UPDATE (7:36 p.m. CT, Saturday): The Arkansas vs TCU game has officially been set for 2 p.m. CT Sunday. The television designation has not yet been announced, but it will be available on ESPN-Plus at least. The Arizona-Santa Clara matchup, the first elimination game of the Fayetteville Regional, will still be played Saturday, with first pitch set for an 8:06 p.m. CT.
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UPDATE (6:32 p.m. CT, Saturday): The Arkansas vs TCU game, which is the winner’s bracket game of the Fayetteville Regional, has been officially postponed to Sunday. The game time has yet to be determined. The Arizona-Santa Clara game is still in a weather delay.
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No extra motivation is needed this time of year, but some Horned Frog relievers – ahem – relieving themselves during the Friday night game of the Fayetteville Regional may have provided the Razorbacks, or at least their fans, with some ahead of the Arkansas vs TCU matchup.
Some Arkansas baseball fans attending TCU’s 12-4 win over Arizona caught a pair of its pitchers, right-handers Garrett Wright and Hunter Hodges, taking a leak in the corner of their bullpen – which, as the higher seed and home team that game, was Arkansas’ usual bullpen.
I can’t wait to beat them tomorrow… VC: @Jackbaldwin25 pic.twitter.com/MNwW5vXqIM
— Josh Teeter (@joshteeter01) June 3, 2023
To be fair, TCU’s players may not have had access to the Hunt Center’s restrooms because those are Arkansas’ facilities and they are still the visitors. However, there are restrooms in the dugout they could have used.
Regardless of your take on the urination situation, Saturday’s nightcap between Arkansas and TCU promises to be the best atmosphere of the season at Baum-Walker Stadium. Just over 11,000 fans witnessed the Razorbacks’ win over Santa Clara, and that was on a Friday afternoon when a lot of people still had work.
Saturday’s game is scheduled for 8 p.m. CT and will be televised on ESPNU. However, first pitch will almost certainly get pushed back because of inclement weather in Northwest Arkansas.
The Arizona-Santa Clara elimination game was set for a 2 p.m. start, but it has been in an indefinite delay all day and – despite announcement from the Santa Clara Twitter account, no start time has been set.
NCAA rules require 55 minutes between games and the latest the Arkansas vs TCU game could start is 11 p.m. It could then take as long as needed to finish, so there’s a chance the Razorbacks and Horned Frogs are playing past midnight, if they play at all. The game could potentially get pushed back to Sunday.
As always, Best of Arkansas Sports will be all over it and providing live, inning-by-inning updates below…
LIVE UPDATES — Arkansas vs TCU
Pregame Tidbits from Fayetteville Regional
In the first elimination game of the Fayetteville Regional, Santa Clara beat Arizona 9-3 in the only game played Saturday. The Wildcats are out of the tournament, while the Broncos will play the loser of the Arkansas vs TCU matchup in another elimination game at 8 p.m. CT Sunday.
As expected, left-hander Hagen Smith has been named the starter for Arkansas. He was a first-team All-SEC selection by the coaches and named a first-team All-American by Collegiate Baseball after a season in which he went 8-1 with two saves and a 2.69 ERA with 102 strikeouts in 67 innings. Opponents have hit just .199 against the sophomore this year.
TCU is countering with right-hander Sam Stoutenborough, a graduate transfer who spent the first four years of his career at Cal. He is 3-0 with a 4.31 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 54 1/3 innings across 18 appearances, including seven starts, in his first season with the Horned Frogs.
This will actually be his second career outing at Baum-Walker Stadium, as he actually took the loss for Cal in an elimination game against Central Connecticut State as a freshman in the 2019 Fayetteville Regional. In that game, Stoutenborough was charged with six runs – five earned – on nine hits and no walks while striking out three in five innings.
After tweaking his back in the eighth inning of Friday’s game, Peyton Holt is not in the lineup Sunday. Harold Coll is starting in his place, playing second base and batting seventh. Holt did not go through pregame warmups, so he doesn’t appear to be available today. His injury is described as an “upper back strain,” per the UA’s pregame radio show.
T-1st: TCU 6, Arkansas 0
Nunez grounded out to third to start the game. Bowen fouled off several pitches before working the count full and drawing a walk. That put a man on base for Taylor, who ripped a single into right. Fontenelle was plunked in an 0-2 count to load the bases and prompt a mound visit from Matt Hobbs.
On the very next pitch, Richardson hit a grand slam to put TCU up 4-0. Byrne followed with a four-pitch walk. After falling behind 0-2, Silva singled through the right side in a 1-2 count. That put runners on the corners, until Silva swiped second to make it second and third. Boyers looked at strike three, but Davis was first-pitch swinging and delivered a two-run single to make it 6-0. He was eventually caught stealing during Nunez’s second plate appearance. Smith threw 37 pitches and gave up a season-high six runs.
B-1st: TCU 6, Arkansas 1
In a full count, Josenberger crushed a home run to the second level of the Hunt Center. However, Stoutenborough responded by striking out Diggs and Slavens. With two outs, Cali grounded out to short. It was a 21-pitch inning for the TCU starter.
T-2nd: TCU 11, Arkansas 1
Nunez opened the second inning with a first-pitch single through the left side. Bowen followed with a single that put runners on the corners and that’s it for Smith, who lasted just one-plus inning. The new pitcher for Arkansas is left-hander Zack Morris.
Morris got ahead 0-2 against Taylor, but he ended up hitting an RBI single into right to make it 7-1. Fontenelle also fell behind 0-2, but battled back to walk. It’s the fifth time an Arkansas pitcher has been up 0-2 and failed to retire him. Richardson followed with another grand slam. He came into the game with only two home runs, but matched that in two innings against Arkansas – and both were opposite field with the bases loaded.
B-2nd: TCU 11, Arkansas 1
Bohrofen grounded out to first on the first pitch of the inning. Wegner hit the second pitch he saw 114 mph off the bat, but the shortstop made a nice play to field it and throw him out. Coll popped out to the catcher to end the inning. It was an eight-pitch inning, bringing Stoutenborough’s total to 29.
T-3rd: TCU 14, Arkansas 1
Right-hander Austin Ledbetter is now pitching for Arkansas. His first pitch was lined right to Bolton for a one-pitch out. Nunez followed with a blooper that just got over Bolton’s head for a single. Ledbetter got up 0-2 against Bowen, but eventually plunked him in a 2-2 count after he fouled off three pitches. Taylor followed with a three-run homer to make it 14-1.
Ledbetter bounced back with back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning. At which point the game entered a lightning delay at 3:06 p.m. CT.
Lightning Delay: 3:06 p.m.
Play Resumes: 4:05 p.m. CT
B-3rd: TCU 14, Arkansas 1
After a 59-minute delay, Stoutenborough is still on the mound for TCU. He promptly gave up a single to Rowland, who poked it the other way through the left side. Bolton then flied out to right and Josenberger grounded into a fielder’s choice. On the latter play, TCU got the lead runner at second, but couldn’t quite turn the double play. It didn’t matter because Diggs followed with a fielder’s choice of his own. It was a 14-pitch inning for Stoutenborough, who is up to 43 pitches.
T-4th: TCU 14, Arkansas 1
Hudson Polk is now catching for Arkansas. Byrne popped out to short and Silva lined out to second for a couple of quick outs. Ledbetter then got Boyers to fly out to center. He has thrown 31 pitches in two innings.
B-4th: TCU 14, Arkansas 1
Following a ground out to first by Slavens, Cali reached with a single to right. He was stranded, though, as Bohrofen struck out and Wegner popped out to second. Stoutenborough is up to 59 pitches.
T-5th: TCU 14, Arkansas 1
Davis flied out to center on the first pitch of the fifth inning. Nunez snapped Ledbetter’s streak of six straight retired by ripping a double down the right field line. Bowen grounded out to short, moving Nunez to third. That’s where he was stranded, a Taylor lined out to right to end the inning.
B-5th: TCU 14, Arkansas 3
Coll struck out to start the bottom of the fifth, but Polk followed with a slow roller up the middle. TCU’s second baseman got to it, but had no chance to throw him out, so it went down as an infield single. Jayson Jones pinch hit for Bolton and went down swinging. With two outs, Josenberger smacked a two-run homer to right – his second long ball of the day. Diggs grounded out to first to end the inning.
T-6th: TCU 16, Arkansas 3
Fontenelle got a blooper to left to fall for a leadoff single and then Richardson hit yet another opposite-field home run, giving him three home runs and 10 RBIs for the game. Ledbetter then tired the next three Horned Frogs. Byrne flied out to right, Silva lined out to short and Boyers flied out to center.
B-6th: TCU 16, Arkansas 4
As if the three home runs weren’t enough, Richardson made a diving stop to rob Slavens of a hit. Cali then grounded out to third. With two outs, Bohrofen hit a home run over the scoreboard to make it 16-4. Wegner popped out to first to end the inning. Stoutenborough is up to 96 pitches.
T-7th: TCU 17, Arkansas 4
Ben McLaughlin is now at third base. He handled a grounder by Davis for the first out of the inning. However, Nunez followed with a double down the right field line and then scored on Bowen’s RBI single. Taylor grounded into a fielder’s choice on which Arkansas got the out at first, but couldn’t turn the double play. Fontenelle then flied out to left. Wegner had his back on the wall when he caught it. Ledbetter is up to 64 pitches through five innings.
B-7th: TCU 17, Arkansas 5
Right-hander Hunter Hodges is now pitching for TCU. He promptly gave up a leadoff home run to Coll. Hodges then retired the next three Razorbacks, as Polk flied out to right-center, Jones flied out to left and Josenberger looked at strike three.
T-8th: TCU 17, Arkansas 5
Ledbetter kept Richardson in the park to start the eighth, but he still hit a chopper to third that McLaughlin couldn’t quite handle. It was ruled an infield single. After a fly out to center by Byrne, Silva hit a line drive to center for a single and Richardson went first to third. With runners on the corners, Boyers went down looking before Davis was plunked in a 2-2 count to load the bases. Ledbetter got out of the jam by striking out pinch hitter Logan Maxwell.
Lightning Delay: 5:24 p.m. CT
Play Resumes: 6:15 p.m. CT
B-8th: TCU 17, Arkansas 5
Right-hander Mason Speaker is now pitching for TCU. He struck out Diggs and got Reese Robinett to fly out to left on one pitch. With two outs, McLaughlin hit a line drive over the right fielder’s head for a single. He was stranded when Bohrofen struck out.
T-9th: TCU 20, Arkansas 5
Right-hander Ben Bybee is now pitching for Arkansas. He promptly gave up back-to-back singles to Bowen and Taylor. Fontenelle followed with a chopper to first that took a crazy hop over Robinett to turn it into an RBI single. With runners on the corners, Richardson singled up the middle for his 11th RBI of the game. Arkansas finally got an out by getting Byrne to ground out to second, but it scored another run. TCU stranded a runner on third, though, as Silva struck out and Boyers grounded out to first.
B-9th: TCU 20, Arkansas 5
Wegner hit a leadoff single and Polk ripped a one-out single to the right-center gap, but Coll, Jones and Neville each struck out, stranding runners on the corners.
FINAL: TCU 20, Arkansas 5
BOX SCORE – Arkansas vs TCU
Starting Lineups – Arkansas vs TCU
| TCU Baseball | Arkansas Baseball |
|---|---|
| 1. Elijah Nunez – CF | 1. Tavian Josenberger – CF |
| 2. Karson Bowen – C | 2. Kendall Diggs – DH |
| 3. Brayden Taylor – 3B | 3. Brady Slavens – 1B |
| 4. Cole Fontenelle – 1B | 4. Caleb Cali – 3B |
| 5. Tre Richardson – 2B | 5. Jace Bohrofen – RF |
| 6. Kurtis Byrne – DH | 6. Jared Wegner – LF |
| 7. Anthony Silva – SS | 7. Harold Coll – 2B |
| 8. Luke Boyers – LF | 8. Parker Rowland – C |
| 9. Austin Davis – RF | 9. John Bolton – SS |
| Pitching: S-Sr. RHP Sam Stoutenborough | Pitching: So. LHP Hagen Smith |
How to Watch the Fayetteville Regional
Friday, June 2
Game 1: Arkansas 13, Santa Clara 6
Game 2: TCU 12, Arizona 4
Saturday, June 3
Game 3: Santa Clara vs Arizona – 4 p.m. CT (ESPN+) – elimination game
Game 4: Arkansas vs TCU – 8 p.m. CT (ESPNU)
Sunday, June 4
Game 5 – Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Loser – 2 p.m. CT – elimination game
Game 6 – Game 4 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner – 8 p.m. CT
Monday, June 5 (If Necessary)
Game 7 – If the Game 5 Winner Wins Game 6 – TBD
Composite College Baseball Top 25
Unlike football and basketball, which have just the AP and Coaches Polls all year (with football adding the CFP rankings late in the season), college baseball has six major polls. Collegiate Baseball used to be included, but it was dropped due to severe inconsistencies in its rankings. Perfect Game also didn’t update its poll this week, so only four polls are used in these rankings.
To get a better feel for how teams stack up, BoAS has combined those rankings into a single top 25 by using a points system in which a No. 1 ranking = 25 points, No. 2 = 24 points and all the way to No. 25 = 1 point. We will update this each week throughout the season…
| Team | Conference | Change | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Wake Forest | ACC | — | 100 |
| 2. Florida | SEC | — | 96 |
| 3. Vanderbilt | SEC | +4 | 90 |
| 4. Arkansas | SEC | — | 87 |
| 5. Clemson | ACC | +1 | 86 |
| t-6. LSU | SEC | -1 | 78.5 |
| t-6. Stanford | Pac-12 | -3 | 78.5 |
| 8. Coastal Carolina | Sun Belt | — | 70 |
| 9. Miami (Fla.) | ACC | — | 69 |
| 10. Virginia | ACC | — | 63 |
| 11. Campbell | Big South | +4 | 60 |
| 12. East Carolina | AAC | — | 52 |
| 13. Oklahoma State | Big 12 | +4 | 48 |
| 14. Dallas Baptist | C-USA | — | 43 |
| 15. UConn | Big East | -4 | 41 |
| 16. Southern Miss | Sun Belt | +8 | 38 |
| 17. Oregon State | Pac-12 | -1 | 33 |
| 18. Tennessee | SEC | -5 | 29 |
| 19. Alabama | SEC | +7 | 21 |
| t-20. Maryland | Big Ten | +8 | 18 |
| t-20. South Carolina | SEC | +2 | 18 |
| 22. West Virginia | Big 12 | -4 | 15 |
| 23. Indiana State | MVC | +4 | 13 |
| t-24. Texas | Big 12 | -4 | 11 |
| t-24. TCU | Big 12 | N/A | 11 |
MOVED IN: Alabama (19), Maryland (t-20), Indiana State (23), TCU (t-24)
MOVED OUT: Auburn (19), Boston College (21), Duke (t-22), Kentucky (25)
Conference Breakdown
- SEC: 7
- ACC: 4
- Big 12: 4
- Pac-12: 2
- Sun Belt: 2
- AAC: 1
- Big East: 1
- Big South: 1
- Big Ten: 1
- C-USA: 1
- MVC: 1
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More coverage of Arkansas baseball and the Fayetteville Regional from BoAS…
