26-player Dick Howser Trophy semifinalists is as follows:
JJ Bleday, OF, Vanderbilt
Hunter Bishop, OF, Arizona State
Reid Detmers, SP, Louisville
Ryan Garcia, SP, UCLA
Nick Gonzales, 2B, New Mexico State
Emerson Hancock, SP, Georgia
Kody Hoese, 3B, Tulane
Josh Jung, 3B, Texas Tech
Chris Lanzilli, OF, Wake Forest
Jake Mangum, OF, Mississippi State
Alek Manoah, SP, West Virginia
Casey Martin, SS, Arkansas
Austin Martin, 3B, Vanderbilt
Kyle McCann, C, Georgia Tech
Patrick McColl, 1B, Harvard
Joey Ortiz, SS, New Mexico State
Jack Ralston, SP, UCLA
Adley Rutschman, C, Oregon State
Jake Sanford, OF, Western Kentucky
Bobby Seymour, 1B, Wake Forest
Ethan Small, SP, Mississippi State
Noah Song, SP, Navy
Zack Thompson, SP, Kentucky
Spencer Torkelson, 1B, Arizona State
Andrew Vaughn, 1B, California
Davis Wendzel, 3B, Baylor
Dungee competing for spot on 2019 Pan American women’s team
Colorado Springs, Colo. — Arkansas’ Chelse Dungee is one of 35 players at the trials for the 2019 U.S. Pan American Games Women’s basketball team at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
They will compete through May 20, when the 12-member roster is expected to be announced.
The trials roster features 10 athletes who have won medals with USA Basketball in international competition, 11 who have taken part in at least one previous USA Basketball trials and 14 who will be new to USA Basketball.
Expected at trials: Bella Alarie (Princeton/Bethesda, Md.), Brittany Brewer (Texas Tech/Abilene, Texas), Chennedy Carter (Texas A&M/Mansfield, Texas), Te’a Cooper (TBD/Powder Springs, Ga.), Kathleen Doyle (Iowa/Lagrange Park, Ill.), Chelsea Dungee (Arkansas/Sapulpa, Okla.), Dana Evans (Louisville/Gary, Ind.), Kiah Gillespie (Florida State/Meriden, Conn.), Vivian Gray (Oklahoma State/Argyle, Texas), Tyasha Harris (South Carolina/Noblesville, Ind.), Becca Hittner (Drake/Urbandale, Iowa), Joyner Holmes (Texas/Cedar Hill, Texas), Stephanie Jones (Maryland/Havre de Grace, Md.), Aari McDonald (Arizona/Fresno, Calif.), Karissa McLaughlin (Purdue/Fort Wayne, Ind.), Amber Melgoza (Washington/Santa Barbara, Calif.), Taylor Mikesell (Maryland/Massillon, Ohio), Ayana Mitchell (Louisiana State/Conyers, Ga.), Beatrice Mompremier (Miami/Miami, Fla.), Erica Ogwumike (Rice/Cypress, Texas), Michaela Onyenwere (UCLA/Aurora, Colo.), Eleah Parker (Pennsylvania/Charlotte, N.C.), Jaelynn Penn (Indiana/Louisville, Ky.), Destiny Pitts (Minnesota/Detroit, Mich.), Mikayla Pivec (Oregon State/Lynnwood, Wash.), Lindsey Pulliam (Northwestern/Silver Spring, Md.), Jayla Scaife (Dayton/Muncie, Ind.), Kristin Scott (Iowa State/Kasson, Minn.), Destiny Slocum (Oregon State/Meridian, Idaho), Amber Smith (Missouri/Shreveport, La.), Sug Sutton (Texas/St. Louis, Mo.), Kobi Thornton (Clemson/Shellman, Ga.), Kiana Williams (Stanford/San Antonio, Texas), Peyton Williams (Kansas State/Topeka, Kan.) and Kay Kay Wright (UCF/Orlando, Fla.).
Suzy Merchant (Michigan State) will lead the team as USA head coach, with USA assistant coaches Felisha Legette-Jack (Buffalo) and Vic Schaefer (Mississippi State).
“Our coaching staff is excited to get the trials started this week,” Merchant said. “We are looking forward to working with all of the athletes invited to try out for the 2019 U.S. Women’s Pan American Games Basketball Team.
“The first few sessions will be an opportunity for everyone to learn as much as possible and then to be able to demonstrate that during our scrimmages.”
On hand to assist the coaching staff during trials will be court coaches Lisa Fortier (Gonzaga), Aaron Johnston (South Dakota State), Nikki McCray-Penson (Old Dominion) and DeLisha Milton-Jones (Pepperdine).
The team members will return to Colorado Springs for training camp July 23-Aug. 5, before competing in the women’s basketball tournament at the 2019 Pan American Games from Aug. 6-10 in Lima, Peru.
Athletes eligible for this team must be U.S. citizens who currently are enrolled as a full-time collegiate student with remaining eligibility for the 2019-20 school year.
The seven gold medalists include: Carter, who won gold at the 2016 FIBA Americas U18 Championship and was all-tournament at the 2017 FIBA U19 World Cup as the USA earned silver; Dungee, who won gold at the 2013 FIBA Americas U16 Championship; Evans, who won gold at the 2016 FIBA Americas U18 Championship; Harris, who won gold at the 2016 FIBA Americas U18 Championship and silver at the 2017 FIBA U19 World Cup, where she was all-tournament; Holmes, who won gold at the 2014 FIBA U17 World Cup and silver at the 2017 FIBA U19 World Cup; Mompremier, who won gold at the 2014 FIBA Americas U18 Championship; and Slocum, who won gold at the 2015 FIBA U19 World Cup.
Alarie and Sutton earned silver medals at the 2017 FIBA U19 World Cup, and Mikesell won bronze at the 2016 FIBA U17 World Cup.
This past September, Harris took part in the 2018 USA Women’s National Team training camp prior to the FIBA World Cup, including playing in a Red-White exhibition game in South Carolina.
Athletes with experience at a previous USA Basketball trials are: Cooper (2013 U16, 2014 U17, 2015 U19 trials); Doyle (2017 U19 trials); Gillespie (2014 U17 trials); Gray (2016 U18 trials); Hittner (2017 U19 trials); Jones (2013 U16, 2014 U17, 2017 U19 trials); McDonald (2017 U19 trials); Onyenwere (2014 U17 trials); Pitts (2016 U17 trials); Smith (2017 U19 trials); and Kiana Williams (2014 U17, 2015 U16, 2016 U17 trials).
New to USA Basketball are: Brewer, McLaughlin, Melgoza, Mitchell, Ogwumike, Parker, Penn, Pivec, Pulliam, Scaife, Scott, Thornton, Peyton Williams and Kay Kay Wright.
Thirty-three of the 35 athletes were recognized at the end of 2018-19 with conference awards.
From the American Athletic Conference, Wright was a first team member.
From the Atlantic Coast Conference, Evans was the Sixth Player of the Year; first team selections were Gillespie and Mompremier; and Thornton was named to the second team (coaches). From the Atlantic-10 Conference, Scaife was a fist team member.
From the Big 12 Conference, Gray was the Newcomer of the Year and first team; Peyton Williams was first team and all-defensive team; Sutton was first team; Scott was second team; and Holmes was honorable mention.
From the Big Ten Conference, Mikesell was Freshman of the Year and was joined on the first team by Doyle, McLaughlin, PItts and Pulliam were first team; and Jones and Penn were second team.
From Conference USA, Ogwumike was player of the year and first team. From the Ivy League, Alarie was Player of the Year and first team, and Parker was Defensive Player of the Year and first team. From the Missouri Valley Conference, Hittner was a first team selection.
From the Pacific-12 Conference, McDonald was all-defensive team and first team; Onyenwere, Pivec, Slocum and Kiana Williams were first team selections; and Melgoza was honorable mention.
And from the Southeastern Conference, Carter and Mitchell were first team; and Cooper, Dungee and Harris were second team.
The USA Basketball Women’s Junior National Team Committee, chaired by George Washington University head coach Jennifer Rizzotti, is responsible for selecting the U.S. trials athletes.
In addition to Rizzotti, the USA Junior National Team Committee includes 2008 Olympic gold medalist Kara Lawson as the athlete representative; and Karen Aston (Texas), Tonya Cardoza (Temple) and Wes Moore (North Carolina State) as the NCAA representatives.
Arkansas earns 34 entries to NCAA West prelims in California next week
FAYETTEVILLE — Following the SEC Outdoor Championships last weekend, Arkansas secured 34 entries into the NCAA West preliminary round in Sacramento, California, on May 23-25 at Hornet Stadium hosted by Sacramento State University.
The NCAA West Preliminary meet is one of two regional events, which serve as the first round of the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Athletes gain entry into the competition by having one of the top-48 best marks of the region (East or West) in their respective events. In order to advance to the final round in Austin, Texas an athlete must finish among the top-12 best (per region) in their respective events.
Razorback entries
The 34 Razorback entries represent a balanced mix of sprints, relays, distance and field events. In the sprints, Arkansas will compete in the 100-meters, 200-meters, 400-meters, and 100-meter hurdles.
In the distance events, it’ll be the 1,500-meters, 5,000-meters, 10,000-meters, and 3,000-meter steeplechase while off the track, pole vault, high jump, and long jump will highlight Arkansas’ representation in the field events.
Both the 4×400-meter relay and 4×100-meter relay will be at the meet entering with the fastest and second-fastest times, respectively.
Year-by-Year entry count (National Finish)
• 2019 – 34 (TBD)
• 2018 – 22 (11th)
• 2017 – 28 (6th)
• 2016 – 37 (1st)
• 2015 – 26 (4th)
• 2014 – 21 (9th)
• 2013 – 22 (8th)
• 2012 – 26 (24th)
• 2011 – 20 (14th)
Solo double duty
Six Razorbacks, Brown (100mH/200m), Payton Chadwick (100mH/200m), Carina Viljoen (1,500/5K), Sydney Brown (1,500/5K), Devin Clark (5k, 3k steeple), and Taylor Werner (5k/10k) will pursue a final round qualification in two events apiece.
Event Breakdown
100 Meters
Kiara Parker
Tamara Kuykendall
200 Meters
Janeek Brown
Payton Chadwick
400 Meters
Kethlin Campbell
Paris Peoples
Morgan Burks-Magee
Sydney Hammit
Tiana Wilson
Shafiqua Maloney
1,500 Meters
Carina Viljoen
Maddy Reed
Sydney Brown
Megan Underwood
5,000 Meters
Taylor Werner
Lauren Gregory
Carina Viljoen
Devin Clark
Sydney Brown
10,000 Meters
Taylor Werner
100 Meter Hurdles
Janeek Brown
Payton Chadwick
G’Auna Edwards
3,000 Meter Steeplechase
Devin Clark
Rachel Nichwitz
4×100 Meter Relay
Arkansas
4×400 Meter Relay
Arkansas
High Jump
J’Alyiea Smith
Pole Vault
Tori Hoggard
Lexi Jacobus
Desiree Freier
Rylee Robinson
Bailee McCorkle
Long Jump
G’Auna Edwards
Hogs advance 28 athletics to NCAA West prelims next week
FAYETTEVILLE — With all eyes focused on the NCAA Championships, Arkansas will head to Sacramento, California, next weekend with a plane full of Hogs entered in the NCAA West Preliminary meet slated to run May 23-25 at Hornet Stadium hosted by Sacramento State University.
The NCAA West Preliminary meet is one of two regional events, which serve as the first round of the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Athletes gain entry into the competition by having one of the top 48 best marks of the region (East or West) in their respective events.
In order to advance to the final round in Austin, Texas an athlete must finish among the top-12 best (per region) in their respective events.
Razorback entries
Arkansas will make the cross country trek to the 2019 NCAA West Prelims with 28 entries (in 16 of 21 events).
One of those entries, multi-event performer Gabe Moore, automatically passes on through to Austin off his best decathlon score from earlier this season.
This is the third-straight season for Moore to advance to the NCAA meet in the decathlon. This is the 10th-straight year that the Razorbacks will be represented in the decathlon.
Teams with athletes in the decathlon 2+ years in a row
10 – Arkansas
7 – Georgia
4 – Texas A&M
3 – Wichita St, Michigan St, Kent St, Rice
2 – Wisconsin, UTSA, Kansas St, Dartmouth, Stanford
Arkansas also has multiple entries in the 100-meters, 400-meters, 800-meters, 1500-meters, 5k, 10k, 110-meter hurdles, 400-meter hurdles.
Arkansas is also one of 14 schools (Arizona, Arkansas, Baylor, BYU, Cal St. Fullerton, Houston, Iowa, Nebraska, Oregon, Stephen F. Austin, TCU, Texas Tech, UCLA, UT-Arlington) to qualify both the 4×100-meter and 4×400-meter relay for the regional meet this year and have accomplished the feat every year of regional format that began in 2010.
Year-by-Year Entry Count (National Finish)
• 2019 – 28 (TBD)
• 2018 – 35 (12th)
• 2017 – 35 (4th)
• 2016 – 41 (2nd)
• 2015 – 17 (3rd)
• 2014 – 29 (T-9th)
• 2013 ¬ 29 (3rd)
• 2012 – 38 (8th)
• 2011 – 26 (T-10th)
Relay royalty
In the current regional format that began in 2010, Arkansas is one of only three programs that have advanced a 4×100-meter relay and 4×400-meter relay to the prelim every year.
The other schools who have accomplished the feat are Florida and LSU. Arkansas is the only school in the West Region to have both a 4×100 and 4×400 qualify to the NCAA Prelims every year of regional format.
Four events with three Hogs
At the West prelims, four out of the 16 events in which Arkansas has entries will feature three Razorbacks on the line. Coach Chris Bucknam’s crew boasts tremendous depth in the 100 meters, 5,000 meters, 10,000 meters, and the 110-meter hurdles.
Returning NCAA qualifiers (Final Round)
Two Razorbacks from the 2018 NCAA outdoor 12th-place team return to guide a new group towards national success. Qualifiers from last years outdoor championships making the trek this year include seniors Cameron Griffith and Gabe Moore.
2019 NCAA West Preliminary Event Breakdown
100-meters
Hari, Ejiakuejwu, Oglesby
200-meters
Boyd
400-meters
Woodhall, Brown
800-meters
Taylor, Pareti
1,500-meters
Griffith, Moehn
5,000-meters
Boit, Griffith, Young
10,000-meters
Boit, Young, Murphy
110-meter hurdles
Chattoo, Elliott, Gilbert
400-meter hurdles
Caldwell, Hilson
4×100 meter relay
Arkansas
4×400 meter relay
Arkansas
Long Jump
Nairn
Triple Jump
Nairn
Hammer Throw
Sullins
Decathlon (Through to NCAA’s in Austin)
Gabe Moore
???? Wednesday Halftime Pod — Featuring Connor Vanover
Phil Elson & Tye Richardson hit on Isaiah Moss coming in, interview Connor Vanover, plus Halftime Homework!
Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Thursday
John & Tommy discuss two new Razorbacks, plus Arkansas head basketball coach Eric Musselman joins the show!
Musselman joins Morning Rush on all things Arkansas basketball
Eric Musselman pops in to talk about potential assistant coaches, assembling the team he wants, rules he wants to see changed and more!
