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Fletcher’s late homer gives Hogs shot before falling in 10 innings against USC

LOS ANGELES — Junior Dominic Fletcher nearly became the Arkansas hero Saturday night after he hit the go-ahead home run in the top of the 10th inning Saturday night at Dedeaux Field.

However, USC came back with three runs in the bottom half of the frame, including getting a two-run walk-off home run from CJ Stubbs, to beat the Hogs, 6-4, and prevent the three-game sweep.

The Razorbacks (5-1) and Trojans (3-3) were locked in a pitchers’ duel throughout the majority of the game, but late-game hits provided a back-and-forth battle in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings that eventually took the game into extra innings.

Christian Franklin’s RBI in the seventh tied the game at 2-2 and Fletcher launched his first home run of the year with a solo bomb in the 10th.

But, USC, with the benefit of the final at-bat, got three hits in the bottom half, including a game-tying single by Jamal O’Guinn followed by the two-run homer by Stubbs.

It’s the first extra-inning game for the Razorbacks this year, but was the second-lowest run output by the Hog offense in the season’s first six games.

Arkansas was 1-1 in extra-inning games a year ago. Even with the loss, Arkansas takes the series from the Trojans marking its first road series win since taking 2-of-3 from Alabama in Tuscaloosa in 2017.

Nine Razorbacks recorded at least one of Arkansas’ 11 hits in the game. Jacob Nesbit and Christian Franklin, Arkansas’ Nos. 8 and 9 hitters, each posted two hits to lead the team.

Franklin drove in two runs for the second-straight night and had one of the biggest hits of the game when his single up the middle scored pinch runner Casey Opitz in the seventh inning, tying the game at 2-2.

Starting pitcher Connor Noland, making his second start of the year, went four innings, but was not as sharp as a week ago, giving up two earned runs on three hits, including a solo home run, with two strikeouts.

Junior Jacob Kostyshock was first out of the bullpen and kept the USC offense in check, retiring the first 10 batters he faced and ended up going 3.2 innings with three strikeouts.

Over his two outings this season, Kostyshock has only allowed one run in 8.2 innings and not allowed more than three hits in both outings.

Sophomore Casey Martin, who had one hit on Saturday, finishes the weekend as Arkansas’ top hitter, going 4-for-14 (.286) with three extra-base hits and five RBIs.

Four other players came away with three hits in the series including, Trevor Ezell, Fletcher, Jack Kenley and Heston Kjerstad.

Ezell was one of the toughest outs in the series, as he reached base seven times in 15 plate appearances, batting out of the three hole. The graduate senior drew four walks, three in Friday’s game two, and reached on an error twice in game one, while also stealing a combined three bases.

Razorback Quotables

“It was a really good weekend for us. Obviously, we wanted to win game three and sweep the series. USC has a lot of talented players, they have good arms on the mound, and to come out here and win two of three is good. We were so close to sweeping it that would have made it a really good weekend. We learned a lot about our team. We learned a lot about how to coach some guys in certain situations and we learned a little about the toughness of some of our players. I’m disappointed with the loss, but not disappointed with the effort at all.”  — Coach Dave Van Horn the Saturday loss, but getting the series win over USC

“I talked with the team about how fragile the game is. When you’re playing good competition and make a little mistake here, whether it be the dropped pop-up or not getting a bunt down or you just miss a spot. It’s a fine line between winning and losing. We might have lost tonight, but maybe it will help us win a game in a week or two.”  — Van Horn on what he told the team after the game

Up Next

Arkansas returns home for a 13-game homestand next week starting with a single mid-week game against Memphis on Wednesday at Baum-Walker Stadium.

First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. and will be televised on SEC Network+.

Anderson: ‘They’ve got to do better job … and some of that’s on me’

Razorbacks coach Mike Anderson said after the 87-80 loss to Texas A&M on Saturday night at Bud Walton, the fifth straight, “I don’t know if I’ve got a lot of patience for that.”

Gafford on ‘bitter pill to swallow’ in another loss before home crowd

Arkansas center Daniel Gafford (23 points, 13 rebounds) talked about the disappointment for himself and the team in another loss at Bud Walton Arena, this time to the Aggies.

Aggies’ Kennedy after getting win over Razorbacks at Bud Walton

Texas A&M coach Billy Kennedy talked with the media after leading the Hogs for 25:17 of the 87-80 win where they held off a late run and made free throws.

Arkansas literally runs away with fifth straight SEC Indoor title Saturday

FAYETTEVILLE — No. 1 Arkansas absolutely ran away from the competition as the Razorbacks built up an 81-point buffer between them and second-place Florida scoring 151-points over the 17-event competition to capture its fifth-straight SEC Indoor Track and Field Championship on Saturday night at Randal Tyson.

Arkansas has now captured 14 out of the last 15 SEC Team Championship titles between cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track.

Tonight’s title is the ninth all-time SEC Indoor Championship for the Arkansas women’s program having also won titles in 2000, 2001, 2003, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018.

Lexi Jacobus captured her second SEC Indoor pole vault title, fifth-overall SEC title, in spectacular fashion clearing an SEC Championships meet record, a program record, and personal-best 4.68m (15-4.25).

Jacobus attempted 12-bars before clearing the winning height and sending the crowd into a roar of cheers for the Cabot, Arkansas native.

Taylor Werner had quite a day, completing the sweep of the 3K/5K as well as earning finishing in a tie for the Cliff Harper Trophy (awarded to the high-point scorer at the SEC Indoor Championship) as Werner and Florida’s Yanis David each scored 20 points.

Werner made quick work of the 3,000-meter final, crossing the finish line in 9:15.57 to become the first Razorback since Penny Splichal to complete the feat. Devin Clark finished third in the 3K running 9:26.33, while Reed returned to score again crossing the line in seventh-place (9:40.63)

Jacobus was joined in scoring by Tori Hoggard who cleared 4.60m (15-1) for second-place and Desiree Freier in fifth-place with a best clearance of 4.24m (13-11).

Lauren Gregory picked up the momentum on the track right where it left off Friday night as she cruised to a title in the Mile, running 4:39.50 leading the Hogs in an SEC sweep of the event. Carina Viljoen finished runner-up in 4:41.40 while Maddy Reed made it official with a third-place finish in 4:43.03.

Next on the track for Arkansas were three more scoring opportunities as Kiara Parker, Janeek Brown, and Jada Baylark stepped to the track for the final of the 60-meters.

Parker who led the nation for most of the indoor season finished fourth followed by Brown and Baylark in fifth and sixth-place, adding to the Razorback total. Parker returned to score in the 200-meters finishing seventh.

Kethlin Campbell and Morgan Burks-Magee scored in the 400-meter final finishing fifth and sixth, respectively with times of 52.60 and 53.05. Campbell’s time finished tied for the seventh-best time in program history with Jessica Cousin’s effort from 2007.

Sydney Hammit also scored for Arkansas with an eighth-place finish running 54.09 seconds.

Payton Chadwick and Brown added to the Razorback total with their 1-2 finish in the 60-meter hurdles. Chadwick captured her first SEC 60-hurdle title running 8.02 while Brown followed close behind in 8.09 for silver.

Chadwick would return in the 200-meters posting a second-place finish in 23.01.

Alex Byrnes grabbed a fifth-place finish in the 800-meters running a personal-best 2:06.70 in the four-lap race.

Arkansas closed out the meet with a season-best time in the women’s 4×400-meter relay that also stands at the No. 3 all-time performance in Razorback history with their time of 3:29.69 for fourth-place.

With the SEC Championships in the books, Arkansas looks to the NCAA Indoor Championships in Birmingham, Ala., where the men and women who finished in the top-16 of individual events, as well as the top-12 relays from each gender on the final descending order list, will advance.

Gibson makes history with home run cycle at Razorback Invitational

FAYETTEVILLE — Sophomore transfer Danielle Gibson has made her mark on Arkansas softball forever, helping the Razorbacks to a five-inning 15-3 win over SIU-Edwardsville on Saturday night.

Gibson became the first NCAA Division I softball player to hit for the home run cycle — a solo, two-run and three-run home run, and a grand slam — in four innings.

Gibson’s hits were only four of the Hogs’ 15 hits against the Cougars. Headed into today’s games, the Hogs were averaging less than seven runs a game; their 15 runs are the most by the Razorbacks this season.

Arkansas recognized trouble when SIUE opened the first frame with back-to-back extra base hits, pushing the Cougars out to an early 2-0 lead.

The Razorbacks responded with three runs of their own in the bottom of the first, thanks to Gibson’s two-RBI home run that scored teammate Hannah McEwen.

Senior Katie Warrick followed Gibson’s hit with a walk and would later score the third run off the bat of Maggie Hicks and a well-executed sacrifice hit to left field.

Arkansas kept rolling them in, scoring four and five runs in the second and third innings respectively. Gibson’s second-inning home run scored both Haydi Bugarin and Sydney Parr after the duo reached on consecutive base hits.

Sophomore catcher Kayla Green did her part in the win as well, with an RBI sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Warrick from third for the second time that night.

The Razorbacks loaded the bases in the third inning for Gibson, and with Bugarin, Parr, and McEwen on base – Gibson soared one out way over the fence, securing her grand slam in poetic fashion and giving the Hogs a 12-3 lead over the Cougars.

The fourth inning brought more theatrics to Bogle Park as juniors Ryan Jackson and Aly Manzo teamed up for back-to-back triples to right field both taking the second pitch from SIUE’s Corrina Rivas deep down the line.

After Manzo scored on a wild pitch, Gibson stepped up and did the unthinkable, unleashing on her fourth and final trip around the bases, this time a solo home run on a 3-1 count.

The 12-run victory was the Hog’s second match of the day, after battling Drake and dropping the match up, 3-1.

Arkansas struggled offensive against the Bulldogs, whose starting pitcher, Nicole Newman threw a complete seven innings, striking out 11 Hogs and giving up only three hits.

The Hogs’ lone run came in the fifth inning, when sophomore second baseman Nicole Duncan led off with a hit-by-pitch call and scored off the bat of McEwen whose hard-hit ball to right center was just out of reach for the Bulldog defense.

Up Next

Arkansas returns to Bogle Park on Sunday to close out the Razorback Invitational with a 12:15 pm first pitch against IUPUI.

Following this weekend, the Hogs will host the Woo Pig Classic, starting Thursday at Bogle Park.

Griffith’s win in 3,000 meters paces Hogs’ runner-up finish at SEC Indoor meet

FAYETTEVILLE — Led by Cameron Griffith’s SEC title in the 3,000-meters, Arkansas finished runner-up at the 2019 SEC Indoor Track and Field Championships scoring 88 points over the two-day competition at Randal Tyson Indoor Track Center.

Coming off a day that saw Gilbert Boit bring home an SEC title in the 5,000-meters, Arkansas hit the track looking for points to put towards the team total.

Cameron Griffith struck paydirt first for the Razorbacks as the senior collected a silver medal in the final of the Mile running 4:02.05 in a close finish as Ole Miss’ Waleed Sulman was able to get the lean for the win besting Griffith by a mere .03 seconds. Ethan Moehn scored in the mile final as well finishing seventh in 4:06.70.

Griffith would return later in the meet to avenge his loss and defend his SEC title at 3,000-meters from last season as he outkicked Alabama’s Gilbert Kigen running 8:02.81 for the win. Gilbert Boit was close behind in fourth-place while Austen Dalquist rounded out scoring for Arkansas in the event with a seventh-place finish.

Laquan Nairn turned in a personal-best mark in the triple jump, earning a third-place finish after leaping out to a distance of 16.03m (52-7.25).

The 4×400-meter relay of Travean Caldwell, Roy Ejiakuekwu, Hunter Woodhall and John Winn raced to a third-place finish running a season-best time of 3:05.71 led by Woodhall’s split of 45.38 that was the second-fastest of any leg by any team in the final.

Hunter Woodhall and Jalen Brown represented the Hogs in the final of the men’s 400-meters finishing seventh and eighth.

Carl Elliot III finished seventh in the 60-meter hurdles, running 7.88 seconds.

Kieran Taylor turned in a sixth-place finish in the 800-meters running 1:50.89.

Roy Ejiakuekwu finished seventh in the 200-meters running 21.06.

With the SEC Championships in the books, Arkansas looks to the NCAA Indoor Championships in Birmingham, Ala. where the men and women who finished in the top-16 of individual events, as well as the top-12 relays from each gender on the final descending order list, will advance.

Razorbacks suffer shutout loss at No. 8 Kansas in final non-conference match

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Arkansas fell 7-0 at No. 8 Kansas Saturday afternoon in its final match before opening SEC play.

The Hogs opened doubles play with a split at the top and bottom positions, as Tatum Rice and Martina Zerulo fell to the No. 3 ranked pair in the country while Jackie Carr and Laura Rijkers earned a 6-3 victory over No. 39 Maria Toran Ribas and Malkia Ngounoue.

The Jayhawks clinched the doubles point as Thea Rice and Lauren Alter fell to No. 51 Anastasia Rychagova and Sonia Smagina.

Kansas went up 2-0 as Thea Rice fell 6-2, 6-3, and the team got within one as Zerulo fell to No. 79 Janet Koch. The Jayhawks clinched the match at the No. 1 position, as No. 81 Tatum Rice fell 7-6 (4), 6-1 to No. 47 Rychagova.

Playing through the clinch, the Hogs went down 5-0 as Carr fell 6-3, 6-3. Alter picked up a second-set win to force a tiebreaker set, but dropped the match 6-2, 4-6, 6-3. Rijker’s match also went to the third set, with the freshman falling 6-3, 7-6, 1-0(8).

Arkansas will return to the court next weekend to open conference play, facing No. 25 Kentucky and No. 2 Vanderbilt on the road.

For more information on Razorback women’s tennis, follow @RazorbackWTEN on Twitter.

No. 8 Kansas 7, No. 41 Arkansas 0

Doubles Results – Order of Finish (1,3,2)
1. No. 3 Janet Koch/Nina Khmelnitckaia (KU) def. Tatum Rice/Martina Zerulo (ARK) 6-3
2. No. 51 Anastasia Rychagova/Sonia Smagina (KU) def. Thea Rice/Lauren Alter (ARK) 6-4
3. Jackie Carr/Laura Rijkers (ARK) def. #39 Maria Toran Ribas/Malkia Ngounoue (KU) 6-3

Singles Results – Order of Finish (6,2,1,3,5,4)
1. No. 47 Anastasia Rychagova (KU) def. #81 Tatum Rice (ARK) 7-6 (4-0), 6-1
2. No. 79 Janet Koch (KU) def. Martina Zerulo (ARK) 6-3, 6-1
3. Ploburng Plipuech (KU) def. Jackie Carr (ARK) 6-3, 6-3
4. Nina Khmelnitckaia (KU) def. Laura Rijkers (ARK) 6-3, 6-7, 10-8
5. Maria Toran Ribas (KU) def. Lauren Alter (ARK) 6-2, 4-6, 6-3
6. Sonia Smagina (KU) def. Thea Rice (ARK) 6-2, 6-3

Hopkin takes silver medal, relay gets bronze medal on final day at SEC Championships

ATHENS, Ga. — In the final day at the SEC Championships, the 400-yard freestyle relay team earned bronze and junior Anna Hopkin earned her second silver medal of the meet.

Arkansas had a total of five podium finishes, with sophomore Brooke Schultz taking the 1- and 3-meter titles earlier in the week.

“I’m really excited about how we finished the meet. We had a great first day and we brought it through to tonight. It was a total team effort and I’m so proud,” coach Neil Harper said.

The first event of the day was the 200-yard backstroke, where freshman Rachel Rodriguez set a personal best time of 2:00.48 to earn a 41st place finish while senior Maddie Umberger set a season-best time of 2:00.30 to finish in 40th place.

In the 200-yard breaststroke, senior Sydney Angell earned a 33rd place finish with a time of 2:16.17. Emma Garfield finished in 29th place with a season-best time of 2:14.50, just 0.14 seconds from tying her personal best, and Vanessa Herrmann tied for 24th place (2:13.24).

The 100 yard freestyle saw nine Razorbacks compete, with four setting either a personal or season best. Annah Carney earned a 58th place finish with a time of 51.08, while Brittney Pike finished in 55th place and set a personal best (50.94).

Erin Kelly earned a 54th place finish with a time of 50.87 and Kiera Michailoff-Russell’s time of 50.62 tied for 50th place.

Kenedy Thaman set a personal best time of 50.50 for a 49th place finish, while Molly Moore earned a 46th place finish with a time of 50.39.

Marlena Pigliacampi set a season-best time of 50.10 to finish in 38th place.

Kobie Melton earned a sixth-place finish with a time of 49.60, advancing to the C-finals where she earned a 23rd place finish (49.75). Hopkin earned a sixth-place finish (48.06) to advance to the A-finals, where she took second-place overall with a time of 41.71.

The final individual event was the 1650 yard freestyle, where Alyssa Lemon posted a season-best time of 17:12.35 to earn a 31st place finish while Rachel Rodriguez finished in 30th place (17:01.39).

Peyton Palsha recorded a season-best time of 16:22.97 to earn a 14th place finish and an NCAA ‘B’ cut.

The 400 yard freestyle relay team of Melton, Hopkin, Moore, and Pigliacampi capped off the meet with a third-place finish (3:14.65) to set a school record and make an NCAA ‘A’ cut.

The relay was the ninth-fastest in the nation and first time since 2016 that the Hogs have medaled in the event.

“Anna, Kobie, Marlena, and Molly have been reliable all year and to see the team excited and cheering their hearts out was amazing,” Harper said. “We did a lot of things that we wanted to accomplish.

“The relay team medaled, which we haven’t done in a long time, we got the NCAA ‘A’ cut, which we haven’t done in a long time, and the third-place relay secured our eighth-place finish, we haven’t done in a long time.

“I’m so happy for them and all their work and all the work of our staff. We felt the love from the Razorback nation, and we finished in a great way.”

The Hogs finished in eighth place with 517 points. The finish is the highest under Harper and highest since 2014. Following the meet, Schultz was recognized as SEC Diver of the Meet.

Arkansas comes from behind to down Southern Cal, take series

LOS ANGELES — Arkansas came back from a three-run deficit in the middle innings and scored six of its eight runs with two outs Friday night to earn a series victory over USC with an 8-6 win at Dedeaux Field.

Sophomore Casey Martin and junior Jack Kenley led the team, offensively, with two hits each. Kenley led all players with a career-high three RBIs, including the important insurance run that was scored by Christian Franklin in the top of the ninth.

Martin notched his second-straight multi-RBI game as he went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a walk. Martin provided one of the biggest hits of the night when he smacked a two-run home run in the fifth inning well over the tall screen beyond the wall at Dedeaux Field.

It was his first home run of the year and put Arkansas ahead 5-4, the final lead change of the night.

On the mound, redshirt junior Isaiah Campbell had another strong outing even though the stat sheet may not show it. Campbell went 5.1 innings and allowed six runs with only three being earned.

The Razorback defense behind him suffered the error bug in the third inning, which led to four USC runs, but Campbell settled back in over the remainder of his outing, striking out three in the fourth and fifth innings.

Campbell moves to 2-0 with the win and has worked at least five innings with five strikeouts in both of his outings.

Junior closer Matt Cronin also picked up his second save in as many days as he pitched a perfect ninth inning with one strikeout on 11 pitches.

Welcome Back Kevin Kopps

Redshirt junior Kevin Kopps made his first appearance since going through Tommmy John surgery a year ago. Kopps, who hadn’t made an official appearance since the postseason of 2017, was the first man out of the bullpen Friday night after Isaiah Campbell was pulled in the sixth inning.

Kopps inherited two runners on base before throwing his first pitch, but went on to throw scoreless seventh and eighth innings to set up the save situation for Matt Cronin. Kopps faced nine batters and gave up three hits on 28 pitches.

Way Out Of Here

Much had been discussed about the West Coast “marine layer” before the Razorbacks traveled to Los Angeles to take on USC.

Well-hit balls that would normally go over the fence don’t travel as well at night along the coast, but that didn’t seem to bother Casey Martin Friday night.

In the fifth inning with Christian Franklin on second, Martin unloaded a 3-1 pitch for his first home run of the year, completing a three-run Razorback comeback to push Arkansas ahead 5-4.

Martin’s home run landed on the other side of the tall screen that sits roughly 20-25 feet beyond the left field fence and was Arkansas’ fifth home run as a team this year.

Kenley Deadly With Two Outs

Infielder Jack Kenley’s first hit of the night started an Arkansas rally in the fourth inning. With USC leading 4-1, Kenley laced a two-run triple down the right field line to make it a one-run game.

It was his first hit of the night and first hit of the weekend as Arkansas used that momentum to score four more runs over the fifth and sixth innings and take the lead.

Kenley did it again in the ninth inning singling home Curtis Washington, Jr., with two outs to provide the needed insurance run and his third RBI of the game.

Razorback Quotables

“Bottom line, we found a way to come back and win the ballgame tonight. It started off well, but we had a bad defensive inning. We left a lot of runners out there, but we got three or four really big two-out hits. Just proud of the team, fighting back to win. It was really good to see (Isaiah) Campbell come back after giving up a few runs in the third and give us two quality innings that really helped us save our bullpen.”  — Coach Dave Van Horn on the series win over USC

“He played great defense and then he got two really big hits, which were both big two-out hits that got us within one in the fourth and in the ninth that doubled our lead. The difference between a two-run lead and a one-run lead going into the bottom of the ninth on the road is huge. It was great to see him swing the bat so well. We’ve seen it in practice and in scrimmages a lot. Now, he’s taken it to the field.”  — Van Horn on Jack Kenley’s two-hit, three RBI night

Up Next

Arkansas and USC will finish its series on Saturday with game three set for 8 p.m. at Dedeaux Field. The game will, once again, be broadcast on PAC-12 Plus.

Hogs split first day of Razorback Invitational, downing SEMO, beating SIU-Edwardsville

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas split day two of the Razorback Invitational, taking a 6-1 loss to Southeast Missouri State and following up with a hard-earned 2-1 walk-off win over SIU-Edwardsville.

The walk-off win came at the hands of sophomore Hannah McEwen, who scored Haydi Bugarin on a base hit up the middle. Bugarin reached on a leadoff hit-by-pitch call before advancing to second and then third with a sacrifice bunt from sophomore Nicole Duncan and a ground out by junior Sydney Parr.

McEwen connected on a 2-1 pitch and celebration ensued as Bugarin made her way across home plate.

Arkansas found themselves trailing its opponent for the second time in the same day, and the Razorbacks battled back to overcome a one-run deficit in the sixth with the help of sophomore transfer Danielle Gibson, whose RBI single to left field scored McEwen.

The defensive dual left a total of eight runners on base, six of them Hogs, as opposing pitching staffs combined for not a single walk from start to finish.

The thrilling victory goes in the books as head coach Courtney Deifel’s 100thwin as a Razorback, after picking up the program just four short years ago, Coach Deifel has transformed the program into a national contender year-after-year.

The win was much needed after the Razorbacks dropped the earlier game to Southeast Missouri State. The loss is just one day removed from when the Hogs recorded five runs in the fourth inning of a 7-1 win over the Redhawks.

Starting pitcher Mary Haff kept SEMO scoreless through four innings of play, but the Redhawks had seen enough of the sophomore’s portfolio and come the fifth frame, scored two runs on two hits – including Haff’s first allowed home run of the season.

Teammate Autumn Storms tagged in during the fifth inning, but after seeing Storms for seven innings just the night before, the Redhawks quickly familiarized themselves and tacked on four additional runs in the top of the seventh inning with five hits against the Hog defense.

Arkansas was unable to recover from the late rally, falling to the Redhawks. It would stand as the first time this year the Hogs were outhit. The Razorbacks continue to struggle with scoring runners on base, stranding 11 in the loss – only against #5 Washington did the Hogs leave 10 or more runners on base.

Up Next

The Hogs return to Bogle tomorrow, Sunday (Feb. 24) for another double-header, slated to host Drake at 2:30 p.m. and SIU-E once more at 4:45 p.m. The Razorbacks will close out the tournament on Sunday, with a 12:15 p.m. first pitch against IUPUI.