Tag: Kendall Diggs

Hogs pull away late in 7-4 win over LSU

Kendall Diggs 3-run homer was the difference as the Hogs pulled away late in a 7-4 win over LSU

Thanks to a big eighth inning, the Diamond Hogs pulled away late to take game one over No. 8 LSU.

All season long, the bats have been hot or cold, and Arkansas has relied heavily on its outstanding pitching staff to win games. Although his performance was immaculate—recording 10 strikeouts—LSU tested Hagen Smith for the first time this season.

The lefty had only given up one earned run since the opening series against James Madison, but the Tigers scored back-to-back homers to take the lead in the top of the fourth. Smith also gave up 5 hits, the most he’s allowed in a single game this season.

Still, LSU’s relative success against Smith would fall short. Arkansas looked like a different team at the plate. They forced LSU to burn through 7 pitchers, mainly because they were patient.

The Tigers’ bullpen had trouble finding the strike zone (but to be fair, it seemed to move around all night long), and Arkansas’ batters stayed patient. LSU walked Arkansas 11 times and three of the Razorbacks’ RBIs got on base via walks. And in the bottom of the seventh, LSU’s Cam Johnson walked another runner in with the bases loaded.

But the entire night collimated in the bottom of the eighth when Kendall Diggs hit a moon shoot to right-center field to all but seal the win for the Razorbacks.

Arkansas take its third SEC series tomorrow with a win tomorrow, but the Hogs will have a change of pace on Friday as Mason Molina is set to start in place of Brady Tygart. It’ll be his first game-two start with Arkansas, but the former Friday night guy for Texas Tech should have no problem adapting.

SEC coaches choose Arkansas to win conference baseball title

Hagen Smith and Kendall Diggs were chosen first-team All-SEC preseason selections, while Hogs picked to win it all.

The SEC’s 14 head baseball coaches have voted Arkansas the favorite to win the conference championship this season, according to the annual preseason poll released Thursday.

Nine of the coaches chose the Razorbacks to win the Western Division and nine also picked the Diamond Hogs to win the overall title, with LSU taking three votes and Florida getting two.

Arkansas junior right-fielder Kendall Diggs and junior starting pitcher Hagen Smith were also named to the Coaches Preseason All-SEC First Team, adding to the program’s already numerous preseason accolades.

After a disappointing early exit from the Fayetteville Regional last May, expectations are soaring for Head Coach Dave Van Horn’s revamped Hogs, as they try to reach the College World Series for the fourth time in six years. Arkansas is ranked No. 2 in the Perfect Game Preseason Top 25, and No. 3 in the D1Baseball and Baseball America polls.

The Razorbacks welcome back a solid core of veterans, but have also added the the nation’s top recruiting class, as well as a few key weapons from the transfer portal.

Diggs looks to bring stability to the lineup after slashing .299/.436/.547 last season, with 12 home runs, and team highs with 63 runs batted in and 46 walks, over 58 games. The Olathe, Kan., native, was rewarded with All-SEC second-team honors as designated hitter/utility player.

The highly-touted Smith comes in as one of the top pitchers in the country after being named a consensus All-American last season. The big 6-foot-3 lefty made 18 appearances a year ago, with 11 starts and an 8-2 record. He led the team with a 3.64 ERA, and 109 strikeouts in 71.2 innings of work during his outstanding sophomore campaign. He also recorded two saves in relief, and held opposing hitters to a .217 batting average.

Smith was a semifinalist for last year’s Golden Spikes Award and the College Baseball Foundation’s National Pitcher of the Year Award, and has already been named to numerous preseason All-American lists.

Arkansas opens the season at Baum-Walker Stadium on Feb. 16, hosting James Madison in the first of a four-game series.

2024 SEC Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll

Eastern Division

  1. Florida (11) – 88
  2. Tennessee (2) – 75
  3. Vanderbilt (1) – 73
  4. South Carolina – 50
  5. Kentucky – 44
  6. Georgia – 36
  7. Missouri – 19

Western Division

  1. Arkansas (9) – 87
  2. LSU (5) – 82
  3. Texas A&M – 68
  4. Alabama – 47
  5. Auburn – 46
  6. Ole Miss – 32
  7. Mississippi State – 23

SEC Champion: Arkansas (9), LSU (3), Florida (2)

(x) = First place votes

2024 SEC Baseball Coaches Preseason All-SEC Team

First Team
C: Cole Messina, South Carolina
1B: Jac Caglianone, Florida
2B: Cade Kurland, Florida
3B: Tommy White, LSU
SS: Colby Shelton, Florida
OF: Jace LaViolette, Texas A&M
OF: Ethan Petry, South Carolina
OF: Kendall Diggs, Arkansas
DH/UTL: Ike Irish, Auburn
SP: Hagen Smith, Arkansas
SP: Drew Beam, Tennessee
RP: Brandon Neely, Florida

Second Team
C: Devin Burkes, Kentucky
1B: Charlie Condon, Georgia
2B: Christian Moore, Tennessee
3B: Billy Amick, Tennessee
SS: Jonathan Vastine, Vanderbilt
OF: Braden Montgomery, Texas A&M
OF: Dakota Jordan, Mississippi State
OF: Bobby Peirce, Auburn
DH/UTL: Hayden Travinski, LSU
SP: Jac Caglianone, Florida
SP: Carter Holton, Vanderbilt
RP: Alton Davis II, Alabama

Van Horn pleased with the talent as No. 2 Razorbacks begin practices

Dave Van Horn discussed some of the position battles as the Arkansas baseball team begins practices.

As Arkansas takes the field for its first official baseball practice Friday, Head Coach Dave Van Horn is faced with a good problem to have. With so much talent at each position and on the pitcher’s mound, the veteran skipper is now tasked with deciding who to put on the field.

The Razorbacks are looking to reach the College World Series for the fourth time in six years, and will open the season ranked No. 2 in the Perfect Game Preseason Top 25, and No. 3 in the D1Baseball poll.

Not only do the Diamond Hogs have a solid core of returning players from last season’s SEC championship team, but they also added some key pieces from the transfer portal. Add to that the top incoming freshman class in the nation, and you face a dilemma.

The Hogs are slated to hold three intrasquad scrimmages over the next four days, taking Saturday off due to weather and the Razorback Invitational track meet being held next door. The first pitch will be thrown at 2 p.m. on Friday and noon on Sunday.

Van Horn said no position battles will be settled this first weekend, as he is just looking to get his players back on the field for live-game action. Arkansas opens the season on Feb. 16 in a four-game home series against James Madison.

“Really, the second weekend, the third weekend we will really have to start making some decisions,” he said. “This first weekend, let’s just see what happens.”

The pitching staff looks to be stellar, top to bottom, from the starting rotation to the bullpen. That unit will be headlined by junior All-American lefty Hagen Smith, who made 11 starts and had seven relief appearances as a true-sophomore last season.

The 6-foot-3 hurler finished with an 8-2 record and a team-leading 3.64 ERA, while adding a pair of saves. He also struck out 109 batters in 71.2 innings of work, which has all garnered him a plethora of national hype heading into this season.

“He’s handled it really well,” Van Horn said of his ace. “There have been years that we’ve had guys that were projected high picks and they stressed out over it, maybe changed their routine. We just tell our guys to do what you do every day.”

Although Smith is sure to be a high-round draft pick in June, he doesn’t seem to be letting that affect the way he prepares and performs.

“If you talk to him, it’s amazing, he just wants to win at the highest level, as a team,” Van Horn said. “And I think that’s why the players love him so much, is he just works. He’s not a big talker, but he’s been a lot more vocal this year because he knows he’s older and it’s probably his time. You can’t outwork this guy. His stuff has been amazing and I’m excited for him and his family, but I’m excited for our team because we have him on our team.”

Smith will also be surrounded by a wealth of arms that should boost the starting rotation and the bullpen production for the Razorbacks.

Highly touted freshman Hunter Dietz will be a key piece to the staff, but his presence will be put on hold to start the season. Rated the nation’s No. 5 left-handed pitcher by Perfect Game in the 2023 Class, Dietz recently underwent a minor procedure that will likely keep him out until early April.

“He’s already back to practice,” Van Horn said. “He’s doing all the drills. He’s not throwing to hitters or anything, yet. They just went in there and took care of a problem that he brought with him,”

Texas Tech junior transfer Mason Molina should also be a huge addition to the staff. The 6-foot-2 lefty was an All-Big 12 performer last season, leading the Red Raiders with six wins, 83.1 innings pitched, 108 strikeouts and a 3.67 ERA.

Although all the roles have not been defined, Van Horn is pleased with his options for starters, as well as the weapons he will have out of the bullpen.

“The bullpen is shaping up fine,” he said. “We have some really good arms. Obviously, they’ve got to go out and do it in a real game. We feel like we’ve got a really good mix or left -and right-handed pitching. The right-handed pitching is usually there, but having some options left-handed out of the pen is a big-time plus for us this year.”

The offensive attack is bolstered by the return of junior second-baseman Peyton Stovall, who is back at full-speed after suffering a torn labrum last season. He started 38 games in 2023 and has a career .277 batting average over the past two seasons, with 11 homers and 62 RBIs, along with a shining .992 fielding percentage.

Teamed with incoming sophomore shortstop Wehiwa Aloy – a Freshman All-American at Sacramento State last season – the Diamond Hogs will have a formidable middle infield.

“Man, Peyton’s been amazing – fielding and the accuracy of his arm has been great,” Van Horn said. “Getting him and Wehiwa playing together, playing catch together every day, getting to know each other – that’s one big thing, because you just want the middle infielders to know what they are doing before it happens.”

There will be a battle at first base between returning senior Ben McLaughlin and Tarleton State grad transfer Jack Wagner, who hit .337 for the Texans last season, with 15 home runs, eight doubles, four triples and 56 RBIs.

“One hits left and one hits right, but one can also DH,” Van Horn said. “Wagner can actually play some outfield if we needed him, But that’s a thing that is going to be ongoing, and that’s a good thing It’s healthy competition amongst teammates.”

With returning junior Kendall Diggs solidified in right field and Missouri grad transfer Ty Wilmsmeyer probably manning center field, the only real questions is in left. That will likely come down to returning sophomore Jayson Jones, Hutchinson Community College junior transfer Will Edmunson and Missouri senior transfer Ross Lovich.

“We’ll just have to see how that plays out,” Van Horn said. “Wilmsmeyer in center is our best defender, but we have Hunter Grimes and some other guys battling. We’ll just have to see how that all turns out. I think it will just be a work in progress, but if it comes down to just defense, it will be Wilmsmeyer.”

These are the 10 Best Arkansas Athletes of 2023

Who was the best player for the Arkansas Razorbacks this season?

The calendar year of 2023 for Arkansas sports as a whole was a bit of a mixed bag.

But on an individual basis, several Hogs athletes made the most of things and had seasons to remember.

Our annual Top 10 Arkansas Athletes list this year includes one baseball player, one softball player, two football players, one women’s basketball player, two men’s basketball players, two volleyball players and a soccer player.

On the honorable mention list: two softball players, one soccer player, one baseball player, one volleyball player, one basketball player.

Check out the complete list of our honorees for the 2023 calendar year below.

Stovall, Diggs, Smith named Arkansas baseball captains

Hagen Smith could be the best pitcher in the country and Kendall Diggs’ power is up there, too.

For the umpteenth straight season, the Arkansas baseball team has its eyes toward Omaha and the College World Series.

Looking to lead the Diamond Hogs are Peyton Stovall, Kendall Diggs and Hagen Smith. The three returners from last year’s NCAA Tournament team were named captains over the weekend.

Smith, a left-handed pitcher, is the team’s best player and its best pro prospect. He split time in 2023 between starting and the bullpen, but not because he couldn’t find a spot. Smith pitched 71 2/3 innings, striking out 109 while allowing opponents to bat .217 with a 3.64 earned-run average.

Diggs was perhaps Arkansas’ best hitter. A third baseman/first baseman/outfielder/designated hitter, Diggs has positional flexibility, but it’s his bat that speaks. He slashed .299/.436/.547 with 12 home runs and a team-high 63 RBI.

If Stovall plays like he did his freshman year instead of his sophomore, the junior will be one of the best in the nation. A highly touted prospect who turned down the pros out of high school for Fayetteville, Stovall hit just .253 with a slugging percentage below .400 in his first year at second base.

The SEC preseason polls have not yet been released, but the Razorbacks are expected to be in the top five. They open the regular season against James Madison on Feb. 16.

Arkansas baseball wraps up fall with extra-inning drama in finale

The Diamond Hogs wrapped up their fall season with an extra-inning affair in the Fall World Series finale.

As Yogi Berra once said, “It was Deja vu all over again.”

For the second time in two days of the Arkansas baseball team’s Fall World Series intrasquad clash, the teams were tied at the end of the intended seven innings of play.

Monday’s game was declared a 9-9 tie, with a winner-take-all finale set for Tuesday.

But with the scored tied at 8-8 after seven on Tuesday, a winner had yet to be determined. So, the teams played an extra inning, utilizing Major League Baseball’s so-called “ghost runner” rule. Each team began the inning with no outs and a runner on second.

The Cardinal team mustered a run in the top of the eighth, on freshman Kade Smith’s sacrifice bunt, that brought home Missouri transfer Ty Wilmsmeyer.

From there, freshman right-hander Jaewoo Cho shut down the White squad, with a pair of strikeouts, to secure the 9-8 victory for the Cardinal.

“It was real competitive today – I just saw a lot of clutch things happen,” Razorback Head Coach Dave Van Horn said. “All fall has been competitive, The scrimmages have been really tight. It’s been good, and there’s a lot of competition. If we started tomorrow, I could put you a lineup on the field, but I’m sure there would be guys right there to play that aren’t on the field, and then there’s a fall off.

“As far as offensively, you’ve got about 12 guys that look like they’re ready to go, and then there are some other guys who are not quite there yet, at least day in and day out. It was real competitive today.”

That puts a wrap on the fall season for the Hogs, who were allowed 28 official practices within a 45-day window, starting in September.

“Believe me, they’re ready to get off the field,” Van Horn said. “You think about a guy like Kendall Diggs, who won the Cape Cod League championship and played all the way to almost mid-August, Jayson Jones won the league up there in Wisconsin and they were the last team to finish. He went home for one day and he came here. He had an okay fall, but he’s better than what he showed. Get him strong, get him ready to go and find out what he can do.”

Diggs, a junior outfielder, who will be heavily counted on in the spring, gave the White team a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first Tuesday, with a 412-foot rocket to right field that ricocheted off the William Hunter Family Development Center.

The Cardinal evened things up in the second, as Tarleton State transfer Jack Wagner ripped his second homer in as many days, a 394-foot shot over the left-center field fence. Hunter Grimes followed with a double that plated Wilmsmeyer, to make it 2-2.

Van Horn has been impressed by Wilmsmeyer, who has a chance to make an immediate impact when the regular season rolls around in February.

“He’s got a chance to be our starting first baseman, starting left fielder, starting DH,” the coach said. “That’s what I see. We brought him here to help solidify our lineup a little bit with some offense. He brings some attitude, and you got to see that a little bit the last couple of days.”

It didn’t take the White team long to jump back ahead in the third. Back-to-back run-scoring singles from Hutchinson Community College transfer Will Edmunson and senior Ben McLaughlin made it 4-2.

Smith, a Harding Academy graduate, then made his initial impact of the game with a monster 430-foot two-run blast to left-center, tying the score once again, 4-4, in the top of the fourth.

Sophomore infielder Reese Robinett, who had two hits in the game, gave the Cardinal its first lead with a 347-foot solo home run to right field, making it 5-4 in the top half of the fifth.

Left-hander Jordan Husky, a redshirt freshman, proceeded to keep the White team scoreless through the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, allowing just one hit and striking out four.

Robinett then hit a bases-loaded double to score two more, and senior Hunter Grimes knocked in another on a ground out, to put the Cardinal in front 8-4.

Down four, heading into the bottom of the seventh, the White team began to rally. They scored one on a wild pitch, before senior Parker Rowland stepped to the plate and unleashed a three-run, game-tying homer to right field.

With pitching running thin on both sides, Van Horn isn’t sure what would have transpired if the game went past eight innings. Which is why they decided to put runners on second to start the extra inning.

“We were to the point now that we had one inning left, maybe,” he said. “It worked out. The guys have watched some games. The MLB does it pretty much all the time.”

Overall, Van Horn, was content with what he saw, beginning his 22nd season at the helm. He was especially pleased to see a freshman finish the game on the mound with a clutch performance.

“You just saw a lot of clutch things happen, whether it’s Jaewoo finishing up the game throwing a bunch of sliders that start out knee-high and end up about ankle-high,” he said. “Guys didn’t make an adjustment, and he did what he needed to do. He got them out.”

The Razorbacks will now begin skill work and hitting groups next week

“A lot of hitting in groups starting inside, just working on things, working on bunting, working on base running,” Van Horn said. “And then a lot of defense with the infielders. Outfielders will be out here a little bit. That’s what we do from now until Thanksgiving. After Thanksgiving, we get them for another week max and then they’re out of here for a long time.

The season officially gets under way on Feb. 16, when James Madison comes to Fayetteville for a four-game series.

Hogs set to play winner-take-all game in finale of Fall World Series

The Arkansas baseball team will play its final intrasquad game on Tuesday to determine the winner of the Fall World Series.

There is already drama brewing at Baum-Walker Stadium, and the Arkansas baseball season is still four months away.

The Razorbacks began wrapping up their fall-practice season on Monday, with the first game of their annual Fall World Series — a traditional best-of-three intrasquad series.

Game 1 was called in the seventh inning, with the Gray and Cardinal teams locked in a 9-9 tie. Head Coach Dave Van Horn had initially stated the game would conclude on Tuesday, but a short time later, the program released a statement that said “Game one of the Fall World Series is officially ruled a tie.”

The teams will now take the field at noon on Tuesday for a winner-take-all finale at Baum-Walker.

With the wind whipping throughout the game and some players playing out of position on Monday, both teams struggled in the field. Each team committed three errors, which led to eight of the 18 runs being unearned. They also combined for 16 walks and a hit batter.

“Today was about as ugly as I’ve ever seen,” Van Horn said afterward. “We’ve got a catcher playing second base. Welcome to fall baseball. We’ve got some guys that are a little banged up that aren’t playing. It got a little ugly and it might get uglier.”

The head Hog, entering his 22nd season at his alma mater, doesn’t remember much that happened after the fourth inning, as he was informed midway through the contest, that his daughter may be having triplets.

“My daughter and my son-in-law came down and told me that my daughter’s not going to have one — I don’t have any grandkids — and probably not going to have two, but there may be more,” a still-stunned Van Horn said. “This is all natural.”

Freshman right-hander Gabe Gaeckle looked sharp on the mound to start the game. He allowed just four hits and a run over the first three innings for the Gray team, who proceeded to give him support by scoring four runs in the top of the second.

The Gray took a 5-0 lead in the third on a run-scoring sacrifice fly by junior Hudson Polk. But the Cardinal squad responded with a run in the bottom of the third, then four more in the fourth, aided by two fielding errors, to tie the score at 5-5.

The Gray reclaimed the lead with two more runs in the fifth, benefitting from another error and back-to-back walks.

The Red cut it back to one on an sacrifice fly from freshman catcher Ryder Helfrick, then tied it at 7-7 on a Gray throwing error.

Helfrick impressed Van Horn, offensively and defensively, leading the Red team with three RBIs in the game. “He’s just a serious freshman,” Van Horn. “He takes it serious and he has a chance to be an everyday player as a freshman for us.”

The Red squad took it’s first lead of the day, when a wild pitch allowed freshman designated hitter Kade Smith to score to make it 8-7.

Junior right-fielder Kendall Diggs tied things up with a run-scoring single in the sixth, before another wild pitch allowed junior Parker Rowland to score and give the Gray a 9-8 lead.

That set the stage for senior first-baseman Jack Wagner, a Tarleton State transfer, to tie the game once again in the bottom of the inning. His one-out solo blast traveled 397 feet over the left field fence, to make it 9-9.

Beginning in September, college teams have a 45-day window to conduct 28 official practices. The Razorbacks have 24 new players added to the upcoming season’s 47-man roster, with a stout freshman class and some transfers at key positions.

The regular season will get under way on Feb. 16, when the Razorbacks host James Madison.

2023-24 Diamond Hogs Fall Roster

No. Player, Pos., Yr., Ht., Wt., B/T, Hometown / High School / Previous School

1 Ty Wilmsmeyer, OF, Grad., 6-2, 185, R/R, Springfield, Mo. / Glendale HS / Missouri

3 Nolan Souza, INF, Fr., 6-3, 210, L/R, Honolulu, Hawaii / Punahou HS

4 Jack Wagner, INF, Grad., 6-0, 200, R/R, Wichita, Kan. / Maize South HS / Kansas / Tarleton State

5 Kendall Diggs, INF/OF, Jr., 6-0, 205, L/R, Olathe, Kan. / Saint Thomas Aquinas HS

6 Ben McLaughlin, INF, Sr., 6-3, 215, L/R, Golden, Colo. / Golden HS / Hutchinson CC

8 Hudson White, C, Jr., 6-1, 200, R/R, Keller, Texas / Byron Nelson HS / Texas Tech

9 Wehiwa Aloy, INF, So., 6-2, 200, R/R, Wailuku, Hawaii / Baldwin HS / Sacramento State

10 Peyton Stovall, INF, Jr., 5-11, 190, L/R, Haughton, La. / Haughton HS

11 Jaewoo Cho, RHP, Fr., 6-3, 200, R/R, Seoul, South Korea / IMG Academy

12 Jared Sprague-Lott, INF, Sr., 6-0, 190, R/R, Philadelphia, Penn. / Springside Chestnut Hill Academy / Richmond

14 Ross Lovich, OF, Sr., 6-0, 185, L/L, Overland Park, Kan. / Blue Valley West HS / Missouri

15 Lincoln Riley, OF, Grad., 5-10, 190, R/R, Marion, Iowa / Cedar Rapids Washington / Eastern Illinois

16 Hudson Polk, C, Sr., 6-1, 210, R/R, Coppell, Texas / Coppell HS / Oklahoma

17 Hunter Grimes, INF/OF, R-Sr., 6-1, 185, R/R, Kerrville, Texas / Tivy HS / UTSA / McLennan CC

18 Reese Robinett, INF, So., 6-3, 215, L/R, Kennett, Mo. / Kennett HS

19 Will Edmunson, OF, Jr., 6-0, 200, R/R, Luther, Okla. / Home School / Hutchinson CC

20 Gabe Gaeckle, RHP, Fr., 6-0, 190, R/R, Aptos, Calif. / Aptos HS

21 Mason Molina, LHP, Jr., 6-2, 225, R/L, Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. / Trabuco Hills HS / Texas Tech

22 Ty Waid, C/INF, Fr., 6-2, 225, R/R, Texarkana, Ark. / Arkansas HS

24 Peyton Holt, INF, Sr., 5-10, 205, R/R, Greenwood, Ark. / Greenwood HS / Crowder College

25 Brady Tygart, RHP, Jr., 6-2, 215, R/R, Hernando, Miss. / Lewisburg HS

26 Tate McGuire, RHP, Fr., 6-3, 210, R/R, Liberty, Mo. / Liberty North HS

27 Ryder Helfrick, C, Fr., 6-1, 200, R/R, Discovery Bay, Calif. / Clayton Valley Charter HS

28 Koty Frank, RHP, Grad., 6-2, 220, R/R, Tushka, Okla. / Tushka HS / Eastern Oklahoma State College / Nebraska

29 Austin Ledbetter, RHP, Jr., 6-1, 200, R/R, Bryant, Ark. / Bryant HS

31 Dylan Carter, RHP, R-Jr., 6-2, 205, R/R, Bentonville, Ark. / Bentonville West HS / Crowder College

32 Hunter Dietz, LHP, Fr., 6-6, 230, R/L, Trinity, Fla. / Calvary Christian HS

33 Hagen Smith, LHP, Jr., 6-3, 225, L/L, Bullard, Texas / Bullard HS

34 Diego Ramos, RHP, Fr. 6-3, 195, S/L, Vian, Okla. / Vian HS

35 Jordan Huskey, LHP, R-Fr., 5-11, 190, L/L, Quitman, Ark. / Greenbrier HS

36 Parker Coil, LHP, So., 6-3, 190, R/L, Edmond, Okla. / Edmond Memorial HS

37 Jake Faherty, RHP, Jr., 6-3, 185, R/R, Georgetown, Ky. / Great Crossing HS

38 Colin Fisher, LHP, Fr., 6-3, 215, L/L, Noble, Okla. / Noble HS

39 Tucker Holland, LHP, Fr., 6-6, 230, R/L, Fayetteville, N.C. / The Burlington School

40 Ben Bybee, RHP, So., 6-6, 230, R/R, Overland Park, Kan. / Blue Valley Southwest HS

41 Will McEntire, RHP, R-Sr., 6-4, 225, L/R, Bryant, Ark. / Bryant HS

43 Kade Smith, INF/OF/RHP, Fr., 6-0, 200, R/R, Searcy, Ark. / Harding Academy

44 Parker Rowland, C, Sr., 6-3, 215, S/R, Tulsa, Okla. / Bishop Kelley HS / Arkansas State / Eastern Oklahoma State College

45 Gage Wood, RHP, So., 6-0, 205, R/R, Batesville, Ark. / Batesville HS

46 Christian Foutch, RHP, So., 6-3, 230, R/R, Littleton, Colo. / Chatfield HS

48 Cooper Dossett, RHP, So., 6-0, 190, R/R, Springdale, Ark. / Har-Ber HS

49 Stone Hewlett, LHP, Sr., 6-1, 195, L/L, Leawood, Kan. / Rockhurst HS / Kansas

51 Jack Smith, LHP, Fr. 6-4, 220, L/L, Moultain, Ala. / Hartselle HS

52 Jonah Conradt, RHP, Fr., 6-3, 175, R/R, Greenville, Wis. / P27 Academy

55 Josh Hyneman, RHP, R-Fr., 6-4, 245, R/R, Jonesboro, Ark. / Jonesboro HS

61 Adam Hachman, LHP, Fr., 6-5, 230, L/L, Wentzville, Mo. / Timberland HS

Diamond Hogs smack 4 homers to highlight fall scrimmage

The Diamond Hogs blasted four homeruns in an intrasquad scrimmage Friday night.

In preparation for Saturday’s showdown with BYU on the football field at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, a slew of faithful Arkansas fans gathered inside Baum-Walker Stadium Friday night to cheer on the Razorbacks newly reloaded baseball squad in an intrasquad scrimmage.

Fans got to see 19 position players and 14 pitchers, including many of the new freshman and transfers, as the Red and Gray teams combined for 11 hits, highlighted by four homeruns. The Gray won the contest, 7-2.

Junior right fielder Kendall Diggs got the crowd stirred early, with a mammoth two-run homer off junior hurler Brady Tygart to give the Gray team the lead, only two batters into the game. That followed a seven-pitch walk by a Missouri grad transfer Ty Wilmsmeyer.

Junior lefty transfer Mason Molina, who was the ace of the Texas Tech staff last season, wasted little time in making an early statement in the bottom of the first, striking out the side in order. Freshman left-hander Hunter Dietz, who throws upward of 95 mph on his fastball, quickly responded in the top of the second, sitting down the first three batters he faced.

Senior catcher Parker Rowland, who is competing behind the plate with junior Hudson White, another Texas Tech transfer, launched a 400-foot solo homerun in the bottom of the second to get the Cardinal on the scoreboard. That was followed by a wild pitch to tie the score at 2-2.

Junior Hudson Polk would keep the long-ball hit-parade going for the catchers when he smashed a 425-foot leadoff homer over the centerfield wall to lead off the third for the Gray.

“The big thing for me was getting outfield reps,” Diggs said of his summer experience. “I got a glimpse of some playing time out there last year (for Arkansas), which was awesome. I was really blessed to get some live-game reps. But that was huge for me this summer, because I played almost every game out there in right field. And I feel like I improved a lot out there.”

Freshman catcher Ryder Helfrick then displayed his defensive prowess and throwing arm behind the play, gunning down graduate infielder Jack Wagner trying to steal second base, in the fourth.

Freshmen hurlers Tate McGuire and Colin Fisher — who struck out the side in his frame — each pitched scoreless innings in the sixth, before the Gray squad tacked on two final runs in the seventh.  Freshman infielder Nolan Souza beat out an infield single, then proceeded to score on Wagner’s double. It was the second hit of the night for Wagner, who smacked 15 homers for Tarleton State (Stephenville, Tex.) last season.

The Razorbacks will scrimmage again on Sunday, and will continue fall practices through late October, when they will conclude the early season with their annual intrasquad best-of-three Fall World Series.

Diamond Hogs’ Diggs gets valuable time in Cape Cod Summer League

A highly-touted third baseman coming out of high school, Kendall Diggs is transitioning to fill a need in the Arkansas outfield.

Arkansas baseball standout Kendall Diggs recently returned from a productive summer in the Cape Cod League, with some renewed confidence for the Diamond Hogs’ upcoming season.

Not only did the rising-junior win the league championship with the Bourne Braves, but he also got plenty of valuable time playing in the outfield. After coming to Arkansas in 2021 as the No. 5 rated third-baseman in the country, Diggs is transitioning into filling a need for the Hogs in right field.

“The big thing for me was getting outfield reps,” he said of his summer experience. “I got a glimpse of some playing time out there last year (for Arkansas), which was awesome. I was really blessed to get some live-game reps. But that was huge for me this summer, because I played almost every game out there in right field. And I feel like I improved a lot out there.”

The 6-foot, 205-pound Olathe, Kan., native, was a high school All-American at St. Thomas Aquinas in Overland Park, Kan. He was rated at 9.5 on a 10-point scale, by Perfect Game, who also had him listed as the No. 141 recruit in the nation.

After limited playing time as a freshman, Diggs exploded onto the scene for the Razorbacks this past season, hitting .299 and leading the team with 63 runs batted in and 34 walks, including a team-high 34-game on-base streak. His 60 hits were second on the team, as he showed off his power with 12 home runs, including his first career grand-slam in Arkansas’ 9-3 victory over No. 1 LSU in March.

He started 57 of the Hogs’ 58 games in 2023, including 38 at designated hitter and 19 in right field. He attributed his successful year at the plate to various factors.

Arkansas batter Kendall Diggs celebrates after hitting the walk-off solo homer in extra innings to down Texas A&M 6-5 during the second round of the SEC Baseball Tournament at the Hoover Met Wednesday, May 24, 2023.

“I think it goes along with a lot of different things,” he said. “Even going back to my first summer after my freshman year, I was getting a lot of reps and just rolling with it. Then you get to that sophomore year, with a year under your belt, playing with more confidence. And then I always have a lot of good guys right by my side, especially some of the older guys. You’ve just got to keep learning, so it’s been good. It’s all about continuing to improve.”

Diggs went 2-for-4 in the Cape Cod championship game, a 5-2 win over the Orleans Firebirds on Aug. 16. He was one of three Razorbacks participating in the league this summer, along with pitchers Parker Coil and Jake Faherty.

Cape Cod is the premier collegiate summer baseball league in the nation and celebrated it’s 100 anniversary this season.

Although Diggs enjoyed his time in Massachusetts, he admitted that he was ready to get back to Fayetteville and be around his Arkansas teammates again. His excitement for the upcoming college season is evident in his smile, as he and the Razorbacks prepare to get back on the road to Omaha, once again.

“It’s looking really good, honestly,” Diggs said of 2024. “We got a lot of talented transfers and freshmen, and some really good guys back, so I’m excited for what’s instore for us.”

Twitter reacts to Kendall Diggs’ walk-off homer lifting Hogs over Aggies in SEC Tourney

Arkansas baseball fans took to social media following Diggs’ walk-off homer. Here’s what they’re saying about Wednesday’s dramatic win in the SEC Tournament.

It took extra innings, but Arkansas baseball was able to get past the Texas A&M Aggies 6-5 to advance in the SEC Tournament. They’ll advance to take on the No. 5 LSU Tigers at 4:30 tomorrow.

The Diamond Hogs got off to a very slow start offensively on Wednesday, and dug themselves in a decently large hole. But the Razorbacks were able to do what they’ve done numerous times already this season – get big hits from the top of their lineup in crunch time.

Arkansas didn’t have a lead until the bottom of the seventh inning when [autotag]Jared Wegner[/autotag] hit a bomb into left field for a grand slam. It was his 13th of the season and put the Hogs up 5-4. They wouldn’t trail the rest of the game.

“Offensively we struggled a little bit. I felt like we started taking better at-bats the second half,” [autotag]Dave Van Horn[/autotag] said after the game. “We were down four runs or three runs, and we had a catcher’s interference, a walk in there, and then Jared [Wegner] got him a fastball in, and I’m sure he was hunting it after his previous at-bat, and he got it and he didn’t miss it.”

[autotag]Kendall Diggs[/autotag] was able to do what he has done countless times at Arkansas, and put an end to things in the 11th inning. Diggs went deep into right field for a solo walk-off home run – his 11th homer on the year.

“Exciting way to end the game,” said Van Horn. “Walk-off homer is about as good as it gets, and just proud of the guys for hanging in there.”

Arkansas’ win came in dramatic fashion and social media was on fire following the Diggs walk-off. Here’s what Razorbacks fans had to say about Wednesday’s win in Hoover.