Tag: Hagan Smith

LSU heads to losers’ bracket after SEC tournament loss to Arkansas

LSU will play Texas A&M in an elimination game Friday at 3 p.m. CT.

[autotag]Paul Skenes[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Hagan Smith[/autotag], the No. 2 seed facing the No. 3 seed, [autotag]Dylan Crews[/autotag] and [autotag]Peyton Holt[/autotag] facing each other the storylines wrote themselves ahead of Thursday’s SEC tournament game against Arkansas for LSU.

Ultimately, the Razorbacks will have Friday off while LSU will have to face Texas A&M in an elimination game after the Hogs won 5-4.

[autotag]Tre Morgan[/autotag] got the scoring started with an RBI single in the top of the first to draw first blood. The Tigers scored again in the fourth inning when [autotag]Hayden Travinski[/autotag] scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0 LSU.

The Razorbacks flipped the script in the bottom of the fourth inning as they plated five runs (only two earned) against Skenes. That chased him from the mound. He finished the day after going 3.2 innings and allowing 5 runs on four hits, three strikeouts, and two walks.

[autotag]Riley Cooper[/autotag] stepped in to try and finish the inning. With the game tied 2-2, Cooper appeared to have gotten the third out, BUT [autotag]Alex Milazzo[/autotag] was called for catcher’s interference with bases loaded and that scored a run. They scored two more after that to make it 5-2 Arkansas after four innings.

In the top of the eighth inning, [autotag]Jordan Thompson[/autotag] hit an RBI single to score Travinski to cut the lead to 5-3 as we headed to the bottom of the eighth. The top of the order was due up in the ninth for the Tigers but could they make a comeback?

[autotag]Jared Jones[/autotag] popped out for out number one. Crews then hit a solo homer to cut the lead to 5-4 as [autotag]Paxton Kling[/autotag] came into pinch-hit. Kling struck out for out number two. White grounded out for out number three and Arkansas won 5-4.

With the loss, LSU will play Texas A&M on Friday in an elimination game at 3 p.m. CT.

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Arkansas Baseball: Changes coming to weekend rotation for Alabama series

For the first time all season, Arkansas will shake up the weekend rotation. Expect to see a new face on the mound for Friday’s opener in Tuscaloosa.

For the final weekend of the regular season, head coach Dave Van Horn is shaking up the weekend rotation for the first time all year.

The no. 4 Arkansas Razorbacks have played 13 weekend series in the 2022 season with the same weekend rotation of Connor Noland, Hagen Smith, and Jaxon Wiggins. As the Razorbacks travel to Alabama to face the Crimson Tide, one pitcher will have one extra day of rest while one has been removed from the rotation altogether.

For Thursday’s opener, [autotag]Will McEntire[/autotag] will get his first start in SEC play. McEntire has been used mostly as a midweek starter, going 1-1 with four starts. Recently, he has been used in relief. He made his first appearance in a weekend series in Arkansas’ 7-4 win over Auburn on May 8, and grabbed a three-inning save against Vanderbilt on May 14.

The usual Friday starter, [autotag]Connor Noland[/autotag], will be moved to game two of the series to allow him a full week between starts. Noland has not had the best luck over the last five SEC starts, as he has either taken a loss or left the mound without recording a decision. Head coach [autotag]Dave Van Horn[/autotag] says that Noland is staying positive, but he looks to change his approach in the Alabama series and beyond.

“He feels healthy, no issues there physically,” says Van Horn. “Just pitch to contact more, don’t worry about getting strikeouts. I don’t think that he is, that’s just what we try to tell him, “hey, just let them hit it. We will field it.” Hopefully he will be good this weekend.” 

The only pitcher to remain in his role will be [autotag]Jaxon Wiggins[/autotag], who will close out the series on Saturday afternoon. Wiggins pitched well enough to get the win last Sunday at home against Vanderbilt, striking out eight batters over 4.1 innings of work. But he allowed two earned runs while the Commodores shut down any chance of run support, which set him up for the loss.

Freshman [autotag]Hagan Smith[/autotag] will be out of the rotation this weekend. No reason has been given for Smith’s removal, but according to Whole Hog Sports, it could be because of his struggles working deep into games. Over his last five starts, Smith has only lasted six innings or more twice.

Arkansas begins their week-long stay in Alabama on Thursday night, when they face Alabama at Sewell-Thomas Stadium in Tuscaloosa. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. CDT.