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Wicklander’s pitching, Battles pace Hogs’ comeback to down SEMO

Hogs’ pitcher Patrick Wicklander came in and put Southeast Missouri’s offense, then Jalen Battles produced late for a 6-5 win in 10 innings.

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It took some late-game heroics, but the Razorbacks can add another one to the win column.

Shortstop Jalen Battles drove in the game-winning run in the 10th inning, poking an infield single past the reach of Southeast Missouri State pitcher Blake Cisneros to lift No. 2 Arkansas (4-0) to a 6-5 win on Thursday evening at Baum-Walker Stadium.

The Hogs have now won 27 home openers in a row dating back to the 1995 campaign.

Arkansas’ bullpen once again did much of the heavy lifting after SEMO (2-2) staked an early 3-0 first-inning lead.

Right-hander Patrick Wicklander entered in relief of starter Caleb Bolden and tossed four scoreless innings, striking out three.

The Razorbacks chipped away using the long ball, powered by outfielder Christian Franklin and first baseman Brady Slavens’ homers in the bottom of the third and fourth inning, respectively. The dingers cut the deficit to one, which held until the top of the eighth when SEMO tacked on two runs to take its second three-run lead of the ballgame.

Arkansas entered the bottom of the ninth needing a rally. They got one

Battles’ single knocked in outfielder Cayden Wallace to trim the deficit to two before Franklin drew a bases-loaded walk, scoring left fielder Zach Gregory to make it a one-run game.

Third baseman Cullen Smith then tied the game at five, lifting a sacrifice fly to left to score Battles from third and send the Hogs and Redhawks to extras.

Freshman pitcher Jaxon Wiggins worked one really strong inning against SEMO. (Photo by Arkansas Communications)

Right-hander Jaxon Wiggins took the mound in the top of the 10th and was once again phenomenal, picking up right where he left off last weekend at the State Farm College Baseball Showdown.

The freshman struck out a pair in a clean one-two-three inning.

Catcher Casey Opitz’s one-out double in the bottom of the 10th started Arkansas’ game-winning sequence. Wallace then drew a walk in an impressive 14-pitch at-bat before Smith was plunked, loading the bases for Battles.

The junior-college product came up clutch once again, sneaking a groundball off the pitcher’s mitt and into no man’s land between the mound and second base. Opitz dashed home to score the game-winning run and secure the Hogs’ fourth straight win.

The Razorbacks have now scored 23 of their 27 total runs this season in the sixth inning or later. Nine of those 23 runs have come in the ninth inning.

Arkansas continues its homestand against SEMO tomorrow afternoon. First pitch in the second game of the series is set for 3 p.m. inside Baum-Walker Stadium.

Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.

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2024 Razorbacks Football

Thu, Aug 29vs UAPB (Little Rock)W, 70-0
Sat, Sep 7@ Oklahoma StateL, 31-39 2OT
Sat, Sep 14vs UABW, 37-27
Sat, Sep 21@ AuburnW, 24-14
Sat, Sep 28vs Texas A&M (Arl)L, 21-17
Sat, Oct 5vs TennesseeW, 19-14
Sat, Oct 19vs LSUL, 34-10
Sat, Oct 26@ Mississippi StateW, 58-25
Sat, Nov 2vs Ole MissL, 63-35
Sat, Nov 16vs Texas11:00 AM
Sat, Nov 23vs Louisiana TechTBD
ESPN+/SECN+
Sat, Nov 30@ MissouriTBD
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2024 High School Rankings

Following is the Arkansas Sports Media High School Football Poll including the Overall Top 10, the top five in Classes 7A, 6A, 5A, 4A, 3A and 2A, plus the top three in the 8-man division, as voted by a panel of sports media from around the state for the week ending August 24. Ranking is given with first-place votes received, records, total points and ranking from last week's poll:
OVERALLRecordPtsPrv
1.Bryant (18)8-02521
2.Conway (6)8-02302
3.Greenwood (2)8-02103
4.Little Rock Parkview7-11714
5.Bentonville5-31416
6.Benton7-11265
7.Fayetteville6-21008
8.Pulaski Academy6-2757
9.Rogers5-3459
10.Shiloh Christian6-24010
Others receiving votes: Marion 13, Valley View 9, Joe T Robinson 8, Mountain Home 4, Cabot 3, Elkins 3.
CLASS 7A
1.Bryant (20)8-01241
2.Conway (6)8-01052
3.Bentonville5-3753
4.Fayetteville6-2455
5.Pulaski Academy6-2354
Others receiving votes: Rogers 5.
CLASS 6A
1.Greenwood (26)8-01301
2.Benton7-11022
3.Shiloh Christian6-2713
4.Marion7-1524
5.Mountain Home7-131
Others receiving votes: Little Rock Catholic 4.
CLASS 5A
1.Little Rock Parkview (23)7-11271
2.Joe T Robinson7-1902
3.Valley View (3)8-0803
4.Hot Springs Lakeside7-1484
5.Farmington7-130
Others receiving votes: Camden Fairview 4, Maumelle 4, Morrilton 3, Greenbrier 2, Harding Academy 1.
CLASS 4A
1.Elkins (19)8-01161
2.Arkadelphia (5)6-2792
3.Little Rock Mills (1)8-0703
4.Warren6-2404
5.Malvern (1)8-0315
Others receiving votes: Dardanelle 22, Southside Batesville 11, Mena 8, Bauxite 7, DeWitt 4, Highland 2.
CLASS 3A
4.Bismarck (15)8-01054
5.Fordyce (4)8-0765
Prescott (3)7-1531t
1.Osceola (2)6-149
3.Mayflower (1)8-036
Others receiving votes: Booneville (1) 31, Rivercrest 19, Mansfield 14, Charleston 4, Rison 3.
CLASS 2A
1.Carlisle (21)8-01211
2.Conway Christian (4)8-01042
3.Des Arc7-1663
4.Bigelow (1)6-2455
5.Murfreesboro6-230
Others receiving votes: Marked Tree 10, Mineral Springs 6, Junction City 5, Cross County 1, Mount Ida 1, Poyen 1
8-MAN SANCTIONED
1.Strong-Huttig (25)5-0761
2.Midland (1)7-0502
3.Cedar Ridge7-1253
Others receiving votes: Rector 5.

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ESPN ARKANSAS 99.5 IN FAYETTEVILLE, 95.3 IN THE RIVER VALLEY, 96.3 IN HOT SPRINGS, 104.3 IN HARRISON-MOUNTAIN HOME.