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Razorbacks kick off long homestand against ULM

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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FAYETTEVILLE — After one of its longest roadtrips in recent seasons, No. 5 Arkansas returns home for 15 of their next 18 games, starting with a two-game midweek series with Louisiana-Monroe beginning on Tuesday.

First pitch with the Warhawks is set for 6:30 p.m. at Baum Stadium and the series will continue on Wednesday at 3 p.m.

FOLLOW LIVE

Both games will be streamed via SEC Network+, the online-only arm of the SEC Network on WatchESPN.com and the Watch ESPN app. Brett Dolan (play-by-play) and Troy Eklund (Analyst) will have the call for both games.

Phil Elson will call all three games on the radio for the Razorback Sports Network from IMG and he’ll be joined by former Razorback Bubba Carpenter.

The radio broadcasts are also available on the Razorback Gameday app.

IMPORTANT LINKS (ALL TIMES CENTRAL)
Tue, April 3 – Arkansas vs. ULM – 6:30 p.m. – LIVE STATS | WATCH
Wed, April 4 – Arkansas vs. ULM – 3 p.m. – LIVE STATS | WATCH

PROBABLE STARTERS
TUE: ARK RHP Jackson Rutledge (0.00 ERA, 2-0, 8 K, 6 BB) vs. ULM RHP Stephen Morrison (3.77 ERA, 2-0, 7 K, 6 BB)

WED: ARK TBA vs. ULM TBA

For the last eight games and roughly two weeks, Arkansas had to play away from Baum Stadium, including weekend series at No. 2 Florida and, most recently, No. 4 Ole Miss.

Now, the Hogs get to return to the friendly confines of their home field, a place where they’ve thrived.

Arkansas has built up a 14-2 record in series wins over Bucknell, Dayton, USC, Kent State, Texas, and, most recently, No. 4 Kentucky at Baum Stadium this year.

As a team, the Razorbacks are hitting .358, while the pitching staff has garnered a 2.71 ERA. The starting pitchers have picked up seven of the 14 victories, while the staff as a whole is holding batters to a .233 average.

At the plate, the Hogs have smashed 36 of its season’s 53 homers at Baum Stadium and are slugging a combined .629.

One player that has been red hot at home and on the road is freshman outfielder Heston Kjerstad.

The Amarillo, Texas native was the best hitter on the team during the eight-game road stretch hitting .455 and leading the team in all the slash categories (.970 slugging percentage, .514 on-base percentage), and he’s totaled 15 hits with nine going for extra bases.

He also clubbed four home runs after hitting just three in the first 20 games of the season. Over his last 10 games, the Amarillo, Texas native has hit .450 (18-for-40) with five home runs and 12 RBIs.

He’s currently on a 12-game hitting streak, which is the longest active streak on the team.

As a team, Arkansas has the best offense in the SEC leading in batting average (.337), runs scored (71), slugging percentage (.607), on-base percentage (.408), hits (114), RBIs (70), home runs (24), and total bases (205) heading into the fourth week of SEC play.

RAZORBACK PRIME 9

• Arkansas now sits at 19-9 on the year and 5-4 in the SEC, which still puts it in a tie for second in the SEC Western Division, one game behind Ole Miss.

• In its nine conference games, the Hogs have continued to show a strong offense, hitting a combined .337 with 71 runs scored and 24 home runs.

• The Razorbacks lead all SEC teams in batting average (.337), runs scored (71), slugging percentage (.607), on-base percentage (.408), hits (114), RBIs (70), home runs (24), and total bases (205) after the first three weeks of conference play.

• Infielder Carson Shaddy led all Hog hitters over last week’s four-game stretch, hitting an even .400 with six hits in 15 at-bats.

Shaddy also drove in six RBIs over that stretch with one home run and one stolen base.

• Shaddy has at least one hit in 11 of his last 13 games and now has eight multi-hit games.

• It’s been a strong roadtrip for Kjerstad as he’s hit .455 over the eight-game stretch, leading the team in all the slash categories (.970 slugging percentage, .514 on-base percentage), and he’s totaled 15 hits with nine going for extra bases.

He also clubbed four home runs after hitting just three in the first 20 games of the season.

• Kjerstad currently has the third-best batting average in the SEC .390 and is on a 12-game hitting streak, the longest active streak on the team.

• After falling by one run in both games two and three at Ole Miss over the weekend, Arkansas has now played eight one-run games this season, winning three against Arizona, USC and Memphis.

• The Razorbacks still rank first in the SEC and second in the nation in home runs (53) after hitting six against Ole Miss over the weekend.

Before Saturday’s game two with the Rebels, the Hogs had hit at least one homer in 12-straight games.

Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Monday

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Monday

Morning Rush Hour 3

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Morning Rush Hour 2

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Morning Rush Hour 1

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Razorbacks sweep tripleheader over Alabama, Nebraska-Omaha

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas swept its tripleheader Sunday, defeating SEC foe Alabama 4-3, before shutting out Nebraska-Omaha 5-0 and 4-0.

With three regular-season matches left, the Razorbacks are now 12-11 overall and 3-6 in SEC play.

Arkansas played from behind against the Crimson Tide in the first match, as Alabama took the doubles point with a win on courts one and two. Juniors Oscar Mesquida and Adam Sanjurjo went behind early against Bama’s Edson Ortiz and Mazen Osama, falling 6-1. The Crimson Tide’s 71st-ranked duo of Thibault Cancel and Alexey Nesteroy would defeat senior Jose Salazar and freshman Josh Howard-Tripp 6-4 to clinch the doubles point for the Tide. Brothers Jose and Pedro Alonso led Patrick Kaukovalta and Riccardo Roberto 5-4 at the clinch.

Arkansas was able to take four straight two-set wins to run out to a 4-1 lead, clinching the win for the Razorbacks. Mesquida started things off with a quick 6-2, 6-2 victory over Cancel on court two, before Howard-Tripp defeated Kaukovalta 6-2, 6-4. Both Razorbacks went 2-0 on the day, as each picked up a win over Nebraska-Omaha following Arkansas’ victory over the Crimson Tide.

Jose Alonso would give Arkansas the 3-1 lead with a 6-4, 4-1 win over Riccardo Roberto, who retired. Arkansas would clinch the win with a victory on court four, as Alex Reco defeated Ortiz 6-3, 7-6 (7-4).

Following the clinch, Pedro Alonso fell to Nesterov 7-6 (8-6), 6-1, while No. 65 Salazar fell to No. 95 Osama 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 10-5.

Arkansas would go on to defeat Nebraska-Omaha 5-0 and 4-0 in a doubleheader to pick up the Sunday sweep

Arkansas will go back on the road next week, as the Razorbacks travel to Starkville, Mississippi, on Friday to take on Mississippi State at 3 p.m., before traveling further east to take on the Auburn Tigers at 1 p.m. on Sunday.

Arkansas 4, Alabama 3

Singles Results – Order of finish (2,3,6,4,5,1)
1. #95 Mazen Osama (BAMA) def. #65 Jose Salazar (AR) 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 10-5
2. Oscar Mesquida (AR) def. Thibault Cancel (BAMA) 6-2, 6-2
3. Josh Howard-Tripp (AR) def. Patrick Kaukovalta (BAMA) 6-2, 6-4
4. Alex Reco (AR) def. Edson Ortiz (BAMA) 6-3, 7-6 (7-4)
5. Alexey Nesterov (BAMA) def. Pedro Alonso (AR) 7-6 (8-6), 6-1
6. Jose Alonso (AR) def. Riccardo Roberto (BAMA) 6-4, 4-1, retired

Doubles Results – Order of finish (1,2)
1. Edson Ortiz/Mazen Osama (BAMA) def. Oscar Mesquida/Adam Sanjurjo (AR) 6-1
2. #71 Thibault Cancel/Alexey Nesterov (BAMA) def. Jose Salazar/Josh Howard-Tripp (AR) 6-4
3. Jose Alonso/Pedro Alonso (AR) vs. Patrick Kaukovalta/Riccardo Roberto (BAMA) 5-4, unfinished

Arkansas 5, Nebraska-Omaha 0

Singles Results – Order of finish (1,4,5,6)
1. Oscar Mesquida (AR) def. Razvan Grigorescu (OMAHA) 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-4)
2. Abdoul Ouattara (OMAHA) vs. Adam Sanjurjo (AR) no result
3. Nathan Reekie (OMAHA) vs. Josh Howard-Tripp (AR) no result
4. Pedro Alonso (AR) def. Matt Dunn (OMAHA) 4-1, retired
5. Jose Alonso (AR) def. Marko Minic (OMAHA) 6-3, 6-2
6. Branch Terrell (AR) def. Luke Moorhead (OMAHA) 6-1, 7-6 (7-3)

Doubles Results – Order of finish (3,1,2)
1. Oscar Mesquida/Adam Sanjurjo (AR) def. Nathan Reekie/Razvan Grigorescu (OMAHA) 6-1
2. Jose Alonso/Pedro Alonso (AR) def. Abdoul Ouattara/Alex Woodward (OMAHA) 7-6
3. Josh Howard-Tripp/Alex Reco (AR) def. Matt Dunn/Luke Moorhead (OMAHA) 6-0

Arkansas 4, Nebraska-Omaha 0

Singles Results – Order of finish (2,3,4)
1. Razvan Grigorescu (OMAHA) vs. Oscar Mesquida (AR) no result
2. Adam Sanjurjo (AR) def. Abdoul Ouattara (OMAHA) 6-3, 6-4
3. Josh Howard-Tripp (AR) def. Nathan Reekie (OMAHA) 6-0, 4-6, 6-1
4. Alex Reco (AR) def. Alex Woodward (OMAHA) 4-6, 6-1, 6-4
5. Marko Minic (OMAHA) vs. Jose Alonso (AR) no result
6. Luke Moorhead (OMAHA) vs. Branch Terrell (AR) no result

Doubles Results – Order of finish (2,3)
1. Nathan Reekie/Razvan Grigorescu (OMAHA) vs. Oscar Mesquida/Adam Sanjurjo (AR) no result
2. Josh Howard-Tripp/Alex Reco (AR) def. Abdoul Ouattara/Alex Woodward (OMAHA) 6-4
3. Jose Salazar/Josh Bortnick (AR) def. Matt Dunn/Luke Moorhead (OMAHA) 6-2

Razorbacks complete first sweep of ranked opponent in history

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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VIDEO FROM ESPN SEC NETWORK
FAYETTEVILLE — Junior Katie Warrick drove in four runs and sophomore Autumn Storms picked up her second win in as many days as Arkansas registered an 8-2 victory Sunday over No. 20 Mississippi State.

The win completed the first three-game sweep of a ranked opponent in program history. Arkansas improves to 28-6 overall with a 5-4 mark in SEC play.

Sunday’s triumph also capped a three-week home stand that saw the Razorbacks post a 12-1 record at Bogle Park. Overall, Arkansas is now 19-1 playing on its home field. The program last swept a conference opponent in 2013.

Up Next

The Razorbacks continue their SEC schedule next weekend with a road trip to No. 9 South Carolina. The series opener is scheduled for Friday at 5 p.m. at the Carolina Softball Stadium in Columbia.

All three games will be streamed on SEC Network+ through the WatchESPN app.

Final: #23 Arkansas 8, #20/18 Mississippi State 2 | Box Score

After a scoreless first inning, Arkansas plated the first run of the game without the benefit of a hit.

Loren Krzysko walked to lead off the second and moved around to third on a pair of wild pitches. Fellow senior Tori Cooper brought her home with a sacrifice fly to deep center field.

Mississippi State (28-9, 3-6 SEC) answered with two runs — on two solo shots — in the top of the third inning to take the lead and force a change in the circle with Storms taking over for starter Mary Haff.

The Razorbacks erased their deficit with a five-run fourth inning that Warrick finished off with a two-run single to center field.

A.J. Belans picked up her first of two hits Sunday with an RBI single that scored Cooper from second to tie the game.

Later in the frame, Hannah McEwen and Ashley Diaz drew consecutive bases-loaded walks for a two-run lead. Warrick added to the advantage with her base knock.

Storms, meanwhile, was doing her part to keep the visitors off the scoreboard. Mississippi State threatened in the top of the sixth with a runner at second and no outs. Storms responded with a strikeout and back-to-back ground outs to second.

In the seventh, Storms worked around a lead-off single to retire the next three hitters and secure the series sweep. She gave up just three hits with no walks in 4.1 innings of relief work.

Arkansas’ final two runs came in one swing by Warrick in the bottom of the sixth. McEwen drew her third walk of the day to lead off the frame.

With one down, Warrick stepped to the plate and on the 13th pitch of her at-bat against Cassady Knudsen, she drove a two-run shot over the fence in center field.

The big fly was her team-leading seventh home run of the season.

Hogs fall just short of big-time comeback against Rebels

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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VIDEO BY ESPN SEC NETWORK
OXFORD, Miss. — After trailing by as much as six going into the seventh inning, No. 5 Arkansas scored eight times over the seventh and eighth innings to pull within one of No. 4 Ole Miss on Saturday afternoon.

Unfortunately, the Hogs left the tying run on second base in the top of the ninth inning, falling to the Rebels, 11-10, and suffering a tough series loss.

Ole Miss (25-4, 5-4 SEC) led 8-2 going into the top of the seventh inning, but after home runs from sophomore Dominic Fletcher, junior Grant Koch, and junior Eric Cole, Arkansas (19-9, 5-4 SEC) found itself in the thick of it with the bases loaded in the eighth inning and a chance to take the lead.

The Razorbacks couldn’t quite tie the game in the eighth and left a runner stranded on second in the ninth after Luke Bonfield led off the inning with a double down the left field line.

It was nearly Arkansas’ largest comeback of the season as the Hogs knocked out nine of their 12 hits in the final three innings.

Freshman Heston Kjerstad came away, once again, with the big day at the plate, falling a triple shy of the cycle for the second time this year, as he went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBIs.

Kjerstad blasted his seventh home run of the year in the sixth inning, which ties him for the team lead. His long ball practically ignited the offense that went on to score eight more runs in the next two innings.

It’s been a strong roadtrip for Kjerstad as he’s hit .455 over the eight-game stretch, leading the team in all the slash categories (.970 slugging percentage, .514 on-base percentage), and he’s totaled 15 hits with nine going for extra bases.

He also clubbed four home runs after hitting just three in the first 20 games of the season.

On Saturday, all but one of the Razorback starters recorded at least one hit. Joining Kjerstad in the multi-hit category was Jax Biggers and Cole, who, combined, drove in all four runs the Hogs scored in the eighth inning.

Cole finished the game 2-for-5 at the plate with three RBIs, his fifth game this season with three RBIs or more.

All three of those runs came on one swing when he crushed the first pitch he saw from Will Stokes to get the Hogs within 11-10. It was Cole’s seventh home run of the year.

Arkansas finished the game with four home runs, a welcomed sight after going homerless the day before, snapping an 11-game streak with at least one long ball.

It was the fifth time this year that the Razorbacks have hit four or more home runs in a game and upped their season total to 53 home runs, which still leads the SEC.

On the pitching side, junior lefty Kacey Murphy looked good through 4.1 innings, but was denied a more efficient outing as the Rebels took advantage of Razorback fielding errors in the fourth and fifth innings to score three unearned runs.

The only earned run Murphy allowed was from a Cole Zabowski home run to lead off the fifth.

Murphy didn’t walk a batter and struck out four, but was saddled with the loss, his second of the year.

Up Next

After 13 days on the road and eight games away from Baum Stadium, the Razorbacks will finally return home for 15 of its next 18 games, including one at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock.

The Hogs will get Sunday and Monday off before returning to the field to face ULM for a two-game midweek series starting on Tuesday.

First pitch with the Warhawks on Tuesday is set for 6:30 p.m. and will be available to watch online on SEC Network+ via the Watch ESPN app and WatchESPN.com.

Hogs put together trio of Top 10 finishes at Texas Relays

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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AUSTIN, Texas — Arkansas produced three top-three finishes Saturday at the 91st Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays in Austin.

The Razorbacks also collected a win from Rubin Owens at the Stanford Invitational.

Arkansas’ 4×100-meter relay quartet of Kristoffer Hari, Kemar Mowatt, Roy Ejiakuekwu and Kenzo Cotton passed the baton around the track in a time of 39.52, a mark good enough for second in the invitational section of the sprint relay.

Earlier in the day, the Razorbacks were third in the 4×200-meter relay, crossing in a time of 1:22.00 behind Houston and conference foe LSU.

In the first relay of the day, Cameron Griffith gave the Razorbacks an early lead after the first leg of the 4×800-meter relay which went on to finish third with a time of 7:36.14.

Out west at the Stanford Invitational, Owens posted a day’s best and slightly wind-aided mark of 15.32m/50-3.25 to win the triple jump.

His winning jump came in the third round of the event and he was the only competitor in the field to surpass the 50-foot mark.

On the track, Harrison Schrage finished sixth overall and third among collegians with a time of 21.72 at 200 meters.

Saturday Results

Texas Relays (Austin, Texas)

4x100m Invitational
2. Hari/Mowatt/Ejiakuekwu/Cotton – 39.52

4x200m
3. Hari/Igbokwe/Ejiakuekwu/Cotton – 1:22.00

4x800m
3. Griffith/Taylor/Moehn/Pareti – 7:36.14

Stanford Invitational (Palo Alto, Calif.)

200 Meters
6. Harrison Schrage – 21.72 (+0.3)

Triple Jump Invitational
1. Rubin Owens – 15.32m/50-3.25w (+2.1)

Hammer Throw
12. Erich Sullins – 59.58m/195-6

Storms, Belans help clinch series win over Mississippi State

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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VIDEO FROM ESPN SEC NETWORK
FAYETTEVILLE — A day removed from her 20th birthday, sophomore Autumn Storms gifted herself a complete-game shutout to lead Arkansas to a 6-0 win over Mississippi State on Saturday afternoon at Bogle Park.

Senior A.J. Belans supplied the power with a three-run shot in the fourth inning. With the result, Arkansas (27-6, 4-4 SEC) posts its first series win over Mississippi State since 2010.

Up Next

The Razorbacks’ 13-game home stand ends Sunday afternoon with the series finale against Mississippi State.

First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Bogle Park. With the series in hand, Arkansas is in position for its first SEC series sweep since the 2013 season.

Final: #23 Arkansas 6, #20/18 Mississippi State 0 | Box Score

Belans’ home run was her second and the Razorbacks’ 40th of the season, marking the ninth time the program has reached that figure in a single season.

With Kayla Green on first, Tori Cooper knocked a two-out single up the middle to put two on for Belans.

The senior shortstop took the first pitch from the Bulldogs’ Candace Denis and knocked it off the foul pole down the line in left field.

The run support was more than enough for Storms who gave up just three hits on the day with four strikeouts and no walks.

She gave up a hit in each of the first two innings and then proceeded to retire the next 10 she faced. Mississippi State (28-8, 3-5 SEC) put together its biggest threat in the sixth winning with runners on first and second and just one out.

However, Storms got out of the jam with a force play at third and her fourth strikeout of the day. She handed the Bulldogs’ just their second shutout loss of the season.

Freshman Hannah McEwen opened the fifth frame with an infield single, her 11th multi-hit performance of the season.

Katie Warrick drew a one-out walk to give Arkansas runners on first and second. With two outs, freshman Kayla Green dropped an RBI double to right that scored McEwen.

A throwing error on a Cooper ground ball allowed two more runs to score.

Razorbacks close out busy weekend in Texas, California

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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AUSTIN, Texas — Top-ranked Arkansas capped a busy weekend with a pair of bronze finishes at the 91st Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays in Austin.

The Razorbacks also had competitors in California, putting in mid-distance work at the Stanford Invitational.

In her first outing since winning the NCAA indoor crown, junior Lexi Jacobus took third in the university elite section of the pole vault with a final clearance of 4.55m/14-11.

Twin sister Tori Hoggard had a clearance of 4.50m/14-9 to finish fourth. Just south of Austin at the Texas State Invitational, Rylee Robinson had a winning clearance of 4.00m/13-1.5.

Arkansas picked up another third-place finish at the Texas Relays with its 4×100-meter relay team which combined for a time of 43.71, improving on its qualifying time (44.32) in Friday’s prelims.

Two legs of that relay team, Jada Baylark and Janeek Brown, produced a pair of fourth-place individual finishes.

Baylark tallied a wind-aided time of 11.09 in the final of the 100 meters while Brown dipped below 13 seconds with a wind-aided 12.90 in the 100-meter hurdles final.

The Razorbacks’ sprint crew closed out its weekend in Texas with a sixth-place finish in the 4×400-meter relay, clocking a time of 3:37.27 in its first outing of the season.

At the Stanford Invitational, a quartet of Razorbacks competed at 800 meters to cap competition on the west coast.

In performances right around the 2:10 mark, Arkansas was led by Carina Viljoen whose time of 2:09.42 was good enough for 24th overall in the 51-runner field.

She was followed by teammates Ruth Wiggins (2:10.20), Devin Clark (2:10.27) and Kailee Sawyer (2:11.04).

Up Next

The Razorbacks will return to the track in two weeks for the first of two marquee home meets at John McDonnell Field.

The John McDonnell Invitational will be April 13-14 with the National Relay Championships scheduled for April 27-28.

Saturday Results

Texas Relays (Austin, Texas)

100 meters (final)
4. Jada Baylark – 11.09w (+3.7)

100m hurdles (final)
4. Janeek Brown – 12.90x (+3.3)

Carlette Guidry 4x100m (final)
3. Brown/Parker/Baylark/Burks Magee – 43.71

Sanya Richards-Ross Invitational 4x400m
6. Burks Magee/Parker/Hammit/Davis – 3:37.27

Pole Vault (University Elite)
3. Lexi Jacobus – 4.55m/14-11
4. Tori Hoggard – 4.50m/14-9

Texas State Bobcat Invitational (San Marcos, Texas)

Pole Vault
1. Rylee Robinson – 4.00m/13-1.5
4. Elizabeth Ramos Mata – 3.85m/12-7.5
8. Morgan Hartsell – 3.70m/12-1.75

Stanford Invitational (Palo Alto, Calif.)

800 Meters
24. Carina Viljoen – 2:09.42
33. Ruth Wiggins – 2:10.20
35. Devin Clark – 2:10.27
40. Kailee Sawyer – 2:11.04

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