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Hogs set to begin long homestand Wednesday afternoon against Tigers

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas returns home this week after its first road trip of 2019 and will start a 14-game homestand with a single midweek contest against Memphis on Wednesday at Baum-Walker Stadium.

First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. and will be broadcast on SEC Network+ and can be heard on ESPN Arkansas 95.3 in the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs and 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home.

The Razorbacks (5-1) are coming home after taking two games of a three-game series with the USC Trojans last week, their first road series win since 2017.

All three games last week at Dedeaux Field were decided by three runs or less and the Hogs nearly swept the Trojans before succumbing to a 10th-inning walk-off home run in the final game, suffering their first loss of the year.

Memphis (2-4) comes into the game after splitting a doubleheader with Southern Illinois on Sunday. This will be the fifth-straight year that Arkansas and Memphis will meet on the diamond going back to 2015.

Arkansas won last year’s contest at AutoZone Park, 8-7, and have won 11 of the last 12 games in the series.

Follow Live

Wednesday’s game will be available on SEC Network+ via the Watch ESPN app and WatchESPN.com. Brett Dolan and Troy Eklund will call the action.

Phil Elson and Bubba Carpenter will have the radio call on the Razorback Sports Network. Fans can listen to the radio call via the Razorback Gameday app.

Pregame coverage begins 30 minutes prior to first pitch.

Probable Starters

Wed. | 9 p.m. | (ARK) LHP Patrick Wicklander (0-0, 6.23 ERA, 6 K, 2 BB) vs. (MEM) LHP Danny Denz (0-0, 6.75 ERA, 2 K, 1 BB)

Razorbacks head west, down Trojans

Arkansas went west last week to face USC in a three-game series and came away with its first road series win since 2017. The Hogs won games one and two 6-3 and 8-6, respectively, and nearly swept the Trojans before a 10th-inning walk-off homer thwarted that plan.

It was the first road series win for the Hogs since they took 2-of-3 from Alabama in Tuscaloosa in April of 2017.

Scroggins the starter?

After week one’s weather forced a throwing schedule change for Arkansas’ usual rotation, Cody Scroggins was penciled in to start game one against USC last week.

Scroggins stuck out the side in the first inning and totaled two more strikeouts in each of the second and third innings. Only two batters reached base before the fourth inning and before Arkansas went to the bullpen.

Both Scroggins’ innings pitched and strikeouts were career highs.

Against Memphis

Wednesday will mark the 30th all-time meeting between Arkansas and Memphis dating back to 1964.

Last year, the Hogs and Tigers played one game at AutoZone Park in Memphis with Arkansas winning 8-7.

Arkansas has won 11 of the last 12 meetings against Memphis and has scored 10 or more runs three times during that streak.

February success

Since Dave Van Horn took over for the Razorbacks in 2003, Arkansas have played through the month of February with one loss or better 12 times, including six undefeated years.

The Hogs are 117-18 in the first month of the year under Van Horn. Last year, the team went 6-2 in February and hit .310 as a team.

Fire on the basepaths

Last week against USC, Arkansas took advantage of its speed by stealing 11 bases, five coming in the game two victory. The five steals were the most by an Arkansas team in one game since stealing six against New Orleans on Feb. 19, 2013.

Last year, Arkansas stole 39 bases, its second-lowest total since 1972, but is well on pace to surpass that this year.

Trevor Ezell leads all Arkansas players with four stolen bases, ranking fourth in the SEC and the 15 team steals are second-most in the league.

Up Next

Arkansas continues its homestand this weekend with a three-game series against Stony Brook at Baum-Walker Stadium.

Friday and Saturday’s first pitches are scheduled for 3 p.m., while Sunday’s first pitch will be at 1 p.m.

All games will be broadcast on SEC Network+.

Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Wednesday

Tye Richardson
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Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Wednesday

John & Tommy discuss the Kentucky loss, takes calls, plus What’s Your Beer Wednesday!

How Anderson’s team reacts in final games will determine temperature of his seat

Andy Hodges
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It’s hard to imagine Arkansas able to play a better first half than they had against Kentucky on Tuesday night … or the fourth-ranked Wildcats playing one worse than they did.

After seeing a 14-point lead disappear in the second half, the Razorbacks watched as the Wildcats’ Tyler Herro put up 29 points in a 70-66 win.

Now fans will be shaking their heads. It was closer than most of them expected.

The Hogs actually had a shot to win this one at the end. At crunch time, though, the Hogs’ inexperience was made worse by the disparity in talent with Kentucky, who could end up being a Final Four time before it’s all said and done.

Mired in a losing streak that’s the worst he’s ever had, Mike Anderson got this team to at least take advantage of an apparent lack of interest by the Wildcats to start the game. They committed 12 turnovers in the first half while the Hogs had just one.

In the end, Kentucky had a Herro while the Hogs’ best answer — Isaiah Joe — couldn’t keep his hot first-half pace going.

Joe finished with 19 points, but just three of those coming in the second half … which is where Arkansas needed it, but the Wildcats woke up and followed John Calipari’s pregame plan to shut him down.

Herro’s two 3-point baskets 43 seconds apart keyed an 18-3 Kentucky run over 7:43 of the second half and turned a fairly sleepy Rupp Arena into the accustomed ear-splitting home court advantage.

Arkansas had no answer.

Down the stretch they couldn’t get the ball inside to Daniel Gafford, who finished with 14 points, and Jalen Harris couldn’t even properly miss a free throw that would have at least given the Hogs a chance to tie the game in the closing seconds.

It’s easy to blame Anderson, but he doesn’t teach them to play badly at key times. A lack of getting enough good players is why he’s going to find himself on a hot seat as this team has leveled off at 14-14 on the year and will be below .500 in the league, sitting at 5-10 now.

Anderson is going to point to the youth and inexperience on this team (which is true), but there is a talent gap and a basketball IQ gap between the Hogs and the better teams they’ve faced.

That is on Anderson, which he’s kind of admitted. According to some, he’s over-ruled some recruiting recommendations his assistant coaches have had. Whether the players he chose not to go after would have made a difference or not is sheer speculation.

The bottom line is that Arkansas — almost unbelievably — had a real shot at beating the No. 4 team in the country on the road … and couldn’t close the game.

It was almost as if fate was getting involved with the 1994 national champions being honored Saturday at the game against Ole Miss. The last time the Hogs beat an Associated Press Top 5 team on the road was at Rupp Arena back in that magical season.

But that was a talented team of men.

This is a team of youngsters that seem to be comfortable at times acting like it.

With just three games left on the regular-season schedule we’ll find out how they want to finish things.

It’s going to be big for Anderson, who is starting to face questions from fans and, reportedly, some folks higher up in the pecking order than that.

How these games play out could determine his future with Arkansas.

It will definitely determine the temperature of his increasingly warm seat.

Van Horn recapping series win over USC, upcoming Memphis game

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Razorbacks’ coach Dave Van Horn talked with the media about last weekend’s series win over Southern Cal and the game Wednesday with the Tigers.

Reliever Cronin on availability in Memphis game, weekend series

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Razorbacks’ relief pitcher Matt Cronin talked with the media Tuesday about last weekend’s series win and what he thinks he will be able to throw in this week’s games.

Ezell on finding home at first in early games for Razorbacks

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Hogs’ first baseman Trevor Ezell talked with the media Tuesday about being settled into a position he hadn’t played before and getting more comfortable there.

Hogs’ Martin hoping to get caught up on schoolwork with homestand

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Arkansas shortstop Casey Martin talked with the media Tuesday about the upcoming Memphis game, which kicks off a 14-game homestand and he can get caught up on schoolwork.

???? Tuesday Halftime Pod — featuring Rivals’ Nikki Chavanelle

Tye Richardson
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???? Tuesday Halftime Pod — featuring Rivals’ Nikki Chavanelle

Phil & Tye discuss Chad Morris press conference, plus Nikki Chavanelle joins the pod!

Razorbacks sending five to next week’s NCAA Indoor Championships

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Arkansas will have five opportunities to score at next weekend’s 2019 NCAA Indoor Championships at the Birmingham Crossplex as they compete in the final meet of the indoor season Mar 8-9 in Birmingham, Ala.

All-American Gabe Moore will return to the NCAA Indoor Championships where he finished sixth overall earning First-Team All-American honors.

Moore is currently No. 4 in the NCAA holding a personal-best total of 5,908 pts. that he set in a second-place finish at the SEC Championships this past weekend.

Moore will be joined by Derek Jacobus who is currently No. 13 in the NCAA with a season-best of 5,656 pts. that he set in at the Razorback Invitational in late January.

Arkansas is the only program in the nation this season to qualify two heptathletes through to the NCAA meet.

Along with the duo in the heptathlon, the Razorbacks will field both a 4×400-meter relay and a Distance Medley Relay.

Arkansas is the only team in the nation to qualify both a 4×400-meter relay and DMR, and the ONLY school in the nation to qualify both a men’s and women’s 4×400-meter relay and DMR.

Arkansas holds a season-best of 3:05.71 in the 4×400-meter relay that is the 11th-best in the field and the 10th best in program history, while the DMR is also ranked No. 11 in the NCAA with a time of  9:29.26 that is the fifth-best performance in program history.

In the field events, the Razorbacks will be represented in the triple jump by Laquan Nairn who posted a qualifying mark of 16.03m (52-7.25) in a third-place finish at the SEC Championships.

The Razorbacks will open competition at the 2019 NCAA Indoor Championship on Friday, March 8 and the indoor season will conclude on Saturday, March 9 in Birmingham.

Arkansas Qualifiers

4-×-400-Meter Relay – 11. Caldwell, Ejiakuekwu, Woodhall, Winn, 3:05.71
Distance Medley Relay – 11. Moehn, Winn, Taylor, Griffith, 9:29.26
Long Jump – 13. Laquan Narin, 16.03m (52-7.25)
Heptathlon – 4. Gabe Moore, 5,908 pts | 13. Derek Jacobus, 5,656 pts

Arkansas earns NCAA-leading 15 entries for NCAA Indoor Championships

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — No. 1 Arkansas will have an NCAA-leading 15 opportunities to score next weekend in Birmingham, Ala., at the 2019 NCAA Indoor Championships as the Razorbacks try for their third NCAA title.

Previous Qualifier Numbers (NCAA Finish, Final Score)

• 2018 – 12 (Second, 49 points)
• 2017 – 13 (Fifth, 32 points)
• 2016 – 12 (Second, 50 points)
• 2015 – 15 (First, 63 points)
• 2014 – 13 (Sixth, 30 points)
• 2013 – 9 (Fourth, 42.5 points)
• 2012 – 10 (Fifth, 25 points)

Arkansas will be led by seniors Payton Chadwick (60-meter hurdles; 200-meters; 4×400-meters), Kiara Parker (60-meters; 4×400-meters), Lexi Jacobus (Pole Vault), Tori Hoggard (Pole Vault), Desiree Freier (Pole Vault), and Kelsey Herman (Pentathlon) all of whom were huge contributors in last week’s run to its fifth-straight Southeastern Conference indoor title.

Of the aforementioned Razorbacks, three captured SEC titles in their respective events with and Jacobus returning to the NCAA meet as the defending champion from last season.

Arkansas is the only program to field two sub-eight second hurdlers as Chadwick (7.98) and Janeek Brown (7.95) enter the indoor meet ranked No. 2 and No. 4. Chadwick captured the NCAA title last season while Brown earned First-Team All-American honors in an eighth-place finish.

Sophomore transfer Kethlin Campbell will look to become a first-time contributor for Arkansas at the national meet, following an outstanding conference debut and regular season.

Campbell finished fifth in the 400-meters at the SEC meet running a personal-best 52.60 that tied for No. 7 in program history.

Redshirt-freshman Lauren Gregory and sophomore Carina Viljoen will get their first glimpse at the indoor championships in the mile.

Gregory will also compete in the 3K  with teammate Taylor Werner where they hold the sixth and seventh-best times in the NCAA.

Arkansas will also return an NCAA-leading three pole vaulters to the national meet for the third consecutive year with Desiree Freier, Tori Hoggard, and Lexi Jacobus all on the start list.

Last season Jacobus won the indoor title with Hoggard finishing runner-up and Freier taking fifth-place.

Arkansas is the only team in the nation to qualify both a 4×400-meter relay and DMR, and the ONLY school in the nation to qualify both a men’s and women’s 4×400-meter relay and DMR.

The Razorbacks will open competition at the 2019 NCAA Indoor Championship on Friday, March 8 and the indoor season will conclude on Saturday, March 9.

Arkansas Qualifiers

60 Meters – 2. Kiara Parker, 7.15
200 Meters – 6. Payton Chadwick, 22.97
400 Meters – 12. Kethlin Campbell, 52.60
Mile – 6. Lauren Gregory, 4:32.92 | 11. Carina Viljoen, 4:33.88
3000 Meters – 6. Lauren Gregory, 8:55.97 | 7. Taylor Werner, 8:56.97
60 Hurdles– 2. Janeek Brown, 7.95 | 4. Payton Chadwick, 7.98
Pole Vault – 1. Lexi Weeks, 4.68m/15-4.25 | 2. Tori Hoggard, 4.60/15-1 | 7. Desiree Freier 4.41/14-5.50
Pentathlon – 3. Kelsey Herman, 4,330 pts.
4×400 Meter Relay – 4. Parker, Burks-Magee, Chadwick, Campbell, 3:29.69
Distance Medley Relay – 5. Gregory, Burks-Magee, Byrnes, Werner, 10:57.19

Jacobus named USTFCCCA National Athlete Of The Week after SEC Indoor title

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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NEW ORLEANS, La. — Arkansas’ Lexi Jacobus was named a U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association National Athlete of the Week following a spectacular weekend at the SEC Indoor Championships at Randal Tyson Indoor Track this past weekend.

Lexi Jacobus put herself in rarefied air this past weekend at the SEC Championships. Jacobus, competing in front of her home crowd at the Randal Tyson Track Center, became the second-best performer with the No. 2 performance in collegiate history with her title-winning clearance of 4.68m (15-4.25) in the pole vault.

Gritty doesn’t even begin to describe Jacobus’ effort on Saturday. She needed three attempts at both 4.52m (14-10) and 4.60m (15-1) before setting a PR on her first try at the height.

Her clearance also clinches the program record outright for her breaking her tie with Sandi Morris’ mark of 4.66m (15-3).

This is the second time in her career that Jacobus has been named National Athlete of the Week during the indoor season. Her first honor came back on February 21, 2017.

Jacobus and the sprint crew will head to the NCAA Indoor Championships at Birmingham Crossplex Friday-Saturday, March 8-9, in Birmingham, Ala.

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