Arkansas relief pitchers Barrett Loseke and Evan Lee along with catcher Grant Koch talked after the 5-1 win about the solid effort keeping a good-hitting Red Raiders team off balance.
Hogs-Colorado State to air prime time on CBS Sports
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas’ game against Colorado State on Sept. 8 in Fort Collins, Colorado, will kick off at 6:30 p.m. and televised live on CBS Sports Network, announced Tuesday by the Mountain West Conference.
The Razorbacks own a 3-0 advantage over the Rams in the all-time series with the last matchup coming in 1990.
All three of the previous meetings were in Little Rock, as Arkansas won 43-9 in 1974, 36-3 in 1979 and 31-20 in 1990.
Arkansas will open the 2018 season, its first under new coach Chad Morris, on Sept. 1 against Eastern Illinois at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.
Hogs get good midweek test against No. 4 Texas Tech
FAYETTEVILLE — No. 7 Arkansas is back home this week to start a five-game homestand at Baum Stadium.
In what will be its final midweek games of the 2018 season, the Hogs will get its toughest midweek test of the year as they welcome No. 4 Texas Tech starting on Tuesday.
First pitch on Tuesday between the Razorbacks and Red Raiders is set for 6:30 p.m. on SEC Network+. Game two will be on Wednesday at 6 p.m. and televised nationally on the SEC Network.
This week’s series marks the first multi-game series between the two schools since they were both part of the old Southwest Conference in 1991.
Arkansas won that series, 2-1, in Lubbock, Texas and this week’s slate of games will be the first in Fayetteville since 1990.
This week’s series will also be the fourth time this year that the Hogs will face off against a top-five opponent, and the second time at home.
In the previous nine games against top-five opponents, the Razorbacks are averaging just under eight runs per game, and have won five of those nine games.
Freshman pitcher Jackson Rutledge with be making his second mid-week start of the season, his first coming against Louisiana-Monroe on April 3.
In that game, he gave up just two hits over three innings and struck out two. Rutledge is currently 3-0 on the year with wins over USC, Memphis, and Grambling State, and has only given up three earned runs in 10 appearances
FOLLOW LIVE
Both games this week can be seen online via Watch ESPN. Game one will only be on SEC Network+ as Brett Dolan (PxP) and Troy Eklund (Analyst) will be bringing you the action. Game two will be broadcast on the SEC Network as Tom Hart (PxP) and Mike Rooney (Analyst) will cover that game.
Phil Elson will call both games on the radio with former Razorback Bubba Carpenter for the Razorback Sports Network from IMG. Those radio broadcasts are also available on the Razorback Gameday app.
IMPORTANT LINKS (ALL TIMES CENTRAL)
Tue, April 24 – Arkansas vs. Texas Tech – 6:30 p.m. – LIVE STATS | WATCH (SECN+)
Wed, April 25 – Arkansas vs. Texas Tech – 6 p.m. – LIVE STATS | WATCH (SEC Network)
PROBABLE STARTERS
TUE: ARK RHP Jackson Rutledge (2.08 ERA, 3-0, 11 K, 8 BB) vs. TTU RHP Ryan Sublette (8.62 ERA, 0-1, 13 K, 11 BB)
WED: ARK TBA vs. TTU TBA
RAZORBACK PRIME 9
• Arkansas starts a new homestand on Tuesday when it welcomes No. 4 Texas Tech for a two-game midweek series at Baum Stadium. This will be the fourth top-five opponent for the Hogs this year.
• The Razorbacks have won five-straight midweek games dating back to the March 27 contest at Memphis. Overall, Arkansas is 10-1 in midweek games this season.
• This week’s two-game series will be the first multi-game series between Arkansas and Texas Tech since 1991. The last meeting game on Feb. 28, 2016 at the Houston College Classic at Minute Maid Park.
• Sophmore Matt Cronin has nine saves on the season, which is currently second in the SEC. He needs just four more to tie the single-season Arkansas record set by Colby Suggs (13) in 2013.
• Heston Kjerstad (.368, 9 HR) and Casey Martin (.338, 8 HR) are the only Division I freshmen with a .315 average or higher and eight or more home runs.
• With his RBI-single in the first game of the doubleheader with South Carolina, Carson Shaddy hit the 200-hit mark for his career. Now at 204 hits, he needs just 25 more to crack the Arkansas all-time top 10.
• The Razorbacks are currently the best hitting team in the SEC with a .308 combined batting average. Heston Kjerstad (.368) and Carson Shaddy (.356) lead the team in hitting and are fifth and seventh in the league, respectively.
• Arkansas recorded 10 or more hits in a game twice during the Mississippi State series. This year, the Hogs have totaled 10 or more hits in 24 of 41 games and are 18-6 in those games.
• Junior Eric Cole hit a grand slam in Friday’s series opener with Mississippi State. He’s the second Razorback to hit a grand slam this year and is currently tied for the team lead with nine home runs.
DB Hernandez transferring after redshirt freshman season in 2017
Arkansas defensive back Korey Hernandez is transferring, he announced via Twitter on Monday.
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He becomes the third Razorback player to leave since spring practice ended two weeks ago. Leaving before were tight end Will Gragg and defensive back Reid Miller.
Hernandez spent just a year and a half with the Hogs, enrolling early last spring and redshirting during the 2017 season.
“I have made many unforgettable moments at the University of Arkansas and have met some great people,” Hernandez said in the message on Twitter. “But after taking time to think with my family, I have decided to part ways and continue my career elsewhere.”
Coming out of Decatur (Ga.) Cedar Grove High School, Hernandez was a three-star safety with an .8372 grade in the 247Sports Composite.
He received an offer from the Razorbacks in the summer of 2016 and committed just two days later, picking Arkansas over other Power Five offers from Georgia Tech, Maryland and Wake Forest.
Hernandez failed to crack the two-deep depth chart during spring practice, so his decision does not come as a surprise.
His transfer gets Arkansas down to 86 scholarship players for this season, assuming the Board of Directors doesn’t shoot down the proposal that the Division I Council approved last week which would allow Kevin Richardson to receive a sixth year of eligibility.
That means the Razorbacks will have to lose at least one more scholarship player before the summer.
Van Horn on midweek games with Texas Tech
Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn met with the media Monday and talked about the midweek series against Texas Tech and how that came about along with the three-game sweep by Mississippi State last weekend.
Koch on bouncing back after being swept by Bulldogs
Razorbacks catcher Grant Koch talked with the media Monday about coming back after dropping three at Mississippi State last weekend and midweek matchup with Texas Tech.
Knight on team’s dropping three games in Starkville
Arkansas pitcher Blaine Knight met with the media before Monday’s practice at Baum Stadium and talked about not wanting to be pulled in the first game of the series last weekend.
Hogs’ Shaddy feeling better after second hand injury
Arkansas second baseman Carson Shaddy met with the media before Monday’s practice and talked about having both hands hurting now and getting ready for Texas Tech midweek series.
Reaves leaving Wichita State; undecided on next stop
After two seasons at Wichita State, former Cedar Ridge standout Austin Reaves is leaving, but he’s not sure where he’s going.
Wichita State has been one of the premier mid-major programs in the country under Gregg Marshall’s tutelage the last few years and a consistent NCAA Tournament team.
Now Reaves has decided to take his talents elsewhere, and we had the chance to talk to him about his decision.
Q: Why are you leaving Wichita State?
Reaves: I just felt it was time to move on. I loved my time in Wichita and I can’t thank Coach Marshall and his staff enough for the opportunity to play for one of the best programs and for one of the greatest fan bases in sports. I wish nothing but the best for the University, the basketball program and the fans moving forward!
Q: When did you know it was time to leave?
Reaves: It built over time. I was just focused on winning with my teammates and playing as long as we could. But when the season came to an end I talked with family and support system and decided it was time to move on.
Q: Who was the first school to contact you?
Reaves: Either Oklahoma or Northern Iowa.
Q: Any pressure to come back to Arkansas or Arkansas State?
Reaves: No. I’m listening to everyone. But fit and my personal happiness playing basketball is my priority. The state of Arkansas is my home and I hope to represent Arkansas and make people proud wherever I go.
Q: How many visits will you take?
Reaves: I’m not sure. I will take as many as I need to find the right place for me.
Q: Who are your top choices as of now?
Reaves: Oklahoma, Northern Iowa, Michigan, Purdue, Indiana, Iowa State, Kansas State and Texas Tech.
Q: Who is advising you in this process?
Reaves: My mom and dad, my brother Spencer and Dillon Buchanan.
Q: Will an in-state school get a visit?
Reaves: As of right now, no. But I am still listening to everyone. I am fortunate to have a lot of great programs interested in me.
Q: You were under-recruited in high school. Does it mean something to you to finally be recruited the way you should have been?
Reaves: I wouldn’t say I was under recruited. Wichita State is one of the best programs in the country. I was thrilled to be a Shocker! But I’m grateful to know that so many great programs see something in me to pursue my abilities.
Last season, Reaves averaged 8.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game for the Shockers with 11 starts.
He will have to sit out the 2018-19 season but he will be eligible for two seasons starting in 2019-20 with whatever he school he ultimately chooses.
