Arkansas baseball vs UCA: How to watch, stream, listen

Arkansas looks to avoid a weekend sweep hangover with the UCA Bears in town for a lone midweek battle.

Fresh off their huge series sweep of the Tennessee Volunteers over the weekend, the No. 5 [autotag]Diamond Hogs[/autotag] are back in Baum-Walker Stadium to face the UCA Bears (16-19, 7-8).

The [autotag]Razorbacks[/autotag] will be playing the Bears for the third consecutive season after having previously not met since 1948. The Diamond Hogs lead the overall series 6-4-2, but is 3-0 since the resumption of the series in 2021.

Arkansas won both meetings a year ago. First, a dominant 21-9 victory in Fayetteville. Then, in the rematch the Bears took the Diamond Hogs to extra innings before ultimately coming up short 2-1, in front of a packed Dickey-Stephens Park crowd in North Little Rock.

The Hogs have had great success against in-state schools in recent seasons. However, a potential hangover from a big weekend sweep might be the perfect storm for “little brother” to pull an upset.

Arkansas outfielder Jace Bohrofen named national Player of the Week

Bohrofen homered in four straight games last week and helped the Razorbacks to a 5-0 record.

When Arkansas lost outfielder Jared Wegner, a midseason All-American, to injury a couple weeks ago, a small bit of concern entered when it came to the Diamond Hogs’ lineup.

So far, such concern has not borne fruit.

Jace Bohrofen, who starts in the opposite outfield corner from Wegner, has picked up and then some. He was named Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week after slashing .375/.476/.1.188 with four home runs, a double and nine RBI to lead Arkansas to a four-win week, including a three-game sweep of Tennessee to close the first half of SEC play.

Bohrofen hit a pair of homers against Little Rock, one in each game, then hit one in the opener of the series against the Volunteers and another in Game 2 to provide himself with four straight games with homers.

For the season, the Oklahoma City product, a transfer from Oklahoma is in the top 15 in the SEC in batting average at .402 (fourth) and on-base percentage at .533 (fourth). He’s 11th in slugging at .750. Bohrofen has also been hit by 12 pitches and clubbed 10 home runs.

Arkansas hosts Central Arkansas on Tuesday before hitting the road for a series at Georgia on the weekend as the first-place team in the SEC West.

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SEC Baseball Power Rankings: Vandy owns, while LSU, Arkansas, Florida right behind

The SEC send four teams to the College World Series last year. In 2023, Five teams have a legit shot at a national title.

At the halfway point of the SEC baseball season, one thing is clear.

This league is good.

Surprise, right? A real shock? Obviously the SEC is good. But this good? Five teams have a legitimate chance at a national championship. Another five should make the NCAA Tournament, which means another five have a shot at the title. The league might have 11 teams in the postseason come summertime.

For now, the fight is at the top. Vanderbilt holds a two-game lead for the overall No. 1 seed, ahead of Arkansas, the SEC West leaders and Florida, second in the East.

But does that mean the Commodores are clearly the top of the league? Let’s compare the teams against each other

Baum-Walker Stadium was awfully clean after Arkansas sweeps Tennessee

Later, Vols. Arkansas take all three from Tennessee with five-run win to close the series Sunday.

At the halfway point of the SEC baseball season, Arkansas has gone out and proven itself as one of the league’s best. In turn, the Razorbacks are one of the nation’s best.

Arkansas closed the first half of league play Sunday by beating Tennessee, 7-2, earning a sweep over the No. 15 Volunteers. The Diamond Hogs hold a 1 1/2-game lead over second-place LSU in the SEC West. They’re tied for second overall in the SEC with Florida; both teams are two games behind conference leader Vanderbilt.

Arkansas built an immediate lead to clinch the sweep, dropping three runs in the first and another three in the second. Peyton Stovall and Caleb Cali had RBI singles in the opening frame and Brady Slavens added a sacrifice fly. In the second, Slavens cleared the bases with a three-run triple.

Meanwhile Ben Bybee and Dylan worked went 3 1/3 innings and 4 2/3 innings, limiting Tennessee to just two runs – both off Bybee – on seven hits.

Arkansas won four of their first five SEC series through the halfway point. They’re back at it Tuesday in a nonconference game against Central Arkansas before heading to Athens for a three-game set against Georgia.

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Diamond Hogs take Game 2, series over Tennessee

Six runs on four hits? Arkansas just keeps finding ways to win.

Arkansas had just four hits against Tennessee on Saturday. Plenty.

The sixth-ranked Razorbacks won, anyway, over Tennessee, 6-3, to ensure a series win and will go for a sweep on Sunday.

Jace Bohrofen’s two-run home run in the first inning provided Arkansas an early one-run lead. An RBI single in the fifth provided some insurance. And a pair of singles and a Tennessee error provided the final three runs of extra protection in the seventh.

Much like in Friday’s opener, Tennessee simply couldn’t crack the Diamond Hogs’ pitching.

Will McEntire gave up two runs – both on solo homers – in six innings while striking out five. Gage Wood entered to start the seventh and gave up one run, but struck out six in his three innings to earn the three-inning save.

The Diamond Hogs will go for a sweep on Sunday at 2 p.m.

Arkansas baseball vs. Tennessee – How to watch, stream, listen to Game 3

An Arkansas sweep over Tennessee is a legitimate possibility.

A series win is in the books. Sunday, the Diamond Hogs will go for a sweep.

And, frankly, nothing could finer for the fan base of the No. 6 team in the country. Arkansas took the first two games from Tennessee, coached by former Razorbacks assistant Tony Vitello, and will look to take the finale at 2 p.m.

Tennessee’s loss Saturday kept the Vols five games back of third-place in the SEC East and seven back of first in the division. Arkansas’ win allowed the Razorbacks to maintain a 1 1/2-game lead over LSU in the West.

The series’ close will mark the official halfway point of the SEC season as teams attempt to lock up NCAA Tournament bid.

Here’s how to catch the action Sunday.

Arkansas baseball vs. Tennessee – How to watch, stream, listen to Game 2

The Razorbacks can take the series with a win Saturday.

Another game from Baum-Walker Stadium against Tennessee. Another loud night is scheduled.

The sixth-ranked Razorbacks host the 15th-ranked Vols for Game 2 of their SEC set at 6 p.m. on Saturday. Arkansas took the opener, 5-2, after the Vols were shut down upon scoring two runs in the first inning.

Arkansas’ win combined with LSU’s loss allowed the Razorbacks to move from a 1/2-game up on the Tigers in the SEC West to a full 1 1/2-game lead for the division crown. Tennessee fell six games back of Vanderbilt in the SEC East.

Neither the Diamond Hogs or Vols will have their season made or broke by this mid-year series. But NCAA Tournament placing time has begun and the Razorbacks, especially, are smelling a national seed. A series win over Tennessee will go a ways in helping achieve that.

That’s one thus far, Tony: Diamond Hogs take opener from Tennessee

Hunter Hollan had a whale of a start in Arkansas’ series-opening win over Tennessee.

The Tennessee baseball team jumped early. Then never again.

No. 6 Arkansas scored five straight runs in a 5-2 win over the No. 15 Volunteers in Friday night’s series opener from Baum-Walker Stadium. The win kept Arkansas atop the SEC West at 9-4 in league play.

Hunter Hollan and Hagen Smith were the biggest reason why. Hollan gave up two runs on three hits in the first inning to Tennessee. The rest of the way, Hollan allowed no more runs and just two more hits as he worked six total innings, striking out that same number and walking just one.

Smith followed with a three-inning save, retiring seven of the nine batters he faced via strikeout. He gave up just a single knock in the ninth.

Meanwhile, the Arkansas lineup came back in pieces, though kind of all at once.

The Razorbacks scored three runs in third inning to take the only necessary lead. One scored on an error and Tavian Josenberger plated two with his home run. For good measure, another would score in the fourth on a double-play and Jace Bohrofen would add a solo shot in the fifth to cap things.

The two teams are back at it Saturday at 6 p.m. from Baum-Walker Stadium.

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Arkansas baseball vs. Tennessee – How to watch, stream, listen to Game 1

Dave Van Horn and Tony Vitello are buds. But that doesn’t mean Arkansas fans won’t let Tennessee hear it loudly this weekend.

The level of excitement the home crowd at Baum-Walker Stadium will have on the weekend will be higher than any non-Regional or -Super game Fayetteville has seen in years.

Tony Vitello is bringing his 12th-ranked Tennessee baseball team to play No. 6 Arkansas. First pitch on Friday, the opener of a three-game weekend set in the SEC, is set for 7 p.m.

But the rankings aren’t the reason for the fervor. The last time the Vols were in town, Vitello and Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn had an animated exchange that left both fan bases on edge. Arkansas, especially, considering Vitello was Van Horn’s assistant less than a decade ago and was often considered his heir apparent.

Instead, Vitello, who likely understandably didn’t want to wait 15 or more years on Van Horn to retire, exited for his first head coaching job in Knoxville in June of 2017. Last year he had the Vols at No. 1 in the nation for most of the season before they fell in the NCAA Tournament.

Both teams will almost certainly be in the postseason again. This particular series will only bolster – or slightly lessen – where they end up in the Regional.

The two men remain friends and good ones at that. But for the fans? Expect the passion.

Fireworks on tap? Arkansas and Tennessee is SEC’s best baseball rivalry right now

All eyes will be on Fayetteville this weekend for Arkansas and Tennessee.

The last time Tony Vitello was in Fayetteville with his Tennessee baseball team, he and Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn, his former boss, had an animated exchange.

Both coaches have demurred when asked about it, but two years later, it remains in both fan bases’ minds.

That happens when both teams are the level that they are. The Diamond Hogs enter the weekend as the No. 6 team in the land. Tennessee isn’t far behind at No. 12. Two seasons ago, it was Arkansas who spent practically the entire year as the top-ranked team in the land before falling in the NCAA Tournament. Last year, the Volunteers had the same fate.

This season, Arkansas sits atop the SEC West at 8-4, while Tennessee is fourth in the East at 5-7. Those records can largely be ignored, especially as Vitello is mixing things up on the mound.

Andrew Lindsey is set to go for the Vols on Friday. He hasn’t started a game since 2021 when he was Charlotte and he’s never started a game in the SEC.  It’s an unexpected change considering Tennessee returned its entire weekend staff from last year. But UT starters have a 6.67 earned-run average in league play this year.

Pitching has been a modest weakness for Arkansas, too, as the Diamond Hogs. Their staff has an ERA of 5.59 in SEC play.

A sweep by either team seems unlikely, but pulling one would certainly vault the winning club into assured “hosting” position in the NCAA Tournament projections.

In other words, a lot is on line, even if it’s only halfway through the league season.

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