Connor Noland, Robert Moore join Brady Tygart, Hagen Smith on All-SEC

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Four Hogs earned postseason classification and defensive awards from the SEC on Monday afternoon.

No Razorbacks were named to the overall all-league team.

Arkansas pitchers Brady Tygart and Hagen Smith were named to the freshman All-SEC team, while second baseman Robert Moore and pitcher Connor Noland landed on the All-SEC defensive team.

Tygart emerged as the Razorbacks’ relief ace this season, recording a team-leading eight saves with a 2.12 ERA over 34 innings out of the bullpen.

The Hernando, Miss., has struck out 47 and held opposing hitters to a .191 batting average, allowing just three extra base hits all year.

Tygart is four saves shy of tying Phillip Stidham’s single-season program record for saves by a freshman (12).

Smith has held down a spot in the Razorbacks’ rotation all season, posting a 6-2 record with a 4.93 ERA in 14 games with 13 starts.

The true freshman from Bullard, Texas, who is tied for the team lead in wins (6), has struck 72 and limited opposing hitters to a .243 batting average over 65.2 innings of work.

With Tygart and Smith, Arkansas is one of three teams with multiple freshmen to earn All-SEC honors. Tennessee (3) and Vanderbilt (2) also placed multiple players on the Freshman All-SEC Team.

The Razorbacks are the No. 3 seed at the 2022 SEC Baseball Tournament in Hoover, Ala.

Arkansas opens play at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at The Hoover Met against the winner of No. 6 seed Georgia and No. 11 seed Alabama.

Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.

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Razorbacks rally behind Rylin Hedgecock to reach Super Regional

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas did it again.

This time, Razorbacks coach Courtney Deifel sent Rylin Hedgecock off the bench up to pinch-hit in the sixth and she delivered.

It was, Deifel said later, a “no brainer.”

“She is an incredibly talented hitter,” she said after Hedgecock’s three-RBI double keyed a six-run rally in the sixth inning for a 9-3 win over Oregon.

“She just does a really good job of staying level,” Deifel said, “not making anything too big. She was in our lineup early and she’s just been knocking on that all year.”

Rylin Hedgecock (Arkansas Communications)

Which does tell you how good the Hogs’ lineup is.

The “spirit squirrel” from Saturday’s game may or may not have had something to do with it. They have it as headgear in the Hogs’ dugout.

Arkansas had a pair of hits early go to the warning track that may have gone out had it not been for the unseasonably cold weather.

The coming of the ice age couldn’t make the air heavy enough to keep Lennie Malkin in Bogle Park as she hit a homero to deep left in the second.

Then, just like Saturday afternoon, Kacie Hoffman followed with another home run of her own and a 2-0 lead just 26 pitches into the game.

The Hogs over-reacted to a deflected grounder in the bottom of the fourth. Instead of simply throwing the ball in and keeping a double-play possibility with a 3-1 lead, they turned into the Keystone Kops.

A pair of throwing errors trying to throw runners out that took a quality hit and turned it into a 3-3 tie.

“That’s just not what we do,” Deifel said.

Pitcher Mary Haff shrugged it off.

“She stayed the course after that,” Deifel said.

Mary Haff (Arkansas Communications)

Haff gave up three hits after that, but with a six-run lead in the seventh it was quick work to lock down the win and send the Hogs to a Super Regional that starts this week at Bogle Park.

Taylor Ellsworth singled, Danielle Gibson reached on a fielder’s choice and Hannah Gammill walked to load the bases for Arkansas with no outs in the sixth.

Malkin, who broke a scoreless tie with a three-run home run against Makenna Kliethermes on Saturday, was called out looking at a 1-2 pitch that appeared to be outside the strike zone.

That brought Kacie Hoffman to the plate. Kliethermes threw away the first pitch, which scored Cally Kildow, who pinch-ran for Ellsworth.

Hannah Gammill (Arkansas Communications)

Hoffman was intentionally walked to load the bases again. After Audrie LaValley lined out the shortstop, Hedgecock doubled to center field on a 3-2 pitch. The ball went off the glove of Oregon center fielder Jasmine Williams, who was retreating toward the outfield wall.

The Hogs (school record 47-9) advanced to a home Super Regional that will begin Friday or Saturday at Bogle Park. They will host the winner of the Seattle Regional championship between Washington and Texas.