???? Monday Halftime Pod — featuring Kevin McPherson of Pig Trail Nation
Phil Elson & Tye Richardson discuss reactions from the Indiana game, interview Kevin McPherson of Pig Trail Nation, plus Arkansas pulls out a series win against Bama over the weekend!
Hogs’ Nesbit named top freshman in SEC after big week at plate
FAYETTEVILLE — Jacob Nesbit was named the SEC Freshman of the Week on Monday after his strong weekend at the plate that helped the Razorbacks split a midweek series at Texas, then a crucial weekend road series against Alabama.
Nesbit started in all five games last week against the Longhorns and Crimson Tide at third base and has started all 24 games after redshirting last season.
The Coppell, Texas, native hit .421 (8-for-19) for the week, good for the second-best average on the team and extended his team-best hitting streak to 14 games, which dates back to a March 6 victory over Charlotte.
Nesbit has also reached base in 21-consecutive games, which is the longest on the team. During his 14-game hit streak, he has seen his batting average rise from .235 to .346 and has tallied five multi-hit games during that span.
On Wednesday against Texas, Nesbit tallied his first three-hit game of his career when he went 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Two days later he tied his career-high with three RBIs and finished the week with seven runs driven in.
In the same game one win over Alabama, Nesbit hit his first career home run, becoming the eighth different Razorback to hit at least one home run this season, giving him 18 RBIs for the year.
Nesbit currently leads all Razorback hitters with a .346 average and is tied for third with 27 hits.
Up next
Nesbit and the Razorbacks finish their six-game road trip with a lone midweek game at Missouri State on Tuesday in Springfield, Missouri. First pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m.
You can hear the game at ESPN Arkansas 95.3 in the River Valley, 963. in Hot Springs and 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home.
Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Monday
John & Tommy discuss Tommy’s vacation, NCAA tourney, plus Tom Murphy joins the show!
Hogs’ women golfers still in hunt at Evens-Derby Experience in Alabama
OPELIKA, Ala. — A hot start cooled on the back nine as Arkansas slipped two spots to third place after second round action at the Evens-Derby Experience at Saugahatchee Country Club in Auburn, Alabama, on Sunday.
Arkansas finished the day shooting 11-over with a 299 and is in third place at 584 (285-299). They are just five shots back of the leader, No. 2 Texas (579) and two behind No. 3 Duke (582) with one round remaining.
Senior Kaylee Benton and sophomore Maria Hoyos went low today with 1-over 73s. Benton is currently T-12 overall shooting 72-73=145. Hoyos moved into a T70 overall with rounds of 73-73=156.
Senior Maria Fassi posed a second round 76 and is 18th shooting 145 followed by senior Dylan Kim who is T-19 shooting 70-77=147. Ximena Gonzalez rounds out the Razorback scoring and is T-31 shooting 73-77=150.
Julia Dean, playing as an individual, moved up 11 spots into a T-31. She is in the clubhouse with rounds of 75-75=150.
The Lineup
| T12 | Kaylee Benton (1) | 72-73=145 | +1 |
| 18 | Maria Fassi (2) | 70-76=146 | +4 |
| T19 | Dylan Kim (3) | 70-77=147 | +5 |
| T31 | Ximena Gonzalez (4) | 73-77=150 | +8 |
| T70 | Maria Hoyos (5) | 83-73=156 | +14 |
| T31 | Julia Dean (ind) | 75-75=150 | +8 |
The Field
| 1 | Texas | 290-289=579 | +3 |
| 2 | Duke | 293-289=582 | +6 |
| 3 | Arkansas | 285-299=584 | +8 |
| 4 | Florida State | 293-292=585 | +9 |
| 5 | Kent State | 292-298=590 | +14 |
| 6 | Florida | 288-304=592 | +16 |
| 7 | Auburn | 290-303=593 | +17 |
| 8 | Baylor | 296-298=594 | +18 |
| T9 | South Carolina | 296-302=598 | +22 |
| T9 | Mississippi St. U. | 294-304=598 | +22 |
| T11 | Clemson | 305-296=601 | +25 |
| T11 | Ole Miss | 305-296=601 | +25 |
| 13 | Louisville | 302-306=608 | +32 |
| 14 | Alabama | 301-313=614 | +38 |
Five score in double figures as Hogs destroy UAB in WNIT second round
FAYETTEVILLE — Five players in double figures paced Arkansasto a dominating 100-52 win over Alabama-Birmingham in the second round of the Women’s National Invitational Tournament in Bud Walton Arena on Sunday.
The win pits Arkansas (22-14) against former Southwest Conference rival TCU (22-10) Thursday in Bud Walton Arena.
Tip is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tickets are on sale now online here.
The Razorbacks made a school record 15 3-pointers, shooting 15-for-30 and 37-for-72 (51.7 percent) overall from the floor for the game. Arkansas jumped out to a 26-10 lead after the first quarter and never looked back, leading by 52-22 at the break.
The Hogs put up 31 points in the third quarter and pushed their lead to 50 points in the second half.
Every Razorback who saw the floor scored with five reaching double digits, including Alexis Tolefree who paced the Razorbacks with 17 points and a career-high eight rebounds.
Chelsea Dungee added 13, Malica Monk scored 15 and Bailey Zimmerman and Jailyn Mason had 11 points each.
Notes
• Arkansas Starters: Alexis Tolefree, Malica Monk, Kiara Williams, Jailyn Mason, Chelsea Dungee
• Arkansas’ 22 wins is the 20th 20+ win season and the first since 2011-12.
• Jailyn Mason has scored in double figures in 6-of-last-9 games.
• Arkansas held UAB to 10 points in the first quarter. It is the third time this season Razorback opponents have been held to 10 or fewer points in the opening frame.
• Alexis Tolefree had eight rebounds for a career-high.
• Arkansas led 52-22 at the half. The 30-point advantage is the best of the season.
• Arkansas had a school-record 15 made 3-point field goals. It is the 12th game of the year in double figures from distance.
• Arkansas played 12 players and everyone scored in the game.
• Post players Kiara Williams (8 pts, 7 reb) and Taylah Thomas (3 pts, 6 reb) played 30 minutes helping Arkansas score 36 points in the paint and win the rebounding battle, 52-37, over UAB.
Arkansas drops second road match, falling to LSU on Sunday
BATON ROUGE, La. — Arkansas’ men’s tennis team dropped its second road match of the weekend in Baton Rouge, La., to the Tigers of LSU, 5-2, on Sunday afternoon.
Court three was to decide the doubles point after Arkansas and LSU split matchups on courts one and two.
Tied 5-5, Boris Kozlov and his partner Nick Watson won the next two sets over Alex Reco and Joes Dominguez Alonso for a 7-5 final as the Tigers took a 1-0 lead heading into singles play.
The Tigers quickly jumped to a 3-0 lead as they defeated Pedro Dominguez Alonso and Enrique Paya in two set contests.
The match was clinched on court six as Nick Watson was victorious over Jose Dominguez Alonso in three sets 2-6, 6-4, ,6-2.
The Tigers would hold a 5-0 lead before the Razorbacks would secure their first points of the match.
Alex Reco and No. 53 Oscar Mesquida each won their matchups, each winning in three sets after dropping the first set in their respective contests.
The Razorbacks head to Ole Miss this Thursday before returning home to hose Mississippi State and UAPB in a Saturday doubleheader.
Doubles Results – Order of Finish (1,2,3)
1. Oscar Mesquida/Adam Sanjurjo (ARK) def. Rafael Wagner/Joey Thomas (LSU) 6-3
2. Daniel Moreno/Shane Monroe (LSU) def. Maxim Verboven/Enrique Playa (ARK) 6-4
3. Boris Kozlov/Nick Watson (LSU) def. Alex Reco/Jose Alonso (ARK) 7-5
Singles Results – Order of Finish (5,4,6,2,3,1)
1. No. 53 Oscar Mesquida (ARK) def. Shane Monroe (LSU) 3-6, 7-5, 6-3
2. Rafael Wagner (LSU) def. Adam Sanjurjo (ARK) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
3. Alex Reco (ARK) def. Malik Bhatnagar (LSU) 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5)
4. Boris Kozlov (LSU) def. Enrique Playa (ARK) 6-4, 6-4
5. Joey Thomas (LSU) def. Pedro Alonso (ARK) 6-1, 6-2
6. Nick Watson (LSU) def. Jose Alonso (ARK) 2-6, 6-4, 6-2
Razorbacks finish homestand with rally against Aggies that falls just short
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas’ women’s tennis team came up short against No. 11 Texas A&M Sunday afternoon, closing out a five-match homestand.
The Razorbacks dropped the doubles point at the top two positions, with Lauren Alter and Thea Rice falling 6-3 to No. 55 Renee McBryde and Katya Townsend.
The Aggies clinched the point at the No. 1 position as Martina Zerulo and Tatum Rice fell to No. 63 Tatiana Makarova and Jayci Goldsmith.
Arkansas bounced back and evened the match at 1-1, with No. 79 Tatum Rice defeating No. 106 Goldsmith 7-6(6), 6-2. The Hogs pulled ahead of Texas A&M with a 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory from No. 115 Martina Zerulo over No. 50 Townsend.
The Aggies tied the match for the second time, as Miruna Tudor fell in the tiebreaker set at the No. 5 position.
The Razorbacks pulled ahead 3-2 as Jackie Carr earned a 2-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory before Texas A&M tied the match as Alter fell 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 at the No. 4 position.
The Aggies clinched the match in the tiebreaker set at the No. 3 position, with Laura Rijkers falling 6-2, 5-7, 7-5.
The Hogs will return to the court next weekend, closing out March play in Mississippi.
No. 11 Texas A&M 4, No. 46 Arkansas 3
Doubles Results – Order of Finish (2,1)
1. No. 63 Tatiana Makarova/Jayci Goldsmith (TAMU) def. Martina Zerulo/Tatum Rice (ARK) 6-4
2. No. 55 Renee McBryde/Katya Townsend (TAMU) def. Lauren Alter/Thea Rice (ARK) 6-3
3. No. 67 Riley McQuaid/Lucia Quiterio (TAMU) vs. Laura Rijkers/Jackie Carr (ARK) 5-5, unfinished
Singles Results – Order of Finish (2,1,5,6,4,3)
1. No. 115 Martina Zerulo (ARK) def. No. 50 Katya Townsend (TAMU) 1-6, 6-4, 6-3
2. No. 79 Tatum Rice (ARK) def. No. 106 Jayci Goldsmith (TAMU) 7-6 (8-6), 6-2
3. Tatiana Makarova (TAMU) def. Laura Rijkers (ARK) 6-2, 5-7, 7-5
4. Renee McBryde (TAMU) def. Lauren Alter (ARK) 7-5, 5-7, 6-3
5. Riley McQuaid (TAMU) def. Miruna Tudor (ARK) 6-1, 6-7 (1-7), 6-2
6. Jackie Carr (ARK) def. Dorthea Faa-Hviding (TAMU) 2-6, 6-1, 6-4
Hogs can’t get key hits in late innings as Tennessee takes series with 5-2 win
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Arkansas couldn’t put together enough late hits Sunday afternoon and dropped the weekend series against No. 5 Tennessee, 5-2.
Arkansas (22-9, 4-5) scored first. Sydney Parr took her first at-bat up the middle and to the warning track in center field for a triple. Hannah McEwen followed with a sacrifice to centerfield, scoring Parr from third, putting the Hogs ahead, 1-0.
The sacrifice by McEwen is Arkansas’ 15th of the season, an SEC best.
Tennessee (26–5, 4-2) capitalized on an error by the Hogs on a two-out dropped fly ball to tie the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth.
After a lead-off strikeout by starter Mary Haff in the fifth, the Lady Volunteers strung together four runs on three hits and another Razorback error to take a 5-1 lead.
Autumn Storms came on in relief for Haff in the fourth, retiring the final five Lady Vols in order through the next inning.
Designated player Danielle Gibson sent one into right field for a base hit in the sixth inning, as Arkansas and pinch-runner Sam Torres got to third after a double by Ashley Diaz, then scored as Katie Warrick put the ball in play and was thrown out at first.
The rally ended there for Arkansas as the next two batters would be retired by Lady Vols reliever Matty Moss.
Arkansas recorded five hits in the contest, two from Gibson and one a piece from Diaz, Parr, and pinch-hitter Ryan Jackson.
Haff followed her career-best performance with another impressive show in the circle, striking out five Lady Vols while allowing only four hits in 22 batters faced.
The Razorbacks continue their road stint with a double-header at Texas-Arlington on Tuesday, then jump back into SEC play with a home series against No. 18 Kentucky starting Friday.
Tolefree, Neighbors on Hogs rolling past UAB, 100-52, in WNIT
Alexis Tolefree (17 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists) and coach Mike Neighbors with the media after advancing with huge win Sunday.
UAB’s Norton: ‘We ran into a buzzsaw’ in whopping loss to Razorbacks
Alabama-Birmingham coach Randy Norton talked after the 100-52 loss that Arkansas jumped out early and there really wasn’t a whole lot the Blazers could do.
