Razorbacks kick off long homestand against ULM
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.
Razorbacks sweep tripleheader over Alabama, Nebraska-Omaha
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
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
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
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
