Join Mason Choate and Robert Stewart as they recap Arkansas’ 7-5 loss to Florida in an elimination game in Hoover. The guys talk about where it went wrong for Arkansas and how the team has a very unsure future with regionals in sight
Longhorns hit homers, Hogs don’t, setting up big third game Saturday
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas has gotten the big hits when they needed them all year.
Until Friday evening.
Texas took a 3-1 lead on back-to-back homers in the bottom of the third inning and pitcher Hailey Dolcini didn’t let the Razorbacks get anything else to set up the rubber match of the NCAA Super Regional on Saturday.
“Texas was tougher than us,” Hogs coach Courtney Deifel said later. “What I saw from our team the last four innings just wasn’t us.”
Dolcini gave up only five hits and walked just two while striking out two to earn the win. What turned out to be the difference-making home runs were hit by Janae Jefferson and Katie Cimusz.
Arkansas took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning, but could not hold it.
KB Sides walked, advanced to third on an infield single by Taylor Ellsworth, and eventually scored on an RBI single by Danielle Gibson.
Texas quickly retaliated in the bottom half of the third with the back-to-back homers by Jefferson and Cimusz to move ahead, 2-1.
Soon after, the Razorbacks looked to the bullpen and brought Chenise Delce to the circle in place of starter Mary Haff. But Mary Iakopo drove Delce’s first pitch of the game to left center for a run-scoring double, scoring Alyssa Washington and widening the gap to 3-1. Delce settled in and struck out the next two batters to end the rally.
Delce and Dolcini continued to battle from there, shutting down batters on both sides for the remainder of the game as the Longhorns made the two-run advantage stand up for the win.
Dolcini gave up only five hits and walked just two while striking out two to earn the win. What turned out to be the difference-making home runs were hit by Janae Jefferson and Katie Cimusz.
Arkansas took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning, but could not hold it.
KB Sides walked, advanced to third on an infield single by Taylor Ellsworth, and eventually scored on an RBI single by Danielle Gibson.
Texas quickly retaliated in the bottom half of the third with the back-to-back homers by Jefferson and Cimusz to move ahead, 2-1.
Soon after, the Razorbacks looked to the bullpen and brought Chenise Delce to the circle in place of starter Mary Haff. But Mary Iakopo drove Delce’s first pitch of the game to left center for a run-scoring double, scoring Alyssa Washington and widening the gap to 3-1. Delce settled in and struck out the next two batters to end the rally.
Delce and Dolcini continued to battle from there, shutting down batters on both sides for the remainder of the game as the Longhorns made the two-run advantage stand up for the win.
Saturday’s game will be at 2 p.m. Saturday and will be televised on ESPN.
Halftime Pod Presented By Eastside Liquor- Torres, Henry
Hogs go 0-2 and BBQ in Hoover. No Phil on the late edition of Halftime.
Guest- Aaron Torres & Clay Henry
Florida eliminates Arkansas from SEC Tournament
HOOVER, Ala. — The Razorback bats were nowhere to be found Friday morning, as the Florida Gators cruised to a 7-5 victory, eliminating Arkansas from the Southeastern Conference Tournament. The Arkansas leadoff batter reached base in six of the nine innings, but only twice did he score.
The Gators smacked Razorback senior right-handed pitcher Connor Noland around to begin the second inning, which culminated in a two-run single by designated hitter Jac Caglianone. He drove in another run with his leadoff home run in the fifth.
Caglianone’s blast was the first of two in the fifth. Third baseman Colby Halter took Noland deep as well, and when the Greenwood native walked the next batter, it marked the end of his day. In 4 2/3 innings, he surrendered six hits, walked one hitter and struck out five.
Noland was charged with his fifth run on catcher BT Riopelle’s RBI double off senior left-hander Evan Taylor.
Arkansas began to claw back in the top of the sixth with back-to-back homers from sophomore third baseman Cayden Wallace and graduate catcher Michael Turner, but the Gators got those runs right back in the bottom of the frame. Center fielder Jud Fabian took freshman righty Brady Tygart deep to left field to lead things off, and a hit batsman cost him another run. Senior right-hander Zebulon Vermillion allowed an RBI knock to Halter, making it 7-2.
Senior shortstop Jalen Battles walked, took second on a defensive indifference, advanced to third on a groundout and scored on a passed ball in the ninth. The defensive indifference marked the first time in the contest that Arkansas had a runner in scoring position. Senior center fielder Braydon Webb cut the deficit to 7-5 with a two-run homer in the ninth, but the Razorbacks could not complete the comeback.
The Hogs will await their regional destination, which will be announced during the NCAA Tournament selection show at 11 a.m. Monday on ESPN2.
Halftime is LIVE! Hogs go 0-2 in Hoover. Taking your calls and more
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Hogs go 0-2 and BBQ in Hoover. No Phil on the late edition of Halftime. Taking all of your calls on this Hog Reaction/Halftime
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Bud Light Next Morning Rush Podcast: Arkansas beats Texas in Game 1
Tye & Tommy on beating Texas, Phil Elson joins from Hoover, football game times announced and more!
Former pitcher Scott Tabor on baseball not being a ‘rah-rah’ type game
Looking at problems lately with Razorbacks as they get ready to face Florida in SEC Tournament on Friday.
Phil Elson on what he’s expecting to see this morning with Razorbacks
The Hogs resume play in the SEC Tournament (finally) and he’s looking to see strong outing from starter Connor Noland.
Razorbacks one win away from reaching Oklahoma City
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Nobody is taking anything for granted.
Big innings in the fifth and sixth put enough runs on the board for Arkansas that a little noise from Texas in the last inning didn’t mean much in a 7-1 win Thursday night at Bogle Park in the opening game of the Fayetteville Super Regional.
Now the Razorbacks are one win away from reaching another program milestone by making the finals.
“It’s nice to be 1-0 going into tomorrow,” Hogs coach Courtney Deifel said later, “but I don’t think we’re getting bigger than that. I mean we’ve been in a position before in the SEC where we’ve lost the first one and won the next two.
“We know what’s at stake for tomorrow and we’re just gonna focus on getting one more.”
Apparently that’s the same focus of the players.
“It’s just another game,” third baseman Hannah Gammill said after the game.
Getting that first win was a little slow. The Hogs finally broke it open in the fifth, sending nine hitters to the plate.
Hannah McEwen led off the inning with a double off the fence in center field. Taylor Ellsworth sac bunted McEwen to third. Danielle Gibson then was walked.
Gammill then singled to left field to plate McEwen for a 1-0 lead. Linnie Malkin singled to load the bases. Then Kacie Hoffmann hit a grounder to first baseman who threw it away at home. Both Gibson and Gammill scored.
Deifel didn’t sound like she had gotten too concerned with it taking so long to get the offense going.
“Our at-bats tonight got progressively kept getting better,” said said. “It’s really just a matter of time. You’re seeing a lot of pitches, you’re sharing that information, and you just saw our offense have better at-bats each time someone dug in.”
Arkansas added to the lead in the bottom of the sixth. McEwen led off with an infield single. Ellsworth singled to center field. Gibson then hit a flyout to center, but McEwen went to third after the tag
Gammill then singled to right field to get McEwen across the plate with one out. Malkin then singled to left to get Ellsworth home. The Hogs went on to add two more runs as well.
Times, television schedule announced for Hogs’ first three games
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — If you want to see Bobby Petrino’s return to Razorback Stadium you’ll have to be there or have internet.
Kickoff times and television information were announced Thursday for the first three games of the season.
It is the 100-day mark for Arkansas’ kickoff to the 2022 season
Expectations are high.
After going 9-4 last year, Sam Pittman has fans looking for better things after several years of struggles.
It will start on Saturday, Sept. 3, against Cincinnati at 2:30 p.m., which means it’s going to be hot … probably really hot.
The game will be televised directly opposite Georgia-Oregon on ABC. The league officially kicks off the season on Thursday, Sept. 1, with Ball State-Tennessee and Louisiana Tech-Missouri.
Both of the Razorbacks’ first games will be on ESPN. The Hogs will host South Carolina on Sept. 10 at 11 a.m.
It’s the third week of the season when the former Razorbacks’ coach comes back to Fayetteville to coach a game for the first time since his exit after spring practice in 2012.
That one won’t be on broadcast television, though. It will be internet-only, which is something every SEC team’s fan base has to endure at least once every season.
It will be the Hogs’ only game not on broadcast television.
Cincinnati cruised to an undefeated regular season and an AAC championship and became the first non-Power 5 program to reach the College Football Playoff before falling to Alabama, 27-6, to end the season 13-1.
The opener for Arkansas against Cincinnati on Sept. 3 is the first of seven home games in Fayetteville for the first time ever.
