Phil & Tye recap the loss against FSU and preview the Texas Tech game!
Bud Light Morning Rush: Monday
John & Tommy react to Game 1, Connor Noland on the bump today, interview Tom Murphy and more!
Hogs discover good pitching still needs some hits to produce a win
Nothing in sports may be more frustrating for fans than watching their team come out on the short end of a 1-0 game.
It’s downright maddening for some.
Such was the case for Arkansas fans Saturday evening when starter Isaiah Campbell struck out 10 in seven innings and didn’t allow a single run. That’s good pitching.
But no runs scored cancels that out.
For Razorback fans, this game is one that will have the “what-if” meter pegged at maximum level. Some will spend more time worrying about what didn’t happen than what DOES happen, starting Monday afternoon.
The Hogs couldn’t get the ball to go in the right places when they had scoring chances.
“That’s kinda the way the game works,” Dave Van Horn said later.
It’s small consolation for some fans as frustration mounted with zero runs in Omaha in the last 18 innings they’ve played there.
Especially now that the margin for error is razor thin.
The Razorbacks play Texas Tech on Monday at 1 p.m. in a loser-goes-home game. They faced one last Monday against Ole Miss in the Super Regional and came through with a whopping 14-1 win.
Which is why Saturday’s lack of offense was puzzling to some, but really shouldn’t be.
Every time in Omaha is quite capable of beating any other team that’s there. It all depends on something nobody wants to mention by name — luck. You can almost rip the cover off the ball, but if it goes right to someone, well, it’s still an out.
That plagued the Hogs against the Seminoles.
“We hit some balls hard early at people,” Van Horn said. “Hit a couple of ball off the end of the bat that just happened to go right at them.”
Coaches say all the time, “that’s baseball.” That’s true.
This team is quite capable of putting up some big numbers against the Red Raiders. Starting pitcher Connor Noland is due for a solid outing after struggling against the Rebels last Sunday.
Part of it is he’s well-rested. Van Horn does have everybody available for this game that is, effectively, a game with the season on the line.
But he’s well aware the Greenwood freshman has responded from a bad outing with a good one this season.
Against Vanderbilt early in the season, Noland didn’t make it out of the first inning. He came back the next week against Mississippi State, not allowing a run in seven innings.
Part of it may be a hunch from Van Horn. As we’ve pointed out before, those tend to work out pretty well.
But as Hogs fans painfully discovered Saturday, you still need the good hitting when the pitching is solid.
And a little bit of luck.
Razorbacks hoping to stave off elimination against Texas Tech
OMAHA, Neb. — Arkansas looks to keep its College World Series run alive Monday against Texas Tech in the first elimination game of the week at 1 p.m. at TD Ameritrade Park.
Arkansas (46-19) is trying to bounce back from a tough 1-0 loss at the hands of Florida State on Saturday.
Right-hander Isaiah Campbell and left-hander Drew Parrish traded zeroes for eight innings before the Seminoles got one of the Razorback bullpen in the ninth.
It was Campbell’s first 10-strikeout performance of the NCAA Tournament and third-straight of seven or more innings.
ESPN will carry Monday’s game and the winner will advance to the next elimination round to face the loser of Michigan and Florida State.
Matchup: No. 5 Arkansas vs. No. 8 Texas Tech
TV: ESPN >> WatchESPNApp
Talent: Tom Hart (PXP), Chris Burke (Analyst), Ben McDonald (Analyst), Mike Rooney (Reporter)
Radio: ESPN Arkansas 95.3 in the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs, 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home and the Razorback Sports Network from IMG
Probable Starters for Game Two: (ARK) RHP Connor Noland (3-5) vs. (TTU) RHP Caleb Kilian (8-3) or RHP Bryce Bonnin (6-1)
The Razorbacks last lost a CWS opener in 2015 when they fell to Virginia, 5-3.
The last time Arkansas lost its CWS opener and followed it up with a win was in 1989 when it lost to Wichita State, 3-2, and then defeated North Carolina, 7-3, in the elimination game.
Monday’s probable starter — RHP Connor Noland
Freshman right-hander Connor Noland will get the nod for Monday’s elimination game against Texas Tech.
Noland suffered a small hiccup last week in the NCAA Super Regional against Ole Miss, making it only one inning with four runs allowed and two home runs.
However, Noland has gone five or more innings in five of his last eight starts and has been one of Arkansas’ most efficient over that same span.
Noland has walked only two batters since May 5, amassing a 7.00 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Man on a mission — Trevor Ezell
Arkansas first baseman Trevor Ezell’s offense has been on another level since the start of the NCAA Tournament.
Over the course of seven NCAA Tournament games, Ezell is hitting .500 (16-of-32) with six doubles and two home runs along with eight RBIs.
He’s also slugging .875, which leads the team and has only struck out five times. Counting his 10 games prior to the NCAA Tournament, Ezell was only hitting .225 with 16 strikeouts.
We meet again
Monday’s game between the Razorbacks and Red Raiders will be the fourth meeting between the two teams in the last four seasons and second-straight in the College World Series.
Arkansas met Texas Tech once in the regular season last year, winning 5-1, and later in Omaha in a winner’s bracket game with the Hogs winning, 7-4.
In those two games against Texas Tech, Dominic Fletcher was 6-for-9 (.667) with a double, a home run and six RBIs.
Sports has been a family bond for four generations of Olson men
My wife, Sheena, insists my boys would have loved sports even if I hadn’t been around to raise them initially.
That J.D. (10) would know Jack Youngblood played a game on a broken leg and appreciate Roberto Clemente as much for his humanitarian efforts as his Hall of Fame baseball career. That Luke (7) would know the football rule book inside and out and want his grandmothers to do play-by-play while he shoots baskets in the driveway.
She could be right. They come by it naturally after falling in the fourth generation of a family of sports nuts. Sports have been a part of the Olson family for decades and J.D. and Luke are the latest members of the club.
My Grandpa John, a World War II veteran, grew up in Iowa with Swedish immigrant parents. I’m not sure what his exposure was to sports as a boy, but he raised his two boys to love sports.
My dad, Dave, grew up playing baseball and football and adored the New York Yankees after taking summer trips to visit his grandparents’ Swedish family members who had settled in New York. He saw his first Yankees game at 5 and saw all of the New York teams play at their respective ballparks.
Grandpa John was a steadfast Iowa fan and drove his boys more than three hours to Iowa City to see the Hawkeyes play football. The family also took family vacations where National Parks and ballparks were the main attraction. My dad once caught a batting practice foul ball of the bat of his hero Mickey Mantle before a Yankees/Twins game at old Metropolitan Stadium in Minneapolis.
In 1969, Dad enrolled at Iowa State, which flipped Grandpa John’s allegiance to the Cyclones. Ames was much closer to his home in Webster City, and he held football and basketball season tickets for many years.
When I came along in 1974, I didn’t have a chance. I was swinging a plastic bat when I could walk and attending Iowa State games not long after. My brother, Andy, was born three years later, and we spent many hours playing catch, watching sports on TV and going to our local high school and Iowa State games with Dad and Grandpa John.
We also made a few trips to Kansas City to see the Royals and Minneapolis to the see the Twins. We made at least one trip a summer to Des Moines to see the Chicago Cubs AAA team, the Iowa Cubs, in action.
Those trips and my good friend Brayton Sehnert influenced me in becoming a Cubs fan along with a passion for the Yankees like Dad and Grandpa John. On one trip to Des Moines, our family car broke down in the parking lot.
Dad and I had to ride in the tow truck for more than two hours in the middle of the night. It’s a story we laugh about often.
After all of those games and conversations with Dad, I realized by fifth grade I wanted to be in the sports media. My love for writing came from my mom, Connie, a longtime elementary school teacher, so that made a great combination for the beginnings of a fulfilling career.
After I married a sweet Southern Belle named Sheena, I dreamed of having two boys I could pass on the Olson family sports passion to. The Good Lord answered my prayers, and we had J.D. and Luke with nearly the same age difference as Andy and I.
Sheena, also a big sports fan, and I didn’t lug the boys to games as infants, but it wasn’t long, and they were with us. Luke had seen a Hogs game, MLB game, NFL game and NBA game all before the age of 5.
Their NFL debut was special as Santa Claus brought Dallas Cowboys/Detroit Lions Monday Night Football tickets in 2016. If that wasn’t special enough, the next day, they got to meet former Hogs star Darren McFadden.
JD skipped kindergarten one Monday to meet former Chicago Bears linebacker Mike Singletary at the Little Rock Touchdown Club. He became fascinated with linebackers since his older cousin played college linebacker and spent time surfing YouTube watching the greats. Meeting Steelers legend Jack Lambert is on his Bucket List, but he has met Lambert’s former Steelers teammate, Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris.
Unlike the house I grew up in, this one is divided. Sheena and Luke love the Cardinals and Cowboys. JD and I like the Cubs and Chiefs. JD loves the Hogs but has been bitten by the Cyclones bug which caused Luke to — GASP — root for the Hawks.
The Hogs, though, bind us. Together, we cheer the wins and lament the losses. Half of Dad’s wardrobe is Cyclones, the other half is Hogs. He’s accompanied us to several games. We had a great time in 2017 (see the picture) when we all piled in the van and watched Arkansas play Florida A&M at War Memorial Stadium. That was Luke’s first Arkansas football game.
We’ve seen Razorback basketball at The Bud and baseball games from a Baum-Walker suite. Luke is a big fan of former Hogs tight end Jeremy Sprinkle and JD likes former UA QB Tyler Wilson, who he met the other night. They both consider McFadden and fellow Bryant native and former Hogs pitcher Blaine Knight personal friends.
Speaking of Knight, my favorite memory so far was taking them to see the fellow Bryant native play in the final regular-season game against Texas A&M last season. Thanks to a friend, we sat in the front row on the first base line.
Arkansas beat the Aggies, and the boys enjoyed fireworks, autographs and meeting Knight, whose mother Karen worked at the boys’ school, following the game.
We left The Hill at 10:30 p.m. and arrived in Bryant at 1:15 a.m. after a stop at Braum’s in Alma. I couldn’t have driven another block, but it was so worth it.
I was an average (at best) athlete. JD and Luke already have me beat. JD has played soccer since he was four and has become a solid keeper. He has a promising career as a defensive lineman waiting when his parents give him permission to play football.
Luke’s favorite sport is baseball, and he’s way more advanced than his dad at this age playing up in the pitching machine league at 7 while seeing time at four different positions this season. He also plays basketball and is working on beating me in one-on-one.
I know many of you have similar stories and experiences with your grandfathers, dads and sons. Sports were made to share with family. It’s always more fun when you are enjoying games with those you care about most.
I hope you are able to spend some time with family on Sunday celebrating Father’s Day. Fittingly, we will all be at a ballpark in Benton watching Luke and the Bryant 7-year-old All-Stars playing in a tournament.
I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Florida State knocks off Razorbacks in opener at College World Series
OMAHA — Arkansas dropped a 1-0 heartbreaker to Florida State on Saturday in its first game of the 2019 College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha.
After eight scoreless innings, Florida State edged out a run in the top of the ninth to take a 1-0 lead. FSU put two men on to open the frame via a hit-by-pitch and fielder’s choice with nobody out.
Matt Cronin took over on the mound for Cody Scroggins, who relieved starter Isaiah Campbell in the eighth, and the Seminoles moved the duo into scoring position with a successful sacrifice bunt from Matheu Nelson.
With one away, a pinch-hitting Cooper Swanson lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to push Florida State ahead 1-0.
Isaiah Campbell put on another masterful performance in his third College World Series game of his career on Saturday night. He totaled seven innings of shutout ball, allowing five hits and two walks, while striking out 10.
The double-digit punch out total broke his own school record for strikeouts in a CWS game, set last year against Florida (eight) on June 22.
It was the first loss to Florida State by the Razorbacks, as the two squads have met six in two school’s histories, all coming during postseason play.
The Razorbacks will take on Texas Tech on Monday at 1 p.m. on ESPN from TD Ameritrade Park in an elimination game.
Van Horn, Campbell, Ezell after falling in first game in Omaha
Razorbacks coach Dave Van Horn, starting pitcher Isaiah Campbell and first baseman Trevor Ezell recapping Saturday’s pitching duel in a 1-0 loss to Seminoles.
Van Horn with FSU’s Martin, Michigan’s Bakich, Tech’s Tadlock
Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn previews the College World Series on Friday with Florida State’s Mike Martin, Michigan coach Erik Bakich and Texas Tech’s Tim Tadlock.
Arkansas set to open against Florida State on Saturday in CWS
OMAHA, Neb. — Arkansas opens its 10th College World Series in program history on Saturday when it takes on ACC-rival Florida State at 6 p.m. in TD Ameritrade Park.
ESPN will carry the game and the winner will face either Michigan or Texas Tech on Monday.
You can hear all of the games with Phil Elson and Bubba Carpenter on ESPN Arkansas 95.3 in the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs and 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home.
Matchup: No. 5 Arkansas vs. Florida State
TV: ESPN, WatchESPNApp
Talent: Karl Ravech (PXP), Kyle Peterson (Analyst), Eduardo Perez (Analyst), Kris Budden (Reporter)
Radio: ESPN Arkansas 95.3 in the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs and 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home and the Razorback Sports Network from IMG
Probable Starters for Game One: (ARK) RHP Isaiah Campbell (12-1) vs. (FSU) LHP Drew Parrish (8-5)
After locking up the top-eight seed for the NCAA Tournament, the Razorbacks were able to stay home through the regionals and super regionals, winning five of six games by a combined score of 50-22.
Having the home field advantage was also a major key to the Hogs’ success as more than 10,000 fans filled up Baum-Walker Stadium during each of Arkansas’ postseason games, including 11,000 or more during the Super Regionals.
For the second consecutive year, Arkansas faced off with a conference foe during Super Regional action, taking on Ole Miss at Baum-Walker Stadium.
Last year, the Razorbacks hosted South Carolina, bringing their season total to seven, the most meetings with a team in one season in program history.
By the end of the 2019 NCAA Fayetteville Super Regional, that record was broken, as the Hogs and Rebels reached eight games against each other in this year.
In the opener, the Razorbacks commanded a dominating 11-2 win, but fell, 13-5, in game two to force a winner-take-all Super Regional finale.
On Monday, the Razorbacks put up crooked numbers in the second and third innings and never looked back, closing the book on the series with an emphatic 14-1 victory to punch the program’s 10th trip to the College World Series.
Trevor Ezell, who will be playing in his first CWS as a senior, has set the tone for the Arkansas hitters in the leadoff spot, putting together a .328 average at the plate.
He’s racked up a .573 slugging percentage to go with 79 hits, including 25 doubles, two triples and 10 homers, along with 71 runs scored and 47 RBI.
During the Super Regional, Ezell went 7-for-14 with four RBIs and five runs.
No place like Homaha
Solidifying its top-five seed for the second-consecutive year, Arkansas is in the NCAA tournament for the third-straight year and 31st time in school history.
Of its last 17 tournament appearances, 16 have come under Dave Van Horn.
The Hog skipper has taken the Razorbacks to the College World Series six times (2004, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2019) and the Super Regionals seven times (2004, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2019).
Last year, Arkansas was one out away from its first national championship in school history, but finished as the national runner-up for the second time in school history (1979).
Saturday’s probable starter — RHP Isaiah Campbell
Isaiah Campbell will, once again, get the ball for the Razorbacks to open the weekend at the College World Series against Florida State. Campbell, a unanimous All-American, has given Arkansas ace-like numbers all year as the Friday night starter.
With a team-leading 2.26 ERA, Campbell has garnered a 12-1 record and struck out 115 batters over 111.1 innings, which are all career-bests heading into the CWS.
Campbell is coming off, arguably, his best outing as a Razorback, working a career-long 8.1 innings in the NCAA Super Regional last week against Ole Miss, striking out seven.
Campbell has a 1.65 ERA in 16.1 innings of the NCAA Tournament this year and has pitched eight or more innings in each of his two starts.
Unfinished business
Having to face in-division foe Ole Miss for a school record eighth time this year, the Razorbacks pummeled the Rebels in game three of the NCAA Super Regional, 14-1, to advance to its 10th College World Series in school history.
It was the second-largest Super Regional victory in school history and allowed Arkansas to advance to the CWS in back-to-back years for the first time in program history.
Heston Kjerstad, Casey Opitz and Trevor Ezell combined for six of Arkansas’ 12 hits. Kjerstad and Opitz both hit home runs in the blowout as well.
DVH by the numbers
Coach Dave Van Horn has advanced to eight College World Series as a head coach and two as a graduate assistant in 1985 and 1987.
Going back to his years at Nebraska, Van Horn has led his teams to 20 of the last 21 NCAA Tournaments.
Van Horn has also won 40 or more games in nine of the last 11 seasons. He has the second most appearances in the CWS among all active head coaches.
Ironically, Florida State coach Mike Martin holds the highest mark with 17.
RAZORBACK PRIME 9
• Arkansas has played in the NCAA Tournament in 16 of the last 17 years, reaching the College World Series six times during that span (2004, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2019).
• The Razorbacks won a share of the SEC Western Division title for the second-straight year, finishing with an 20-10 conference record.
It’s Arkansas’ sixth division title in school history and fifth under Dave Van Horn.
• The Hogs are 6-3 in postseason play this year, going 1-2 in the SEC Tournament, 3-0 in the Fayetteville Regional and 2-1 in the Fayetteville Super Regional.
Five of those games were against Ole Miss, going 3-2 in those games.
• This year marks the 10th time Arkansas has advanced to the College World Series in program history and first time in back-to-back years.
It’s also the sixth trip under head coach Dave Van Horn. Arkansas has made CWS appearances in 1979, 1985, 1987, 1989, 2004, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018 and now 2019.
• Last year, the Razorbacks matched their best finish in program history, falling to the Oregon State Beavers for their second National Runner-Up finish in school history (1979, 2018).
• Arkansas is slated to face Florida State (41-21) in its opening contest of the CWS.
The Hogs and Seminoles have only faced off five times in their extensive histories, but all five games came in the postseason, four in NCAA Super Regionals.
• Arkansas is 15-18 all-time in the College World Series and 5-4 in CWS openers.
• The Hogs are 88-67 (.568) all-time in the NCAA Tournament, including 24 tournament wins in the last six years. Last year in the College World Series, Casey Martin and Dominic Fletcher both hit .357 and .346, respectively, combining for 19 hits and 11 RBIs.
• Right-hander Isaiah Campbell will get the ball for Arkansas’ first game of the CWS.
Campbell has been the Friday night starter all season and is 12-1 on the year with a 2.26 ERA and 14 quality starts.
Last week against Ole Miss, Campbell worked a career-long 8.1 innings, throwing 102 pitches and striking out seven. He’s struck out seven or more in both of his tournament starts.
Vanderbilt, Louisville, MSU, Auburn pre-CWS press conference
Vandy’s Tim Corbin, Cardinals’ Dan McDonnell, Bulldogs’ Chris Lemonis and Tigers’ Butch Thompson talk about making it to Omaha on bracket heavy with SEC teams.
Morris commits to play for dad; Hogs pick up another Texas commit
Arkansas picked up two more non-binding commitments Friday, both from Texas as Chad Morris and his staff continue to pull in players from the Lone Star state.
It was one of the complaints about previous staffs and history has shown the Razorbacks tend to be more successful with a roster heavily-laden with players from Texas high schools.
Of course, getting Chandler Morris was expected by many fans. After all, it’s the only time Chad could, as he has said, “offer a recruit and his mother each a car.” Chad won’t be able to talk about it until the early signing period in December, assuming Chandler signs then.
Chandler made the announcement via Twitter on Friday:
Excited to continue on this journey as a Hog! #DiamondGangXX pic.twitter.com/dUGqaBPpWu
— Chandler Morris (@Chandleram4) June 14, 2019
Chandler led Highland Park to a Class 5A-I Texas state title last season as a junior. He was the backup to current Hogs’ quarterback John Stephen Jones on the Scots’ championship team in 2017.
For a staff trying to establish a different culture for the Razorbacks, they are getting signees off teams that either won state high championships or made fairly deep playoff runs.
Part of it is the team with the best players usually wins more, but the other part is Chad knows winning — and losing — is partly a mindset.
The other commitment Friday is from Galena Park North Shore running back John Gentry, who made his commitment prior to Chandler Morris’ announcement.
Burden lifted ❤️???? #WPS pic.twitter.com/yoUqOUWZa9
— JG (@johnivygentry) June 14, 2019
North Shore won the Texas 6A-I state title last year.
Chandler Morris passed for 4,010 yards, 46 touchdowns and just six interceptions. He also ran for 647 yards and scored 20 touchdowns last season.
He was recently moved to a 4-star rating in the 247Sports.com’s composite of all rankings.
Gentry, who most think would have had bigger numbers if not sharing the same backfield with Zach Evans, the No. 1-ranked running back in the nation, still had over 1,300 yards and scored 20 touchdowns on a deep and talented team.
The Hogs now have nine commitments for the 2020 class, seven from the state of Texas.
