11:30 – Connor O’Gara
Tell us about Garth; Hogs lose 2 at A&M; Keep Garbage Off The Field; How (good) Bad Are The Pirates? Call or text, 877-377-6963
Tom Murphy doesn’t agree with Tye about pulling Jaxon Wiggins from Sundays
One bad outing isn’t enough for Democrat-Gazette reporter to push for change in third-day starting pitcher.
Bud Light Next Morning Rush Podcast: Garth Brooks was awesome!
Tye & Tommy on the concert, series loss to A&M, Tom Murphy joins and more!
Diamond Hawgs Podcast S2E22: Texas A&M Series Recap, Weekend MVPs, and SEC Standings
Join Mason Choate and Robert Stewart as they examine the Razorbacks’ series loss to the Aggies. The guys name their weekend MVPs, discuss Dave Van Horn’s hatred for Robert, answer questions from listeners and take a look at the tightening SEC West race.
Aggies stave off Arkansas comeback effort to win series
COLLEGE STATION, Texas — The crowd at Blue Bell Park was lively in the fourth inning of Sunday’s rubber match between Arkansas and Texas A&M as the Aggies led 9-1. The Razorbacks could not quite complete the comeback, but they turned a dud into an exciting 11-10 loss.
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Jaxon Wiggins struggled with command, only recording one out in the rubber match. He walked the first two batters, who both scored on a double by Aggie first baseman Jack Moss.
After another walk, designated hitter Austin Bost went deep to left field for a three-run homer. After giving up an infield single, the Hogs turned to senior righty Kole Ramage to get them through the next few innings.
Arkansas surrendered another run in the second following a two-out error by sophomore third baseman Cayden Wallace, and the Aggies struck again in the third following a pair of hard-hit infield singles.
The Razorbacks managed to get on the board in the fourth, with Wallace driving in senior center fielder Braydon Webb on the third consecutive Arkansas single.
Senior right-hander Zebulon Vermillion took the mound for the fourth inning, which did not go well for him. Texas A&M recorded three hits in an inning for the third time in the game, turning two of them into runs for a 9-1 advantage.
The Hogs got those two runs back in the top of the fifth on back-to-back extra-base hits: a double by freshman first baseman Peyton Stovall and a home run by senior shortstop Jalen Battles.
The Aggies tacked on another unearned run in the bottom of the fifth, cashing in on a two-base throwing error on Wallace to make it 10-3.
Arkansas got within five runs in the sixth, which began with consecutive singles.
Wallace scored on a groundout by junior second baseman Robert Moore, and graduate catcher Michael Turner scored on Stovall’s second double of the afternoon.
Texas A&M stretched its lead back to six runs in the seventh, when left fielder Dylan Rock led off with a solo home run. That 11th run proved to be very important, as the Razorbacks posted five runs in the top of the eighth to make it 11-10.
It all began with Wallace’s solo blast, his third hit of the game. Graduate right fielder Chris Lanzilli drove in a run with a single, and Stovall did the same on back-to-back pitches.
Two batters later, Dylan Leach pinch hit for junior left fielder Zack Gregory. The sophomore catcher delivered a two-run double, moving the tying run 90 feet away from home plate with nobody out.
Aggie left-hander Jacob Palisch, who notched a 12-out save in Friday’s win, struck out the next three Razorbacks to keep the A&M lead intact. He worked a perfect ninth inning as well, earning his second save of the weekend and sealing the series victory for Texas A&M.
The Razorbacks’ next game is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock. There will not be a television broadcast, but the contest can be heard on the radio.
Dominant relief pitching levels Razorbacks with Aggies on Saturday
COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Arkansas freshman left-handed pitcher Hagen Smith struggled to find his groove Saturday afternoon, but three relievers silenced the Aggies to secure a 3-1 victory for the Razorbacks to even the series at Blue Bell Park.
The Hogs struck in each of the first three innings, beginning with a solo home run by senior designated hitter Brady Slavens.
Graduate right fielder Chris Lanzilli came home on a wild pitch in the second, doubling the lead after he led off the frame with a double. Slavens went yard again in the third to make it 3-0.
While offensive production was steady for Arkansas early on, Smith was battling to keep the lead intact. The Aggies stranded six baserunners — three walks, two doubles and a hit batsman — in the first three innings.
After two more walks in the fourth, head coach Dave Van Horn had seen enough. He turned to junior lefty Zack Morris to clean up the mess, which he did almost flawlessly. He retired all three batters he faced, but two of the outs were fly balls, allowing for Texas A&M to get on the scoreboard.
Morris faced seven more hitters in the next two frames, working around an infield hit and a walk in the fifth before tossing a 1-2-3 sixth. With his three scoreless innings, he earned his third win of the year.
Senior right-hander Zebulon Vermillion only retired one of the three batters he faced in the seventh, so the Hogs relied on senior lefty Evan Taylor to escape that jam. He did so successfully and kept the Aggies off the board in the eighth as well.
Freshman righty Brady Tygart got the ball for the Hogs in the ninth. He gave up a two-out hit to bring the tying run to the plate, but he induced a fly ball to center field to end it and earn his sixth save of the year.
The Razorbacks and Aggies will go at it in a rubber match at 1 p.m. Sunday, a contest that will stream live on the SEC Network+.
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Jaxon Wiggins is set to start for Arkansas. Texas A&M has not announced a starter.
Hogs can’t get hits, drop series opener to Aggies
COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Arkansas struggled to string hits together Friday night at Blue Bell Park, and they paid for one bad inning as a result.
A two-spot in the fourth inning made the difference in Texas A&M’s 2-1 series-opening victory over Arkansas.
Both aces, Razorback senior right-hander Connor Noland and Aggie righty Nathan Dettmer, held the offenses off the board through three innings.
Texas A&M got out to a 2-0 lead in the fourth, following a throwing error by sophomore third baseman Cayden Wallace. Two hits and two walks later, the Aggies had two unearned runs.
The Razorbacks mustered a mere two hits through five innings, but they doubled that total in the sixth inning.
Freshman first baseman Peyton Stovall led off with a single to center field, and Wallace chased Dettmer from the game with a walk. Graduate catcher Michael Turner pulled a single to right field with two outs to score Stovall and cut the lead in half.
Noland was able to calm things down after the unearned runs, working six innings without giving up an earned run to earn a quality start. He racked up seven strikeouts, but they were not enough to avoid his second loss of the season.
Senior lefty Evan Taylor worked the seventh and eighth innings without encountering much trouble, but still the Hogs could not produce any offense.
In the seventh, junior second baseman Robert Moore was hit by a pitch, and senior center fielder Braydon Webb doubled him to third with nobody out.
Wallace took an intentional walk after two strikeouts at the bottom of the order, but the hot-hitting senior designated hitter Brady Slavens could not save the day, and Arkansas left the bases loaded.
The Hogs finished the game 1-8 with runners in scoring position.
The Razorbacks and Aggies are set to square off again at 2 p.m. Saturday, a contest that can be streamed on the SEC Network+. Freshman left-handed pitcher Hagen Smith will get the ball for Arkansas, opposite Texas A&M righty Micah Dallas.
How to watch-listen to Razorbacks-Aggies this weekend
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — No. 4 Arkansas (30-7, 11-4 SEC) is deep in the heart of Texas this weekend for a three-game road series against SEC Western Division foe Texas A&M (23-13, 8-7 SEC).
First pitch in the opener between the Razorbacks and Aggies is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 22, at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Texas.
The ballgame will broadcast nationally on SEC Network with Dave Neal (play-by-play) and Chris Burke (analyst) on the call.
Arkansas maintains a three-game lead in the SEC West headed into this weekend’s action. The Hogs, winners of 14 of their last 15 SEC series and six of their last seven conference road series, have won the opening game of their last nine SEC road series.
Schedule
7:30 p.m. Friday
at Texas A&M • SEC Network • Listen • Live Stats
2 p.m. Saturday
at Texas A&M • SEC Network+ • Listen • Live Stats
1 p.m. Sunday
at Texas A&M • SEC Network+ • Listen • Live Stats
Listen
Friday’s series opener will broadcast nationally on SEC Network. Saturday’s game will stream on SEC Network+ with Andrew Monaco on play-by-play and Mark Johnson on color, while Will Johnson (play-by-play) and Boomer White (analyst) have the call in Sunday’s game on SEC Network+ and.
The entire SEC weekend series in College Station can also be heard online at HitThatLine.com and on ESPN Arkansas 95.3 in the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs and 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home with Phil Elson on the call.
Matchups
Game 1: Arkansas RHP Connor Noland (5-1, 2.82 ERA) vs. Texas A&M RHP Nathan Dettmer (3-2, 3.54 ERA)
Game 2: Arkansas LHP Hagen Smith (6-2, 3.88 ERA) vs. Texas A&M RHP Micah Dallas (4-1, 4.61 ERA)
Game 3: Arkansas RHP Jaxon Wiggins (5-0, 4.66 ERA) vs. Texas A&M TBA
Series History
Longtime Southwest Conference rivals, Arkansas and Texas A&M have met on the diamond 89 times before. The Hogs own a slim 45-44 series lead entering this season’s three-game series.
This weekend, the two programs will clash for the ninth time since Texas A&M joined the SEC in 2013. The Razorbacks have won six of their eight meetings with the Aggies in that span, including two of the three series in College Station (2015 & 2017).
Game Notes
• Arkansas is 9-3 in its last 12 SEC road series, winning six of their last seven conference road trips.
• The Razorbacks have won 14 of their last 15 SEC series, most recently sweep No. 15 LSU one weekend ago at Baum-Walker Stadium.
• Arkansas is ranked second in the country and first in the SEC in fielding percentage (.986), committing just 19 errors in 37 games this season.
• RHP Connor Noland will toe the rubber in Friday’s series opener, carrying a stellar 5-1 record with a 2.82 ERA in 54.1 innings of work into his 10th start of the season. The veteran right-hander has been even sharper in league play, boasting an unblemished 3-0 mark and 2.30 ERA over 31.1 innings.
• OF Chris Lanzilli’s 47 career homers rank seventh most among all active DI college baseball players. The graduate transfer from Wake Forest is three home runs shy of becoming one of four active DI college baseball players with 50 or more home runs in their career.
Halftime Pod Presented By Eastside Liquor- April 22, 2022
Phil Elson and Drew Barrett get you ready for the weekend with Hogs at Aggies, MLB, CBB, CFB, Garth Brooks and more.
Guest: Aaron Torres
Bud Light Next Morning Rush Podcast: Tye and Tommy LIVE from Oaklawn
Tye Richardson and Tommy Craft are live from Oaklawn as they talk Garth Brooks, Hogs football, Razorbacks baseball and more. Joined by Clay Henry.
