Who’s the best in the state as teams start journey to make it to finals in Hot Springs this month for state championship.
Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: 03-03-26
Tommy’s off in DC , Tye and Colton take you back in time to see if we were having the same conversations surrounding Arkansas Basketball in March of 08′!
Guests: Bruce Stanton and Tom Murphy!
Pig Trail Nation’s Mike Irwin on Florida not exposing Razorbacks’ flaws
Everybody already knew what it was as they head into tournament time next week but how they find a way around it more important now.
Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: 03-02-26
Recapping a roller-coaster weekend that featured a series win against UTA and a dreadful beatdown in Gainesville! Tye’s mowing miscues, Tommy in D.C.
Fisher, Razorbacks pitching staff control series finale
The weekend opened with a one-run loss, but it closed with command on the mound.
After falling 4-3 in Friday’s opener, Arkansas answered by winning the final two games of the series against UT-Arlington. The Razorbacks capped the weekend with an 11-1 run-rule victory in seven innings Sunday, improving to 9-3 on the season.
The difference over the final two games was clear. The Hogs controlled the strike zone, limited free passes and kept traffic off the bases. Sunday’s finale was another example of that formula.
Colin Fisher delivered six steady innings to anchor the win. The junior left-hander allowed just one unearned run while scattering five hits and one walk. He struck out seven and threw 62 of his 85 pitches for strikes.
“I thought Fish threw good,” Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said. “He didn’t throw great, because he’s thrown great a couple of times.”
Fisher extends run-free streak
Fisher didn’t have every pitch working the way he wanted. Still, he found ways to get outs. Early in the game, he relied more heavily on his fastball as he worked through the lineup.
“Last week I felt like I had everything working,” Fisher said of his one-hit shutout against Xavier. “Everything today wasn’t working, so [it was good] just being able to pitch through that and knowing that I could kind of get out of it, even though there’s runners on or whatever.”
That ability to adjust has defined his start to the season. Fisher has not allowed an earned run in 19 innings across starts against Texas Tech, Xavier and UT-Arlington. He owns a 0.53 WHIP and has recorded 26 strikeouts, averaging 13.1 per nine innings.
Even when UT-Arlington threatened, Fisher stayed calm. The Mavericks scored their only run in the fifth inning after a fielding error at third base extended the inning. An RBI double followed, but Fisher prevented further damage and kept the game in control.
The Razorbacks backed him with clean defense the rest of the way and avoided giving the Mavericks extra chances.
Bullpen keeps door closed
Once Fisher’s afternoon ended, Arkansas turned to Steele Eaves to finish it. Eaves delivered a perfect seventh inning to close out the run-rule victory.
He has now thrown eight innings this season without allowing an earned run.
The pitching staff as a whole set the tone after Friday’s narrow loss. Over the final two games, the Hogs limited scoring chances and forced UT-Arlington to string hits together rather than rely on big swings.
UT-Arlington coach Mike Trapasso acknowledged his team struggled to respond.
“The last two days we couldn’t get anything generated offensively,” Trapasso said. “I just didn’t feel like we put up a fight. It’s disappointing.”
Arkansas made sure there wasn’t much opportunity for one.
Offense supports the mound
While pitching led the way, timely hitting provided breathing room.
Zack Stewart opened the scoring Sunday with a solo home run in the second inning. Camden Kozeal added a two-run shot in the third to build an early cushion.
The Razorbacks continued adding pressure with disciplined at-bats. Maika Niu reached base, stole second and later scored on a sacrifice fly from Carson Brumbaugh.
Brumbaugh finished 2 for 3 with two doubles, two runs and the first RBI of his career.
“I’m just going back to what I used to do as a kid and just trying to hit the ball through the middle,” Brumbaugh said. “It’s kind of got me back in a better spot.”
The biggest surge came in the sixth inning. With two outs, Arkansas pieced together a string of hits that led to five runs. Ryder Helfrick’s two-run home run highlighted the rally.
“It was huge coming up with two outs,” Helfrick said. “You can kind of either make a decision to give up or keep fighting.”
Seven straight batters reached base during that inning, turning a comfortable lead into a decisive one.
Response after Friday
Friday’s opener ended in a 4-3 loss, but the Razorbacks didn’t let that linger. Instead, they leaned on their pitching staff and trusted their preparation.
Van Horn pointed to the overall offensive effort while acknowledging the weekend’s turnaround.
“There were some really, really good swings,” he said. “It was a really good offensive weekend when you get rid of Friday.”
In the end, Arkansas’ pitching dominance defined the series. Fisher’s consistency, backed by a clean bullpen outing, ensured the Hogs controlled the rubber match from start to finish.
After a close loss to open the weekend, the Razorbacks responded the way strong teams do — by taking the ball, throwing strikes and finishing the job.
Razorbacks fall at Florida as Gators earn SEC share
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Arkansas ran into a red-hot Florida team Saturday night and left with a 111-77 loss as the Gators clinched at least a share of the SEC regular-season championship.
The Razorbacks struggled to slow Florida’s offense from the opening minutes. The home team pushed the pace, shot well from the floor, and built a lead that quickly grew into double digits.
Billy Richmond III gave Arkansas an early spark. He scored 14 of his 22 points in the first 15 minutes and tried to keep the Hogs within striking distance.
But Florida answered every push. The Gators had seven players score in double figures and never let Arkansas find rhythm on either end of the court.
Darius Acuff Jr., who leads the SEC in scoring and assists, finished with 17 points and six assists. Still, the Razorbacks couldn’t string together enough stops to cut deeply into the deficit.
Arkansas shot 40 percent from the field. Florida shot 57 percent and controlled the glass, finishing with a 49-30 rebounding advantage.
That difference showed up in second-chance points and fast-break chances. Each time the Hogs made a shot, the Gators seemed to respond right away.
By halftime, the game had already tilted heavily toward Florida, and the Razorbacks faced a steep climb.
Florida pulls away early and never looks back
Florida’s balanced scoring made the difference. Thomas Haugh scored 22 points, matching Richmond’s total on the other side.
Rueben Chinyelu added another strong outing with his 17th double-double of the season. His presence inside made it tough for Arkansas to score in the paint.
Urban Klavzar chipped in 14 points off the bench, and Isaiah Brown added 11. The Gators kept fresh legs on the floor and maintained pressure throughout.
The Razorbacks tried to answer with drives and outside shots, but turnovers and missed opportunities stalled momentum.
At one point in the second half, Florida’s lead stretched to 37 points. The Hogs continued to compete, but the gap proved too wide to close.
Both coaches received technical fouls during a heated stretch in the second half, showing the emotion on the floor.
Still, Florida stayed focused and continued to score efficiently, sealing the result long before the final buzzer.
When the horn sounded, Arkansas had dropped to 21-8 overall and 11-5 in SEC play.
Razorbacks turn toward final stretch
The loss marked one of the largest margins Arkansas has faced this season and tied a school record for biggest SEC defeat.
Despite the tough result, the Razorbacks remain in strong position as postseason play approaches. The SEC tournament is around the corner, and seeding still matters.
Richmond’s 22-point effort stood out as a positive sign. His early scoring kept the Hogs competitive before Florida pulled away.
Acuff continued to show why he’s among the league’s best guards, even on a difficult night. His ability to score and distribute will be key moving forward.
The Razorbacks will now look to regroup and focus on their final regular-season games. Each contest provides a chance to build rhythm before tournament time.
Arkansas knows it must tighten its defense and improve rebounding after allowing 111 points.
The Hogs have shown resilience before this season, bouncing back after setbacks with strong performances.
Saturday night belonged to Florida and its SEC celebration, but the Razorbacks still have work ahead and opportunities left to seize.
Dietz powers Razorbacks past UT Arlington in 9-0 win
Hunter Dietz didn’t just give Arkansas a strong start Saturday afternoon.
He gave the Razorbacks some confidence and yet another win after a loss when they needed it most.
The left-hander turned in seven scoreless innings as the Hogs rolled to a 9-0 victory over UT Arlington at Baum-Walker Stadium. With the win, Arkansas improved to 8-3 and evened the weekend series at one game apiece in front of an announced crowd of 10,997.
The series finale is set for Sunday at 11 a.m. The first pitch was moved up two hours because of rain expected later in the day.
Dietz allowed just two hits and one walk while striking out eight. He threw a career-high 93 pitches and landed 60 for strikes. For a pitcher who had logged only 7.2 total innings in his college career entering the day, it marked a major step forward.
He retired 12 straight hitters at one point, staying in rhythm and attacking the zone. Even when UT Arlington put a runner on with two outs in the seventh, Dietz answered with a strikeout to close his afternoon.
“Two weeks ago after my 2-inning outing in Arlington, I was talking to [catcher Ryder Helfrick] and he was like, ‘Oh, you doubled your career innings,’” Dietz said. “And then after my 4-inning outing last week against Xavier he was like, ‘Oh, you doubled it again.’
“I don’t know how I’m going to throw … however many innings I have to throw to double it next week. But, yeah, it feels really good just to go out there and kind of feel like I am who I am.”
Dietz sets tone early
Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn had seen flashes from Dietz in preseason scrimmages. On Saturday, it showed up under the lights of a weekend series.
“That was nice to see,” Van Horn said. “We felt like if he kept his stuff he was going to be able to get really deep into the game.”
Last weekend against Xavier, Dietz felt his off-speed pitches were sharp but believed his fastball wasn’t at its best. This time, he had command of everything. His fastball sat in the 95-96 mph range and reached 98 mph during the second inning.
“Every single one of my pitches work off my fastball,” Dietz said. “Being able to command my fastball to any part of the zone opens my cutter, it opens up my curveball. Being able to land my curveball really helps, too.”
The redshirt sophomore’s mix of fastball, curveball, cutter and changeup kept hitters guessing. After battling injuries in his first two seasons, he now looks like a key piece of the Razorbacks’ weekend rotation.
Razorbacks provide early support
The Arkansas offense didn’t wait long to back its starter.
In the bottom of the second inning, Reese Robinett led off with a single. Maika Niu followed with a one-out hit to center field. Nolan Souza then drove in the game’s first run with a single, bringing home Robinett and moving Niu to third.
Damian Ruiz added a two-out single to left field that scored Niu and pushed the Razorbacks ahead 2-0.
The Hogs kept building in the third inning. Helfrick and Kuhio Aloy collected hits before Nick Perry entered in relief. Robinett singled again, and Zack Stewart lifted a sacrifice fly to plate another run.
Niu then delivered the big swing of the inning. The senior transfer launched a three-run home run into the left-field bullpen. The ball traveled 341 feet and marked his third homer of the season.
“I thought I did just enough to drive in another run,” Niu said. “But, you know, the wind here, sometimes it helps.”
That blast stretched the lead to 6-0 and gave Arkansas plenty of breathing room.
Power and pitching close it out
The Razorbacks added the final runs in the eighth inning. Carson Brumbaugh and Ruiz each reached with two-out singles. Kozeal followed with a drive down the right-field line that struck the foul pole for a three-run home run.
The 373-foot shot was Kozeal’s team-leading fifth homer of the season and capped the scoring at 9-0.
With a slight lineup adjustment that placed Souza at third base in place of TJ Pompey, Arkansas finished with 12 hits compared to two for UT Arlington.
“I feel a lot better about it than I did yesterday,” Van Horn said. “But you know I’m not all giddy about it, believe me. Tomorrow’s a new day. Let’s see if we can do it again.”
Freshman Mark Brissey handled the final two innings. He gave up one walk and struck out three, keeping the shutout intact.
“I thought Brissey came in and did a nice job … and pounded the zone,” Van Horn said. “We didn’t skip a beat.”
The victory marked the third shutout in five games for the Hogs. Van Horn said the staff’s depth and competition have raised the standard on the mound.
“The pitching staff has been great,” Van Horn said. “Honestly, it’s been real consistent. There’s a fight to get on the mound, a lot of competition amongst teammates. [There are] probably some guys frustrated they haven’t been out there or out there enough, and when they get out there they seem to do a really good job, which that’s how you build it.”
For Arkansas, Saturday was about steady pitching, timely hitting and evening the series. Dietz led the way, and the Razorbacks followed.
