Tag: Will McEntire

How good is Hogs pitching? Three different Razorbacks named to Stopper of the Year watch list

Dude. Look at the Arkansas pitching numbers from these three. Mercy.

The Arkansas baseball team entered the 2024 banking its pitching staff. Considering the Diamond Hogs spent more than a month at No. 1 and are now No. 2 in the nation, the bet was smart.

And it isn’t just Hagen Smith for the Razorbacks, either, though he is a front-runner for first-team All-American honors and is on a short list of Golden Spikes possibilities. No, the arms behind him are getting things done, too.

Arkansas relievers Will McEntire, Gabe Gaeckle and Stone Hewlett were each named to the midseason watch list for college baseball’s Stopper of the Year. The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association gives the award to the top reliever in the game each year.

Gaeckle carries a 2.81 earned-run average and 0.86 WHIP in 25 2/3 innings. McEntire has 53 strikeouts and a 1.05 WHIP in 42 innings. And Hewlett, the lefty specialist, has a 0.70 WHIP in 10 innings.

 Arkansas is tops in the SEC in team ERA by almost a whole run, tops in opposing batting average by 20 points, strikeouts by almost 30 and lead in fewest doubles and fewest home runs allowed.

Arkansas baseball vs. James Madison – Game 2: How to watch, stream, listen

Arkansas baseball vs. James Madison – Game 2: How to watch, stream, listen

The Diamond Hogs take the field for game two of their series with James Madison University.

Friday’s game began with big offensive performances from both dugouts. The runs flooded the scoreboard in the first three innings as Arkansas scored two runs in each while JMU scored 75 percent of its night’s total in the first.

Once each team sat their aces, the pace of play nearly ground to a halt. Will McEntire single-handedly put a stop to the Dukes’ bats while JMU took a different strategy. James Madison played a new pitcher every inning—save Jackson Logar who played two—never allowing the Hogs to get comfortable with a pitcher.

On Saturday, Arkansas will have a fresh bullpen. JMU, on the other hand, might need to start searching for arms to play on Monday if they continue with game one’s strategy. Apart from Hagen Smith’s rough go in game one, James Madison’s batters had a tough time dealing with Arkansas’ pitchers. With a pitching staff as deep as Arkansas, expect to see the trouble persist.

For Arkansas, watch out for Wehiwa Aloy when he comes to the plate. Aloy was the talk of the media this preseason, and after going 0/3 Friday, he’ll be more than motivated to show Arkansas fans what he’s got.

If you can’t make it up to Baum-Walker, here’s how you can watch/listen:

Will McEntire looking to bounce back for Arkansas baseball in 2024

Will McEntire was excellent two seasons OK. He was middling last year. What does 2024 hold for the Bryant native?

Two years ago, Will McEntire came from seemingly nowhere to establish himself as the Arkansas baseball team’s do-it-all arm. Bigger things were on the table in 2023, but McEntire struggled with inconsistency in a bigger spotlight.

Now, heading into his redshirt senior season, the Bryant native wants to go back to his old ways.

Friday showed signs of possibility as McEntire worked with great offspeed stuff and frustratedArkansas hitters in the Diamond Hogs’ scrimmage. For a while, at least.

The right-hander was excellent in his first two innings, retiring all six batters on a mix of cutters and curveballs with only an occasional fastball tossed in. In his third inning, command abandoned him and he allowed six base-runners, including four of whom eventually scored.

One outing isn’t going to determine where McEntire sits in coach Dave Van Horn’s pitching arsenal, but the pitcher is likely to be leaned on again as a starter in Arkansas’ mid-week games. That is if he can find that consistency.

Two years ago, McEntire pitched in 12 games with eight starts, striking 49 batters in 48 2/3 innings while opponents hit .198. Last year, though, in 21 games (10 starts), the opposition hit .271. The good news is that McEntire’s strikeout rate only dropped minimally and his walk rate actually improved.

Besides, Friday’s results were more positive than negative, considering Diamond Hogs are still two weeks away from their season opener and McEntire largely had to face a lineup that’s a big reason Arkansas is a unanimous Top-10 team in the country in the preseason polls.

The Razorbacks are set to scrimmage again Saturday, but with rain in the forecast, things may be moved indoors and out of public view.

Arkansas opens its season at Baum-Walker Stadium on Friday, February 16 against James Madison.

Pair of Razorbacks elect to hit transfer portal; others reaffirm status

Arkansas’ baseball roster for 2024 is starting to take shape after the conclusion of the MLB Draft.

The transfer portal giveth and it also taketh away.

Following the MLB Draft’s conclusion on Tuesday, it was expected that rosters would begin to take shape for 2024 and that was true for Arkansas.

On Wednesday, freshman outfielder Mason Neville and freshman pitcher Sean Fitzpatrick both announced that they were hitting the transfer portal.

Even with that, other signees and returning players have indicated that they will be staying.

Will McEntire indicated in a tweet with a popular mid-1990s hit that he would be back.

Signees Gabe Gaeckle and Nolan Souza both relayed via their social media that they will be on campus in the fall.

No. 6 Arkansas vs. Auburn: How to watch, stream, and listen Game 3

Opening the SEC schedule with a sweep should push the Diamond Hogs up the rankings, and it will surely help them in the next SEC Power Rankings.

The Diamond Hogs didn’t waste time capturing their first SEC series win, knocking off Auburn 9-3 Saturday afternoon.

The victory also marked the 12th consecutive win for Arkansas, which means they are only 23 wins away from eclipsing Florida Atlantic’s 34-game win streak from 1999.

Now that record is far away, there’s a slim chance anyone will get close to that this season.

What the Diamond Hogs can do in the final game of this series is clinch their third straight sweep of the season. Opening the SEC schedule with a sweep should push the Diamond Hogs up the rankings, and it will surely help them in the next SEC Power Rankings.

McEntire earns SEC Pitcher of the Week honors after doing something Hogs haven’t since 2016

McEntire earned SEC weekly honors after doing something no Hogs pitcher had since 2016.

Will McEntire was on the schneid.

Arkansas’ right-hander, a newcomer to the weekend rotation plans this season for coach Dave Van Horn, had struggled in the first few weeks of the season to the tune of an earned-run average above 7.00.

Turns out, things just took time. McEntire was named SEC Pitcher of the Week on Monday after his dynamite start against Louisiana Tech in Game 2 of the series the Diamond Hogs would sweep over the weekend.

McEntire was the first Arkansas pitcher to throw a nine-inning complete game since Dominic Taccolini in 2016 in Arkansas’ 6-1 win in the second game of the set. McEntire gave up just one run – unearned – on three hits and a walk while striking out six.

LSU pitcher Thatcher Hurd was also named to the honor with McEntire. McEntire became the second Diamond Hogs player to be given league weekly honors this year after Jared Wegner was the SEC Player of the Week after the season’s opening weekend.

Arkansas is back in action Tuesday and Wednesday against UNLV at Baum-Walker Stadium before starting a three-game set to open SEC play against Texas A&M on the weekend.

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Next year’s Will McEntire? Dylan Carter is trending that way for Arkansas

Dylan Carter is the second straight Arkansas player to pitch in the Northwoods League All-Star Game.

You’d be excused if you’re unfamiliar with the name of Dylan Carter.

The rising Arkansas junior pitcher redshirted last year and played two seasons at Crowder College before that. But the Bentonville native should be on Diamond Hogs fans’ radar heading into next spring.

Carter was named to the Northwoods League All-Star Game on Friday. He’s played summer ball for the Green Bay Rockers, registering a 2.51 earned-run average with a .191 batting average-against in 46 2/3 innings.

Carter, who graduated from Bentonville West High had an 8-1 record at Crowder in 2021 before redshirting this past year with the Razorbacks.

His All-Star selection is the second straight for a Diamond Hogs pitcher. Will McEntire made the team last year playing for the Duluth Huskies. McEntire had a 2.59 ERA with with 49 strikeouts in 48 2/3 innings with the Razorbacks.

Will McEntire’s gem keeps Arkansas alive at College World Series

Arkansas’ lineup came up huge and Will McEntire tossed a gem as the Diamond Hogs eliminated Auburn.

Will McEntire wasn’t on the radar for Arkansas’ weekend pitching plans for most of the season.

But as the year progressed, it turned out the sophomore from Bryant was the Diamond Hogs’ second best starter. So when coach Dave Van Horn and the Razorbacks were facing elimination Tuesday night, DVH knew who was getting the ball.

McEntire threw seven innings of one-run ball, striking out nine in Arkansas’ 11-1 win over Auburn, eliminating the Tigers and setting up a rematch of Monday’s game against Ole Miss.

The Razorbacks and Rebels will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday. If Ole Miss, it’s in the title series on the weekend. If Arkansas wins, a winner-take-all game will take place Thursday night.

McEntire gave up just a solo home run in the seventh in an otherwise immaculate night. He walked just one batter and gave up only three hits. His nine strikeouts were one shy of tying the CWS record for an Arkansas pitcher.

His lineup helped, too, as Arkansas’ No. 1 through 6 hitters went a combined 16 of 31 with two walks, five doubles, a home run, 11 RBIs and 10 runs.

Arkansas beat Auburn in three of the four meetings this season. The Diamond Hogs and Rebels are tied two wins apiece after Ole Miss’ win Monday.

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Photo Gallery: Arkansas blasts, eliminates Auburn from College World Series

Will McEntire gave Arkansas a special performance as the Razorbacks eliminated Auburn from the College World Series.

Will McEntire gave Arkansas everything he could and everything the Razorbacks needed.

The sophomore from Bryant tossed seven innings, giving up just three hits and striking out nine in Arkansas’ 11-1 win over Auburn at the College World Series. The victory set up a rematch with Ole Miss on Wednesday. If the Rebels win, they’ll play for a national championship. If the Razorbacks win, the teams will meet again Thursday in a loser-goes-home game.

McEntire’s nine strikeouts were one shy of tying Arkansas’ school record at the College World Series. He carried a no-hitter to the fourth inning and shutout until the seventh. A solo home run was the only blemish on his night.

Meanwhile, his teammates racked up 16 hits, including a three-run third inning and a four-run fourth inning, to send Auburn packing.

Arkansas and Ole Miss will meet at 6 p.m. CT.

Hello, Omaha! Arkansas eliminates North Carolina in walk-off fashion

Arkansas clinched a spot in the College World Series by beating North Carolina in a walk-off Sunday.

Brady Slavens will be forever remembers in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

The senior from Olathe, Kansas, in his senior season, was a hero.

Arkansas rallied from a one-run deficit in the final inning to clinch a spot in the College World Series with a 4-3 win over No. 10 North Carolina. The trip to Omaha, Nebraska, is Arkansas third in the last four years and 11th in school history

Braydon Webb’s RBI groundout tied the game at three after Arkansas loaded the bases in the ninth with nobody out. Slavens followed and took the second pitch just out of the reach of North Carolina second baseman Patrick Alvarez and Peyton Stovall trotted home to the disappointment of the literal home team.

Alvarez had given the Tar Heels the lead in the top after he entered in the seventh as a defensive replacement. He had four hits on the season before his sinking line drive plated Thomas Frick and suggested a Game 3 was on the horizon.

Two straight singles, a walk and Slavens walk-off changed things in a hurry.

Will McEntire went 5 2/3 innings for Arkansas and allowed just three hits and two walks. North Carolina’s runs were scored off his replacement, Kole Ramage.

Arkansas took the lead in the fourth on a Jalen Battles RBI double then made it, 2-0, when Braydon Webb homered in the fifth. They were only two extra-base hits the Diamond Hogs managed on the day.

North Carolina tied it on an RBI groundout and a wild pitch in the seventh.

Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn will be making his 10th trip to the College World Series, eight of which have come while coaching the Razorbacks.