FAYETTEVILLE — Dave Van Horn has shuffled his lineup once again for the Arkansas vs Murray State series opener.
The three-way battle in left field and rotation at catcher/designated hitter continued Friday with Jayson Jones getting the nod in left, Hudson White starting at catcher and Hudson Polk making his first start at DH for the 3 p.m. CT first pitch.
The Razorbacks have also moved White back into the leadoff spot, with Kendall Diggs batting second.
Will Edmunson and Ross Lovich, who are also competing for the starting job in left field, will be available off the bench, as well backup catchers Ryder Helfrick and Parker Rowland. Jack Wagner began the year as the DH, but he hasn’t started since the James Madison series.
Follow along below for inning-by-inning updates and stats from Friday’s series opener…
(READ NEXT: Check out our in-depth preview of the Arkansas vs Murray State series)
LIVE UPDATES – Arkansas vs Murray State (Game 1)
Pregame Tidbits
This will be Hagen Smith’s first start since drawing national headlines for his performance against Oregon State, in which he racked up 17 strikeouts in six scoreless innings.
T-1st: Murray State 1, Arkansas 0
- Naturally, the first batter Hagen Smith faced after his historic 17-strikeout performance hit a home run. Vogel crushed an opposite-field homer off the Hunt Center in right. It was a no-doubter.
- Mercer followed with a fly out to left. 1 out.
- Hogart chased a pitch out of the zone for Smith’s first strikeout of the day. 2 outs.
- Garner flied out to center to end the inning. Smith threw 15 pitches.
B-1st: Murray State 1, Arkansas 0
- White should have had a leadoff four-pitch walk, but the umpire called Vernon’s 3-0 pitch a strike despite TrackMan showing it was a ball. Instead, he flied out to right. 1 out.
- Diggs followed with a fly out to left. 2 outs.
- Sprague-Lott flied out to shallow right to end the inning. Pretty easy work for Vernon, who threw only 11 pitches.
T-2nd: Murray State 1, Arkansas 0
- Hawthorne went down swinging. 1 out.
- Howell went down swinging, chasing an offspeed pitch. 2 outs.
- Estes chased a slider for another strikeout. That was a 12-pitch inning for Smith and looked like what he did last week.
B-2nd: Arkansas 3, Murray State 1
- Vernon started the second inning with another 3-0 count, but this time, McLaughlin drew a walk.
- After fouling off a couple of pitches, Aloy made a good swing on a pitch low and away and shot it up the middle for a single with a 99 mph exit velocity. Really nice AB.
- In another two-strike count, Polk barely made contact, but it was a chopper to the left side that no one could get to. He reached on an infield single to load the bases.
- Jones smoked the first pitch he saw the other way. It had a 110 mph exit velocity and got to the fence for a two-run double.
- Holt put a ball in play to bring in another run. For some reason, Jones was running on the play, trying to go second to third, and the shortstop was able to get an easy out at third, making it an RBI fielder’s choice for Holt. 1 out.
- Wilmsmeyer hit it hard (104 exit velocity), but his fly ball was caught in center. 2 outs.
- White grounded out to second to end the inning. Nice play by the second baseman to field the chopper cleanly and fire to first. It was a 24-pitch inning for Vernon, who has now thrown 35 through two innings.
T-3rd: Arkansas 3, Murray State 1
- Krizen came up swinging and flied out to left on the first pitch. 1 out.
- Smith blew a couple of 97 mph fastballs by Bland, but couldn’t finish him off. He eventually walked.
- Smith bounced back by striking out Vogel, who homered his first time up. Got him with the slider. 2 outs.
- Mercer battled, but eventually chased a 96 mph fastball in his eyes. That was an 18-pitch inning for Smith, who has now thrown 45 through three innings.
B-3rd: Arkansas 3, Murray State 1
- Diggs grounded out to first to start the inning. 1 out.
- Murray State was shifted perfectly to defend a grounder by Sprague-Lott. The second baseman fielded it close to where the shortstop would be and threw him out. 2 outs.
- McLaughlin followed with a walk.
- Aloy smoked a grounder 105 mph off the bat and the shortstop couldn’t knock it down. It’s scored a hit. That puts runners on first and second.
- Polk flied out to left to end the inning. Vernon has thrown 52 pitches through three innings.
T-4th: Arkansas 3, Murray State 1
- Hogart came up swinging and flied out to left on the first pitch. 1 out.
- In a full count, Garner didn’t swing at a 96 mph fastball that was high, but in the strike zone. 2 outs.
- Hawthrown goes down swinging, chasing a slider, to end the inning. That was a 10-pitch inning for Smith, who now has eight strikeouts and has thrown 55 pitches.
B-4th: Arkansas 3, Murray State 1
- Jones came close to a leadoff, first-pitch, opposite-field home run, but he got under it just a tad too much. He had an exit velocity of 98 mph and was caught on the warning track in right. 1 out.
- Holt singled up the middle to give Arkansas a base runner.
- Holt got a great jump and swiped second to get into scoring position.
- Wilmsmeyer looked at strike three. 2 outs.
- A wild pitch moved Holt to third.
- That’s where he was stranded, as White flied out to left to end the inning. Vernon is up to 67 pitches through four innings.
T-5th: Arkansas 3, Murray State 1
- Howell went down swinging. 1 out.
- Estes went down swinging. 2 outs.
- Krizen – you guessed it – went down swinging. That gives Smith 11 strikeouts today. He’s at 71 pitches through five innings.
B-5th: Arkansas 3, Murray State 1
- Diggs grounded out to first to start the inning. 1 out.
- Sprague-Lott was first-pitch swinging and grounded out to short. 2 outs.
- McLaughlin grounded out to second to end the inning. That was a quick and easy 9-pitch inning for Vernon, who is up to 76 pitches.
T-6th: Arkansas 3, Murray State 1
- Smith is still on the mound for Arkansas, but right-hander Koty Frank and left-hander Stone Hewlett are getting loose in the bullpen.
- Bland laid down a nice bunt along the first base line on the first pitch he saw. Smith got to it and tossed it to first with his glove. He was called safe on the field, but Arkansas challenged it and the call was overturned after replay. 1 out.
- Vogel couldn’t check his swing on strike three. That’s 12 strikeouts for Smith. 2 outs.
- Mercer grounded out to short to end the inning. Smith is at 81 pitches and that might be it for him.
B-6th: Arkansas 3, Murray State 1
- Aloy flied out to shallow right to start the inning. 1 out.
- Polk went down swinging. 2 outs.
- Jones chased a pitch out of the zone for strike three. Vernon is at 91 pitches through six innings.
T-7th: Arkansas 3, Murray State 1
- Right-hander Koty Frank is now pitching for Arkansas.
- Final line for Hagen Smith: 6 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 12 K, 81 pitches (54 strikes)
- Hogart goes down swinging to start Frank’s outing. He chased a slider out of the zone. 1 out.
- Garner looks at strike three. 2 outs.
- Hawthorne was hit by a pitch to give Murray State its first base runner since the third inning. Smith and Frank had retired 13 straight.
- Howell goes down swinging. That was a 14-pitch inning for Frank.
B-7th: Arkansas 3, Murray State 1
- Holt grounded out to third on the second pitch of the inning. 1 out.
- Another two-pitch at bat ends with a ground out, this time Wilmsmeyer grounding out to short. 2 outs.
- White made solid contact, but his line drive was caught in left. That was an 8-pitch inning for Vernon, who is now at 99 for the game.
T-8th: Arkansas 3, Murray State 1
- Dan Tauken pinch hit for Estes and, in an 0-1 count, hit a line drive to the left-center gap for a leadoff double. It’s the Racers’ first hit since the leadoff homer.
- Krizen is drilled in the back in a 1-1 count. The HBP puts the tying run on base.
- Bland tried bunting the runners over, but his bunt barely went in front of the plate and White was able to catch it and throw to third for the force. That’s it for Frank.
- Now pitching for Arkansas is freshman right-hander Gabe Gaeckle.
- Vogel fouled off several pitches with two strikes, worked the count full, fouled off another pitch and finally swung and missed at an off speed pitch. Nice work by the freshman. 2 outs.
- Mercer looked at the same off speed pitch for strike three. Elite stuff from the freshman.
B-8th: Arkansas 5, Murray State 1
- Now pitching for Murray State is left-hander Thomas McNabb, a Conway native.
- Final line for Vernon: 7 IP, 5 H, 3 R (3 ER), 2 BB, 3 K, 99 pitches (64 strikes)
- Diggs hammered a 1-2 pitch back up the middle for a leadoff single.
- McNabb had Diggs picked off, but the first baseman’s throw to second went into left field. There was a collision at second, so Diggs didn’t even try to advance. He was able to stay in the game. It’s scored a stolen base.
- Sprague-Lott followed by poking a single the other way, taking advantage of a big hole on the right side of the infield. Diggs had to hold up at third, though, putting runners on the corners.
- McLaughlin hit a chopper down the first base line and the first baseman stepped on first for the out, but that was his only play. A run scored and Sprague-Lott moved to second.
- Aloy grounded out to second, but Sprague-Lott moved to third on the play. 2 outs.
- A wild pitch brought Sprague-Lott home for another insurance run.
- In a full count, Polk drew a two-out walk.
- Will Edmunson pinch runs for Polk.
- In another full count, Jones walked. That’s it for McNabb.
- Now pitching for Murray State is right-hander Alex Elsing.
- Arkansas dials up a double steal to put runners on second and third.
- Holt looked at strike three to end the inning and strand them there.
T-9th: Arkansas 5, Murray State 1
- Gaeckle is still on the mound for Arkansas. However, left-hander Stone Hewlett and right-hander Will McEntire are getting loose in the pen.
- In a full count, Hogart walked.
- Gaeckle bounced back by striking out Garner. 1 out.
- Hawthorne hit a grounder to first and McLaughlin threw to second to get the force, but Aloy’s relay throw back to first – with Gaeckle covering – was off line and probably not in time anyways. Would have been a really tough double play. 2 outs.
- Hawthorne took second without a throw. It’s ruled indifference.
- Howell struck out and it would have ended the game, but White let it get by him. The passed ball allowed him to take first and moved Hawthorne to third.
- Gunnar Bingham pinch ran for Howell.
- Bingham took second without a throw. It’s ruled indifference.
- Tauken struck out to end the game.
FINAL – Arkansas 5, Murray State 1
Starting Lineups
| Murray State Baseball | Arkansas Baseball |
|---|---|
| 1. Drew Vogel – SS | 1. Hudson White – C |
| 2. Dustin Mercer – CF | 2. Kendall Diggs – RF |
| 3. Jonathan Hogart – RF | 3. Jared Sprague-Lott – 3B |
| 4. Carson Garner – 3B | 4. Ben McLaughlin – 1B |
| 5. Riley Hawthorne – LF | 5. Wehiwa Aloy – SS |
| 6. Taylor Howell – 1B | 6. Hudson Polk – DH |
| 7. Parker Estes – DH | 7. Jayson Jones – LF |
| 8. Ethan Krizen – C | 8. Peyton Holt – 2B |
| 9. Logan Bland – 2B | 9. Ty Wilmsmeyer – CF |
| Pitching: RHP Cade Vernon | Pitching: LHP Hagen Smith |
How to Watch Arkansas vs Murray State (Game 1)
Date: Friday, March 1
First pitch: 3 p.m. CT
Location: Baum-Walker Stadium (Fayetteville, Ark.)
TV/Stream: SEC Network-Plus
Arkansas Baseball in the Polls
- Baseball America: No. 3 (no change)
- D1Baseball: No. 2 (no change)
- NCBWA: No. 5 (no change)
- Perfect Game: No. 2 (no change)
- USA Today Coaches Poll: No. 5 (down 1 spot*)
*The USA Today Coaches Poll didn’t come out last week, so this movement is from the preseason poll to now.
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SEC Baseball Records Entering the Weekend
SEC West
| Team | 2024 Record |
|---|---|
| Alabama | 9-0 |
| Texas A&M | 8-0 |
| LSU | 8-1 |
| Auburn | 7-1 |
| Arkansas | 6-2 |
| Ole Miss | 6-4 |
| Mississippi State | 6-4 |
SEC East
| Team | 2024 Record |
|---|---|
| Georgia | 8-1 |
| South Carolina | 8-1 |
| Tennessee | 8-1 |
| Kentucky | 7-1 |
| Florida | 6-2 |
| Vanderbilt | 7-3 |
| Missouri | 4-4 |
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