The Arkansas vs LSU series will conclude Saturday with a doubleheader and the Razorbacks are in the driver’s seat after taking Game 1 in dramatic fashion.
Both games will be a full nine innings and are scheduled for 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. CT. The early game will be televised on the SEC Network, while the late game is available via online stream only on SEC Network-Plus.
It was originally set to be a traditional Friday-Sunday series, but inclement weather is expected to move into the Baton Rouge, La., area Sunday, causing them to move up Game 3.
Arkansas needs to win just one of those games to clinch its fourth straight series against the Tigers because it won Friday’s game 9-3 in 10 innings. The duo of Hunter Hollan and Hagen Smith out-dueled LSU’s Paul Skenes, arguably the most dominant pitcher in college baseball so far this season, and freshman Reese Robinett supplied the go-ahead hit with a pinch-hit, three-run homer in the 10th. Kendall Diggs added a grand slam for good measure.
As usual, Best of Arkansas Sports will have live, inning-by-inning updates from both Arkansas vs LSU games below…
LIVE UPDATES — Arkansas vs LSU (Game 3)
Pregame Tidbits
The decisive Arkansas vs LSU rubber match is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT and will be streamed on SEC Network-Plus.
Sophomore Thatcher Hurd, a transfer from UCLA, will start the finale for the Tigers. The right-hander has a 2.57 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 21 innings this year. He has been a bit wild, with 10 walks and four wild pitches, as well.
After initially leaving it as a TBA, the Razorbacks have officially right-hander Cody Adcock as their starter. The JUCO transfer threw six scoreless innings against Auburn in his first start in an Arkansas baseball uniform.
History is not on Arkansas’ side: Dave Van Horn is 0-10 in rubber matches vs LSU during his time as the Arkansas baseball coach.
In addition to switch back to Parker Rowland at catcher, Arkansas also made a change at third base for the finale. Caleb Cali will start in Harold Coll’s place.
T-1st: Arkansas 2, LSU 0
The game gets underway with a fly out to center by Josenberger. Stovall followed with a sharp grounder to first, but Morgan made a really nice play to snag it and then beat him to the base for the second out. With two outs, Jared Wegner went the other way for a solo home run. It’s his 11th homer of the season and gives Arkansas a 1-0 lead.
Slavens followed by also crushing a pitch, lining a double into the right field corner. That’s three straight ABs by the Razorbacks resulting in hard contact. Bohrofen then drew a four-pitch walk, prompting a mound visit by Wes Johnson. Diggs fouled off several pitches before drawing a walk to load the bases. Hurd then walked Cali on four pitches to bring in another run. That was it for the Razorbacks, though, as Rowland went down looking. It was a 39-pitch inning for Hurd.
B-1st: LSU 2, Arkansas 2
Adcock started the home half of the first by striking out Dugas. Morgan worked the count full before drawing a walk, giving LSU a one-out base runner for the hot-hitting Crews. In a 2-0 count, he annihilated a ball for a two-run homer that ties it up. It looked like White might have given the Tigers a lead, but his deep fly ball was caught just in front of the wall in center.
After a two-out single by Beloso, Matt Hobbs paid Adcock a visit on the mound. Pearson popped out to short to end the inning. It was a 25-pitch inning for Adcock.
T-2nd: LSU 2, Arkansas 2
Bolton struck out on three pitches to start the second inning. Josenberger did the same. Stovall worked the count full before drawing a two-out walk. Wegner did the same. That puts runners on first and second with two outs for Slavens, who flied out to right to end the inning. Hurd threw 20 pitches that inning, so he’s at 59 through two innings.
B-2nd: LSU 2, Arkansas 2
Thompson was fooled by a breaking ball and chased a pitch out of the zone for a strikeout. Jobert hit it far, but Wegner caught it just in front of the track in left. Neal hit a foul ball that looked like it might go out of play down the left field line, but Wegner tracked it down and made the catch just before hitting the wall. The 1-2-3 inning by Adcock required just 13 pitches. He’s at 38 through two innings.
T-3rd: Arkansas 4, LSU 2
Bohrofen hit a sharp grounder down the line that hit the first base bag. It took a crazy hop, but Morgan managed to knock it down, keeping it at a single instead of a double. It wasn’t originally called on the field, but a replay review showed that Diggs was hit by a pitch.
Cali crushed a pitch that would have been a home run had it stayed fair down the left field line. He then smoked a line drive that landed foul by about a foot. On the pitch after that, he roped a double to left-center. It drove in both guys to make it 4-2. That’s it for Hurd.
The new pitcher for LSU is freshman left-hander Griffin Herring, who has yet to allow an earned run in five innings this season. He struck out Rowland, who appeared to then reach when the pitch got away from the catcher and his throw hit Rowland in the back, but he was called out for running inside the base path. A pitch got away from Neal that allowed Cali to take third, but Bolton struck out on the next pitch and Josenberger flied out to left to end the inning.
B-3rd: Arkansas 4, LSU 4
Adcock plunks Dugas with the first pitch of the third inning. Morgan followed with a line drive right to Bolton at short for the first out. The first pitch to Crews bounced in the dirt and got by Rowland, moving Dugas to second. That set up an RBI single by Crews, who advanced to second on the throw to the plate. That’s it for Adcock.
The new pitcher for Arkansas is left-hander Zack Morris. He got White to fly out to shallow right for the second out, but gave up a two-out RBI single to Beloso that tied the game. Pearson grounded out to second to end the inning.
T-4th: LSU 4, Arkansas 4
Stovall popped out on the infield to start the inning and then Wegner hit a rocket over the right fielder’s head. It hit off the wall for what looked like a sure double, but Pearson played it perfectly and fired a strike to second, limiting him to a single and making the second out. Slavens flied out to center to end the inning.
B-4th: LSU 10, Arkansas 4
Thompson led off the fourth with a triple off the top of the wall in center. Jobert put it in play and it looked like it’d be an out, but Bolton booted it. The E6 allowed the go-ahead run to score. Morris finally did get an out when Neal flied out to deep left, with Wegner catching it just in front of the wall. He didn’t keep Dugas in the park, as he hit a line drive over the wall in left for a two-run blast.
Morris walked Morgan and that’s it for him. The new pitcher is right-hander Dylan Carter. He kept Crews in the park, but it was a rocket to third. Cali knocked it down, but didn’t field it cleanly. It’s an E5. White followed with a monstrous three-run bomb. Beloso singled through the right side in the next at bat. He got out of the inning thanks to a strike ’em out, throw ’em out, as he struck out Pearson and Rowland threw out Beloso trying to steal second.
T-5th: LSU 10, Arkansas 5
Bohrofen hit a line drive into right and Pearson couldn’t make a sliding grab. That turned it into a leadoff double. Diggs followed with a walk and that’s it for Herring.
The new pitcher for LSU is junior right-hander Garrett Edwards. He promptly struck out Cali on three pitches. Rowland poked a single through the left side to load the bases. Instead of sending Bolton to the plate, Arkansas will put in Reese Robinett as a pinch hitter. He hit a chopper to first and was out on the play, but it resulted in an RBI. That was it, though, as Josenberger went down swinging to end the inning.
B-5th: LSU 10, Arkansas 5
Harold Coll comes in to play short, replacing Bolton, who was pinch hit for the previous half inning. Carter got Thompson chasing a pitch out of the zone for a strikeout. He also struck out Jobert before getting Neal to ground out to second. It’s a nice 1-2-3 inning for Carter.
T-6th: LSU 10, Arkansas 5
It was a quick inning for Edwards, who needed only five pitches to retire Arkansas in order in the sixth. Stovall flied out to left, Wegner popped up to second and Slavens hit a line drive right to the first baseman.
B-6th: LSU 14, Arkansas 5
Carter issued a leadoff walk to Dugas and then gave up an opposite-field single to Morgan. That puts two runners on for Crews, who walked to load the bases. That prompts a mound visit by Hobbs. He had White down 0-2, but left a pitch over the plate and it ended up in the seats for a grand slam. Beloso followed with a walk and that’s it for Carter.
The new pitcher for Arkansas is freshman right-hander Ben Bybee. He got Pearson to fly out to center for the first out of the inning and then struck out Thompson. Jobert followed with a single and Beloso went first to third on the play. Paxton Kling pinch ran for Jobert. With runners on the corners, Neal popped out in foul territory to end the inning.
T-7th: LSU 14, Arkansas 5
Kling stays in the game in right field, which moves Pearson to left. Alex Milazzo has come in to catch, too. Bohrofen led off the seventh with a walk and then moved to second on a wild pitch. Another wild pitch moved him to third before Diggs looked at strike three for the first out. Cali also struck out, which took the sac fly out of the picture. Rowland then struck out to end the inning.
B-7th: LSU 14, Arkansas 5
Dugas worked the count full before drawing a leadoff walk. He represents the winning run. Morgan flied out to center for the first out. Crews hit a slow roller to third, but Cali made a nice play to charge it and fire to first. The play was reviewed, but replay showed he was out by a hair. It did move Dugas to second, though. White then grounded out to end the inning, which makes the eighth inning necessary.
T-8th: LSU 14, Arkansas 5
Coll grounded out to short to start the eighth. Josenberger followed with a solid single into left-center. Stovall gave it a ride, but it was tracked down by Crews, who caught it on the track in left-center. Wegner struck out to end the inning.
B-8th: LSU 14, Arkansas 5
The new pitcher for Arkansas is right-hander Christian Foutch. It’s the second appearance of the year for the freshman. He got a first-pitch fly out to center by Beloso. Pearson followed by flying out to right. With two outs, Thompson got behind in the count 0-2, but was hit by a pitch to extend the inning. Kling, who entered the game as a pinch runner, flied out to center to send the game to the ninth.
T-9th: LSU 14, Arkansas 5
The new pitcher for LSU is left-hander Riley Cooper. Slavens and Bohrofen grounded out back to the pitcher and then Diggs extended the game with a single. However, Cali flied out to right to end it.
FINAL: LSU 14, Arkansas 5
BOX SCORE – Arkansas vs LSU (Game 3)
Starting Lineups — Arkansas vs LSU (Game 3)
| LSU Baseball | Arkansas Baseball |
|---|---|
| 1. Gavin Dugas – 2B | 1. Tavian Josenberger – CF |
| 2. Tre’ Morgan – 1B | 2. Peyton Stovall – 2B |
| 3. Dylan Crews – CF | 3. Jared Wegner – LF |
| 4. Tommy White – 3B | 4. Brady Slavens – 1B |
| 5. Cade Beloso – DH | 5. Jace Bohrofen – RF |
| 6. Josh Pearson – RF | 6. Kendall Diggs – DH |
| 7. Jordan Thompson – SS | 7. Caleb Cali – 3B |
| 8. Brayden Jobert – LF | 8. Parker Rowland – C |
| 9. Brady Neal – C | 9. John Bolton – SS |
| Pitching: So. RHP Thatcher Hurd | Pitching: Jr. RHP Cody Adcock |
LIVE UPDATES — Arkansas vs LSU (Game 2)
Pregame Tidbits
In the first game of the day, redshirt junior Will McEntire will be on the mound for Arkansas. The right-hander has returned to form his last few outings after a rough start to the season, posting a 2.19 ERA in 24 2/3 innings over his last four starts.
LSU will counter with a right-hander of its own, junior right-hander Ty Floyd. He has been solid for the Tigers, with a 2.25 ERA in 20 innings. Opponents have hit just .132 against him. However, he lasted just 3 1/3 innings last week against Texas A&M.
The Razorbacks are sticking with their same lineup as Game 1, except for at catcher. As they have all year, they continue to rotate Hudson Polk and Parker Rowland behind the plate. Because Rowland started on Friday, Polk is behind the plate in the first game of the doubleheader.
T-1st: Arkansas 2, LSU 0
Josenberger hit a sharp grounder to first to start the game and Beloso couldn’t handle it. It’s ruled an E3 – but could have been called a hit – to give Arkansas a leadoff base runner. Stovall followed with a fly out to left. With a full count, Wegner launched a towering opposite-field two-run blast that cleared the wall in right-center. It’s his 10th home run of the year and gives him 37 RBIs.
Slavens followed by reaching via a HBP. Bohrofen nearly hit a two-run homer of his own, but the towering shot went foul down the right field line. Instead, he reached on a HBP, as well. The Razorbacks didn’t do any more damage, though, as Diggs and Coll each looked at strike three to end the inning. Floyd needed 33 pitches to get through the first.
B-1st: Arkansas 2, LSU 0
McEntire opened the home half of the first by striking out Dugas. Morgan made solid contact, but Wegner easily caught it shy of the track in left. With a full count, Crews beat the shift by poking a single where the shortstop would normally be aligned, but instead it went between Bolton and Stovall. White, who went 0 for 5 on Friday, followed with a line drive into left. That put runners on first and second for Beloso, who grounded out to short to end the threat. It was a 21-pitch inning for McEntire.
T-2nd: Arkansas 2, LSU 0
To start the second, Polk hit a slow chopper to third and White couldn’t field it cleanly. It would have been a tough play anyways, so it was ruled a hit – although it could have easily been an E5. The Razorbacks weren’t able to do anything with it, though, as Bolton flied out to center, Josenberger flied out to left thanks to a diving catch and Stovall grounded out. After throwing 33 pitches in the first, it was a 17-pitch frame for Floyd.
B-2nd: LSU 4, Arkansas 2
He didn’t miss by much, but McEntire issued a leadoff full-count walk to Jones. The base runner was nearly eliminated with a 3-6-3 double play, but a replay review showed Pearson beat the throw at first and was ruled safe with a fielder’s choice. That was a big play because Thompson followed with a line drive to right-center. Josenberger did a nice job of getting to the ball, but he slipped before throwing it in. That allowed the runner to score all the way from first. It’s scored an RBI double.
Neal followed with a deep fly ball to left. It was caught on the warning track, allowing Thompson to tag up to third. Facing McEntire a second time, LSU leadoff man Gavin Dugas fell behind 0-2 before battling back to work the count full and hitting a go-ahead two-run homer that just stayed fair down the left field line.
After a first-pitch ball to Morgan, Matt Hobbs came out for a mound visit. It didn’t seem to help, as Morgan absolutely crushed a solo shot. Crews popped up in the infield to finally end the inning. McEntire is up to 53 pitches through two innings.
T-3rd: LSU 4, Arkansas 2
Wegner reaches via a HBP to start the third. It’s the third HBP of the day for Arkansas, matching Floyd’s season total coming into the game. After Slavens got jammed and popped up in foul territory, Bohrofen drew a five-pitch walk. Diggs went down swinging, whiffing on a 94 mph fastball high in the zone. With two outs, Coll also walked to load the bases. However, that brought up the light-hitting Polk and he struck out to end the threat. Through three innings, Floyd is at 76 pitches.
B-3rd: LSU 5, Arkansas 2
White grounded out to short to start the inning. Beloso followed with a sharp grounder down the first base line and Slavens couldn’t handle it. The ball ended up in the right field corner for a double. McEntire bounced back to strike out Jones, who chased a breaking ball in the dirt. With two strikes, though, Pearson ripped a ball down the right field line that easily scored Beloso. He made it to third without a throw to make it an RBI triple. Thompson also made solid contact, but his line drive is caught in center to end the inning. McEntire has given up five earned runs on seven hits and is at 71 pitches through three innings.
T-4th: LSU 5, Arkansas 2
Bolton swung at the first pitch of the fourth inning and grounded out to short. Josenberger and Stovall followed with strikeouts. It was a quick 11-pitch inning by Floyd, who’s up to 87 pitches.
B-4th: LSU 5, Arkansas 2
Neal popped up to shallow right to start the inning and Stovall caught it. He also caught a shallow fly ball by Dugas in center. Morgan came up swinging and flied out to center on the first pitch. It was a five-pitch inning for McEntire, which is what he needed considering he had thrown 71 through three innings.
T-5th: LSU 5, Arkansas 2
LSU shortstop Jordan Thompson with a web gem to start the fifth. He fielded a chopper by Wegner, spun and fired to first for the out. Slavens hit a deep fly to right-center, but the right fielder tracked it down a few feet in front of the wall. Bohrofen followed with a fly ball the same direction, but not as deep, for the third out. That was another 11-pitch inning for Floyd. So instead of chasing him in the third or fourth, he gives LSU five innings.
B-5th: LSU 7, Arkansas 2
McEntire gives up his third home run of the day with a line drive leadoff bomb by Crews. White followed with a double to the left-center gap. Beloso made the first out by popping up to second. That’s it for McEntire. The new pitcher is right-hander Austin Ledbetter.
He issued a walk to Jones to start his day, with ball three coming on a pitch clock violation. Pearson followed with a grounder to first and Slavens got the force at second. That puts runners on the corners. White the scored on a wild pitch, with Ledbetter throwing the ball behind the batter.
Thompson hit a grounder to the left side and Bolton did a nice job to make a sliding stop and even fired to first. It wasn’t really close at first, so it goes down as in infield single, but the sliding stop saved a run because Jones had to stop at third. That put runners on the corners, but Thompson took second on a nice read on a pitch in the dirt. Neal walked to load the bases and bring up the top of the order. Dugas went down swinging to strand the bases loaded, though.
T-6th: LSU 7, Arkansas 2
Despite being at 98 pitches, Floyd is still on the mound for LSU. Diggs opened the sixth with a first-pitch single into right and Coll also swung at the first pitch, but flied out to left. Then Polk grounded into a 5-4-3 double play, making it a four-pitch inning for Floyd.
B-6th: LSU 9, Arkansas 2
Morgan led off the sixth with a single through the right side. Crews also singled and Bohrofen nearly threw out Morgan going first to third, but an excellent slide avoided the tag. Crews went to second on the throw. That was a big play because White hit a fly ball to right that became a sacrifice fly when Morgan scored from third. Crews also tagged up to third on the play, setting up another sacrifice fly by Beloso. Jones struck out to end the inning.
T-7th: LSU 9, Arkansas 2
Floyd is still on the mound for LSU. He struck out Bolton to open the seventh and that’s it for the right-hander. The new pitcher for the Tigers is right-hander Garrett Edwards. He struck out Josenberger and Stovall to end the inning.
B-7th: LSU 12, Arkansas 2
Pearson lined a single into center to start the seventh. Thompson followed with a single through the left side. Alex Milazzo, who entered the game as a defensive replacement at catcher, tried to move them all up with a bunt, but popped it up. Luckily for him, though, Ledbetter tried making a diving catch and knocked the ball away. It was ruled an infield single and loaded the bases. Ledbetter struck out Dugas for the first out and that’s it for him.
The new pitcher or Arkansas is freshman right-hander Gage Wood, who will inherit a bases-loaded, one-out situation. Morgan got a bloop single to fall in left and drive in another run. In an 0-2 count, he plunked Crews to bring in yet another run. Brayden Jobert pinch hit for White and hit a fly ball into left. It was just deep enough to be a sacrifice fly. That invoked the mercy rule.
FINAL: LSU 12, Arkansas 2
BOX SCORE – Arkansas vs LSU (Game 2)
Starting Lineups — Arkansas vs LSU (Game 2)
| LSU Baseball | Arkansas Baseball |
|---|---|
| 1. Gavin Dugas – 2B | 1. Tavian Josenberger – CF |
| 2. Tre’ Morgan – LF | 2. Peyton Stovall – 2B |
| 3. Dylan Crews – CF | 3. Jared Wegner – LF |
| 4. Tommy White – 3B | 4. Brady Slavens – 1B |
| 5. Cade Beloso – 1B | 5. Jace Bohrofen – RF |
| 6. Jared Jones – DH | 6. Kendall Diggs – DH |
| 7. Josh Pearson – RF | 7. Harold Coll – 3B |
| 8. Jordan Thompson – SS | 8. Hudson Polk – C |
| 9. Brady Neal – C | 9. John Bolton – SS |
| Pitching: Jr. RHP Ty Floyd | Pitching: R-Jr. RHP Will McEntire |
Baseball Schedule This Week
Tuesday — Arkansas 12, SEMO 2 (7 innings)
Friday — Arkansas 9, LSU 3 (10 innings)
Saturday — at LSU — 1 p.m. CT (SEC Network)
Saturday — at LSU — 6:30 p.m. CT (SECN+)
Accountability Check — 2023 Arkansas Baseball Predictions
Best of Arkansas Sports managing editor Andrew Hutchinson published his week-by-week predictions for the 2023 season just before the Razorbacks opened the year at the College Baseball Showdown. Those predictions can be read in full here, but we’ll also be doing weekly “accountability checks” in this space.
Prediction: 1-0 in the midweek / 17-4 overall, 3-0 in SEC play
Yet another mid-major program picked to win its conference, Southeast Missouri State will be more of a challenge than some fans may expect, but fresh off a sweep of Auburn, the Razorbacks will be rolling. They could get caught looking ahead to LSU, but I believe it’ll be a quality non-conference win.
Actual: 1-0 in the midweek / 19-2 overall, 3-0 in SEC play
The Razorbacks were looking ahead to LSU, but Dave Van Horn caught wind of it early in the day Tuesday and responded by playing almost strictly reserves. The result was a 2-1 game through 5.5 innings before Arkansas blew it open with a 10-run sixth inning and won via the run rule.
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