After hanging on for a win over Texas in their season opener, the Razorbacks will shift their attention to yet another big game at the College Baseball Showdown: Arkansas vs TCU.
The Horned Frogs check in at No. 15 in the preseason composite poll, while Arkansas sits at No. 6. The former Southwest Conference rivals will renew their series in a game scheduled for 7 p.m. CT Saturday at Globe Life Field, home of MLB’s Texas Rangers.
Just like Friday’s game against the Longhorns, which the Razorbacks won 3-2, and Sunday’s looming matchup with Oklahoma State, the top-15 clash will be streamed on FloSports, a subscription-based service that has frequently carried the Razorbacks’ early-season tournament games. Unfortunately, it costs $30 per month.
Before you sign up, though, Best of Arkansas Sports wants you to be aware of two things. First, don’t get tricked by how FloSports markets its annual plan, which appears to have a cheaper monthly price. It will charge you one lump sum for the entire year, when you likely need only one month.
Secondly, we want to make you aware of a trick to get a monthly price of $12.50 that we first introduced to Arkansas fans last summer, when the basketball team’s foreign tour in Europe was available via FloSports.
To pull it off, just follow these steps:
- Go to https://go.flosports.tv/partner/caa
- Then scroll down and click the “CAA Baseball” box
- Click on “Join Now”
- Create an account
- When asked what plan to buy, choose the monthly one for $12.50
It’s important to remember to go back on FloSports following Sunday’s game and cancel your plan. Otherwise, you’ll be charged $12.50/month in perpetuity.
If you still don’t want to pay that much because you’re worried about the feed crashing and being an overall poor product, you can always listen to the radio broadcast of the games, with Brett Dolan and Bubba Carpenter on the call.
Unable to watch or listen? We’ve got you covered with inning-by-inning updates below…
(Got time to kill before the Arkansas vs TCU game? Read our analysis of the Razorbacks’ win over Texas: click here)
LIVE UPDATES – Arkansas vs TCU
Pregame Tidbits
After being the designated away team Friday night, Arkansas baseball – and the rest of the SEC – will be the designated home team on Saturday. They’ll all revert back to road status on Sunday.
This will be just the fifth time the Razorbacks have faced the Horned Frogs under Dave Van Horn. They are 4-0 in the previous matchups, including two wins in the 2019 Fayetteville Regional another another at the College Baseball Showdown two years ago.
The game in front of Arkansas vs TCU ended late, with former Arkansas catcher Dylan Leach delivering a walk-off double to help Missouri upset Texas. First pitch for the Razorbacks has been pushed back to 7:35 p.m. CT.
The Razorbacks are using the same lineup as they did Friday night against Texas.
T-1st: TCU 3, Arkansas 0
After a first-pitch fly out by Davis, it looked like McEntire would have a second quick out, but he was late covering the bag on a sharp grounder fielded by Slavens. A walk put runners on first and second, but it seemed like McEntire would get out of it with a 6-4-3 double play, but Bolton didn’t field it cleanly and managed to only get the out at second.
With runners on the corners and two outs, Bishop delivered a two-run double that got down in left-center. Then Boyers ripped an RBI single into right field, making it 3-0. McEntire finally got out of it with a deep fly out to center by Fontenelle.
B-1st: Arkansas 3, TCU 3
Josenberger flied out to right to start the inning before Stovall worked the count full and drew a walk. Cali also got into a full count, but went down swinging – his fifth strikeout in six at bats with the Razorbacks so far.
Slavens followed by poking a double the other way, but the left fielder made a nice play tracking it down in the corner and getting the ball in to keep Stovall at third. It didn’t matter, though, because Wegner followed with a three-run bomb to center. It was 111.9 mph off the bat and traveled 442 feet.
Brown got out of the inning by getting Bohrofen to pop up to the shortstop. It was a 30-pitch inning.
T-2nd: TCU 4, Arkansas 3
McEntire nearly snagged a line drive by Richardson, but it glanced off his glove and then took a tough hop in front of Stovall and bounced into the outfield. It’s ruled a single. After a pop up by Silva, Richardson swiped second and then moved to third on a single up by the middle by Davis. That marked the end of the night for McEntire, who recorded only four outs.
Left-hander Zack Morris was first out of the pen and got Nunez to hit a sharp grounder up the middle, which Stovall made a diving stop and flip to second, but Bolton’s relay to first was not in time for the double play. It went down as a RBI fielder’s choice to put TCU back on top. Taylor followed with a deep shot to right, but Bohrofen managed to track it down just in front of the wall to end the inning.
B-2nd: Arkansas 4, TCU 4
It seems like Arkansas is seeing Brown well. Diggs hit a deep fly ball that was caught on the warning track in right and then Polk hit one that actually got over the wall. His solo shot to left had an exit velocity of 103.7 mph and traveled 385 feet. Bolton hit a hard grounder that got by a diving shortstop for a single.
Brown did get Josenberger to fly out to shallow center, but Stovall ripped a single into right and Bolton went first-to-third on the play. That was the end of the night for TCU’s starter, who also failed to get through the second.
The Horned Frogs turned things over to freshman Kole Klecker, who was making his collegiate debut, and he needed only three pitches to strike out Cali. The talented JUCO transfer has now struck out in six of his first seven at bats with the Razorbacks.
T-3rd: Arkansas 4, TCU 4
Byrne flied out to deep center to start the inning before Bishop hit a single into left. TCU dialed up a hit-and-run and Boyers made solid contact, but Bohrofen caught the line drive. He might have had a chance to double up Bishop at first, but his throw was wild. It didn’t matter, though, because Fontenelle flied out to center to end the first scoreless half inning of the night.
B-3rd: Arkansas 4, TCU 4
Slavens grounded out to first and Bohrofen struck out sandwiched around a one-out single by Wegner. Diggs appeared to pop out to the short to end the inning, but the play was reviewed and he was awarded first on a catcher’s interference. The mistake didn’t hurt the Horned Frogs, though, because Polk did pop out to the shortstop.
T-4th: Arkansas 4, TCU 4
A nice play by Stovall on a grounder by Richardson started the inning and then Morris got Silva to look at strike three. Davis drew a two-out walk and swiped second – TCU’s third stolen base of the day – but he was stranded there when Nunez grounded out to short. Morris has thrown 45 pitches in 2 2/3 innings.
B-4th: Arkansas 4, TCU 4
Klecker needed only nine pitches to retire Arkansas in order, but all three batters made good contact. Bolton lined out to right, Josenberger flied out to center and then TCU second baseman Tre Richardson made a great play on a grounder by Stovall, just getting him at first after making the sliding stop on the outfield grass. Klecker has thrown 31 pitches in 2 1/3 innings.
T-5th: TCU 6, Arkansas 4
Taylor reached on a leadoff single when Bolton got to his chopper up the middle, but bobbled it and couldn’t throw to first in time to get him. He was actually on the other side of second when he fielded it.
Bryne was rung up on strikes via a delay of game, as he didn’t get in the box in time and it resulted in the third strike. It’s the second time Arkansas pitchers have benefited from that rule. Bishop followed with a sharp grounder that Cali fielded at third, but the Razorbacks were only able to get the force at second and unable to turn the double play.
TCU then dialed up a perfectly executed hit-and-run. Boyers hit a ball that would have been an easy out to second, but Stovall had left his spot to cover the bag. That put runners on first and third and prompting a pitching change. The new pitcher is freshman right-hander Gage Wood, who is making his collegiate debut.
Unfortunately for him, things didn’t go well. Wood’s first collegiate pitch was poked the other way by Fontenelle for an RBI single. He then issued a four-pitch walk to Richardson, with ball four coming on a delay of game violation. Silva, the 9-hole, then walked on five pitched to bring in another run and that’s it for the Batesville native.
Austin Ledbetter, a sophomore right-hander, is next out of the bullpen. He needed only two pitches to get Davis to ground into a fielder’s choice and strand the bases loaded.
B-5th: TCU 6, Arkansas 4
Although he fouled off four pitches, Cali’s at bat ended the same way as his first two – with a strikeout. That means he’s now struck out in seven of eight at bats this season. Slavens followed with a fly out to right before Wegner ripped a double into the left field corner. He’s a triple shy of the cycle. Unfortunately for the Razorbacks, he was stranded there, as Bohrofen was called out on strikes on a pitch that may have been a bit high.
T-6th: TCU 10, Arkansas 4
TCU is threatening again in the sixth. Nunez drew a leadoff walk and then Taylor hit a single into right, allowing Nunez to go first-to-third. With runners on the corners, Byrne delivered an RBI single. That makes it 7-4 and chases Ledbetter. Freshman left-hander Parker Coil will now make his collegiate debut.
Much like Wood, it was a rough debut. He walked the first two batters he faced, the second of which came with the bases loaded and brought in a run. He finally recorded an out when Fontenelle flied out to right, but it was a pretty easy sacrifice fly. Richardson followed with a sac fly of his own. Those two swings make it 10-4.
Boyers swiped second, but he was stranded when Silva grounded out on a nice play by Bolton.
B-6th: TCU 10, Arkansas 5
Kendall Diggs led off the inning with a laser over the right field wall for a solo home run. He hit it 370 feet with an exit velocity of 108.4 mph. That was it for the Razorbacks, though. Polk flied out to right and then Bolton and Josenberger struck out.
Bolton’s third strike came on a delay of game. During Josenberger’s at bat, apparently first base coach Bobby Wernes was not happy with the strike zone, according to the FloSports broadcast.
T-7th: TCU 11, Arkansas 5
Austin Davis crushed a leadoff home run, which he admired for a while before flipping his bat halfway down the line to first. Nunez followed with a walk, but was promptly picked off, with the Hogs getting him 1-3-6 at second, so it officially goes down as a caught stealing. Coil was chased after the next at bat, as he gave up a single to Taylor – the third straight inning he’s singled.
The new pitcher is right-hander Dylan Carter. It’ll be his Arkansas debut after transferring in from a JUCO and redshirting last season. He got Byrne to fly out to center and Bishop to ground into a fielder’s choice, ending the inning.
B-7th: TCU 11, Arkansas 5
Arkansas got the leadoff man on thanks to an error that allowed Stovall to reach, but it couldn’t capitalize. Freshman Jayson Jones pinch hit for Cali and flied out to shallow center in his first collegiate at bat. Then Slavens was called out on strikes and Wegner grounded out to short.
T-8th: TCU 14, Arkansas 5
After striking out Boyers to start the inning, Carter plunked Fontenelle and gave up a single to Richardson. TCU used a hit-and-run to stay out of a double play on Silva’s ground out to short, setting the stage for a two-run double by Davis to make it 13-5. That’s it for Carter. Freshman left-hander Sean Fitzpatrick will now make his collegiate debut.
His first pitch was a wild pitch that allowed the runner to take third. That set up an RBI infield single by Nunez. Taylor followed with a double – his fourth hit in as many innings – to put runners on second and third. Fitzpatrick got out of it by striking out Byrne.
B-8th: TCU 14, Arkansas 5
Diggs drew a one-out walk, but that was it for the Razorbacks. Harold Coll pinch hit for Bohrofen to start the inning and struck out on three pitches. After the walk, Polk was robbed of a hit thanks to a fantastic diving catch in right field. Bolton grounded out to third to end the inning.
T-9th: TCU 18, Arkansas 5
Freshman right-hander Cooper Dossett was called upon to pitch in the ninth. Four of the first five batters he faced reached base, with the fourth being a two-run single by Silva. He managed to strike out Davis for the second out, but then issued back-to-back walks. The second of those was with the bases loaded, bringing in yet another run.
That prompted another pitching change, with freshman right-hander Ben Bybee coming in to try to close it out. But he plunked Byrne with his first pitch, bringing in another run. Bybee bounced back by striking out Bishop to end the inning.
B-9th: TCU 18, Arkansas 6
Josenberger struck out to start the inning. Stovall followed with a soft liner to the shortstop for the second out. It wouldn’t be a 3 up, 3 down inning, though, as Jones launched his first career home run. Slavens struck out to end it.
FINAL: TCU 18, Arkansas 6
BOX SCORE – Arkansas vs TCU
Starting Lineups – Arkansas vs TCU
| TCU | Arkansas |
|---|---|
| 1. Austin Davis – RF | 1. Tavian Josenberger – CF |
| 2. Elijah Nunez – CF | 2. Peyton Stovall – 2B |
| 3. Brayden Taylor – 3B | 3. Caleb Cali – 3B |
| 4. Kurtis Byrne – C | 4. Brady Slavens – 1B |
| 5. David Bishop – 1B | 5. Jared Wegner – LF |
| 6. Luke Boyers – LF | 6. Jace Bohrofen – RF |
| 7. Cole Fontenelle – DH | 7. Kendall Diggs – DH |
| 8. Tre Richardson – 2B | 8. Hudson Polk – C |
| 9. Anthony Silva – SS | 9. John Bolton – SS |
| Pitching: Jr. RHP Cam Brown | Pitching: R-Jr. RHP Will McEntire |
College Baseball Showdown Results/Schedule
Friday, Feb. 17
Game 1 — Oklahoma State 5, Missouri 3
Game 2 — TCU 11, Vanderbilt 4
Game 3 — Arkansas 3, Texas 2
Saturday, Feb. 18
Game 1 — Oklahoma State vs Vanderbilt (11 a.m. CT)
Game 2 — Texas vs Missouri (3 p.m. CT)
Game 3 — Arkansas vs TCU (7 p.m. CT)
Sunday, Feb. 19
Game 1 — Vanderbilt vs Texas (10:30 a.m. CT)
Game 2 — Arkansas vs Oklahoma State (2:30 p.m. CT)
Game 3 — Missouri vs TCU (6:30 p.m. CT)
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