With storms forecasted to move into the area Thursday night, the Arkansas vs Ole Miss series opener was postponed and the two teams will now play a doubleheader Friday.
First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. CT and the nightcap will start about an hour after the first game ends. Both games will be a full nine innings and be streamed on SEC Network-Plus.
The series finale is still scheduled for 2 p.m. CT Saturday and will be televised on the SEC Network. That means Arkansas and Ole Miss will play 36 innings — barring a mercy rule or extras — in a span of about 27 hours.
Because the series was scheduled for Thursday-Saturday, SEC rules prevent them from pushing the series back to Sunday — which neither team wants anyways because the reason they agreed to start the series Thursday was to avoid playing on Easter.
According to UA radio play-by-play man Phil Elson, things were still up in the air Friday morning because of a campus-wide power outage at Ole Miss, but power was restored about 20 minutes later and appears to be fine for the game.
It’s also worth noting that this is a rematch from the College World Series, where the Rebels won two of three matchups to eliminate the Razorbacks before winning their first national championship.
As always, Best of Arkansas Sports will be following the action and providing live, inning-by-inning updates from the Arkansas vs Ole Miss series below…
LIVE UPDATES — Arkansas vs Ole Miss
Pregame Tidbits (Game 2)
First pitch for Game 2 of the doubleheader is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT.
Arkansas has announced left-hander Hagen Smith as its starter for Game 2. He had been a “wildcard” and pitched in relief the first three weekends of SEC play before returning to a starting role against the Rebels. The sophomore is 5-0 with one save and a 2.95 ERA this season, with 45 strikeouts and a minuscule .194 opponent batting average in 30 2/3 innings.
Ole Miss is starting left-hander Xavier Rivas. The junior has a 5.61 ERA and 1.46 WHIP in 33 2/3 innings this season.
The only lineup change by either team is Reagan Burford starting at designated hitter instead of Judd Utermark for the Rebels.
T-1st: Ole Miss 0, Arkansas 0
The top of the first was not broadcast because of a power surge in the Ole Miss control room. However, Rivas retired Arkansas in order. Josenberger lined out to short, Stovall flied out to center and Wegner looked at strike three. It was a 13-pitch inning for Rivas.
B-1st: Ole Miss 0, Arkansas 0
Smith answered with a perfect 13-pitch inning of his own, striking out Gonzalez, Groff and Harris. Gonzalez looked at strike three, Groff couldn’t check his swing for the third strike and Harris swung through strike three.
T-2nd: Arkansas 1, Ole Miss 0
Bohrofen led off the inning with a line drive single that got just over the second baseman. Diggs fell behind 0-2, but battled back to draw a walk and then, after a wild pitch moved Bohrofen to third, a four-pitch walk by Cali loaded the bases for Slavens, who delivered an RBI single – his fourth hit and sixth RBI of the day.
Rowland followed with a fly out to right, but it wasn’t deep enough for Diggs to tag up and turn it into a sacrifice fly. With the bases still loaded, Bolton struck out on three pitches. That left it up to Josenberger, who looked at strike three to strand the bases loaded.
B-2nd: Ole Miss 1, Arkansas 1
After striking out the side in the first, Smith starts the second with a four-pitch walk. He bounced back by striking out Calarco. The first ball in play by Ole Miss is a double by Lege. Alderman only got to third on the play, though, because he had to briefly hold up to see if Wegner would catch it.
With runners on second and third, Burford put the ball in play. It was an RBI ground out to third, as Cali took the out at first instead of trying to go home with the throw. McCants looked like he might have a single, but Stovall was aligned perfectly in the right field grass to turn it into a ground out that ended the inning. It was a 16-pitch inning by Smith, who is up to 29 pitches.
T-3rd: Ole Miss 1, Arkansas 1
Stovall led off the third with a single, but Arkansas couldn’t do anything with it. Wegner grounded into a fielder’s choice, Slavens struck out looking and Diggs grounded out to short. It was a 17-pitch inning for Rivas, who is up to 57 through three innings.
B-3rd: Ole Miss 1, Arkansas 1
Chatagnier swung at the first pitch he saw and popped up to first in foul territory. Gonzalez hit a grounder up the middle, but Bolton was positioned perfectly, making it an easy ground out. Groff worked the count full and thought he had a two-out walk, but he was called out on strikes. It was a 9-pitch inning for Smith, who has thrown only 38 through three innings.
T-4th: Ole Miss 1, Arkansas 1
Rivas sandwiched strikeouts of Cali and Rowland around an infield single by Slavens. He hit a chopper that got over the pitcher and then took a wicked hop away from the second baseman. Slavens then stole second and Bolton was hit by a pitch in an 0-2 count. That brought up Josenberger, who grounded out to third to end the inning. Rivas is up to 72 pitches through four innings.
B-4th: Ole Miss 2, Arkansas 1
Smith should have had another 1-2-3 inning, but his defense let him down. After striking out Harris, he gave up a high pop up to Alderman. There was miscommunication in shallow right, though, and the ball fell between Stovall, Josenberger and Bohrofen. It looked like Bohrofen was calling for it, but then backed away at the last second. That directly led to a run for the Rebels.
Calarco followed with a grounder to short and Arkansas got Alderman in a rundown between second and third. The Razorbacks eventually got him out, but Calarco was able to make it to second. He then scored on Lege’s RBI single. Burford grounded out to third to end the inning.
T-5th: Ole Miss 2, Arkansas 2
Stovall flied out to left on the first pitch of the fifth inning. Wegner then walked to give Arkansas a one-out base runner. After a fly out to shallow left by Bohrofen, Diggs ripped a line drive into the right field corner for an RBI double, as Wegner came all the way around from first. Diggs took third on the throw. Cali followed with a walk, but the runners were stranded on the corners when Slavens struck out.
B-5th: Ole Miss 2, Arkansas 2
Smith struck out McCants to start the inning and got ahead 0-2 against Chatagnier, but ended up walking him. A first-pitch ball to Gonzalez prompted a mound visit by Matt Hobbs and Smith responded by inducing a 4-6-3 double play. He’s at 66 pitches through five innings.
T-6th: Ole Miss 2, Arkansas 2
Rivas is still on the mound for Ole Miss despite being at 94 pitches. Rowland worked the count full before flying out to shallow right. Bolton then grounded out back to the pitcher. Josenberger gave it a ride, but his fly ball was caught on the track in left. It’s the first 1-2-3 inning by Arkansas since the first inning. Rivas is up to 109 pitches.
B-6th: Ole Miss 7, Arkansas 2
Groff crushed an 0-1 pitch from Smith over the wall in left to give Ole Miss the lead and then Smith plunked Harris on his next pitch. That’s it for him. The new pitcher is right-hander Cody Adcock.
He should have gotten a first-pitch out, but Slavens dropped the pop up by Alderman in foul territory. Given new life, he singled through the right side. A wild pitch then brought in another run, Calarco walked and then Lege crushed a three-run home run.
Adcock bounced back by getting pinch hitter Will Furniss to pop out to short, striking out McCants and getting Chatagnier to pop out in foul territory – this time Slavens completed the catch.
T-7th: Ole Miss 7, Arkansas 2
The new pitcher for Ole Miss is right-hander Mitch Murrell. Stovall ripped a sharp grounder that the first baseman couldn’t handle, leading to a leadoff single. After a strikeout by Wegner, Bohrofen drew a walk. However, they were stranded because Diggs struck out and Cali grounded out to second. The Razorbacks have now stranded 10 runners on base this game.
B-7th: Ole Miss 7, Arkansas 2
The new pitcher for Arkansas is freshman right-hander Christian Foutch. He got some tough luck to start his outing, as Gonzalez blooped a single that feel between Wegner and Josenberger, and then Groff hit what looked like a double play ball up the middle, but it bounced away from Bolton and Stovall when it hit the bag. He didn’t let it bother him though, getting Harris and Alderman to fly out to left before getting Calarco to ground out.
T-8th: Ole Miss 7, Arkansas 2
Gonzalez, the shortstop, made a great play to rob Slavens of a hit to start the eighth. Then Jayson Jones popped out in foul terriroty as a pinch hitter for Rowland and Harold Coll flied out to right as a pinch hitter for Bolton.
B-8th: Ole Miss 7, Arkansas 2
Foutch issued a four-pitch walk to Lege to start the home half of the eighth. During the next at bat, Lege stole second. Foutch bounced back to strike out Furniss on three pitches. Lege then made a nice read on a pitch in the dirt, advancing to third on what is ruled a wild pitch. McCants got caught looking for the second out. Foutch escaped the jam with a pop up in the infield, caught by Slavens. Really nice work by Foutch.
T-9th: Ole Miss 7, Arkansas 4
Josenberger started the ninth with a solid at bat, working the count full before drawing a leadoff walk. Stovall followed with a two-run homer to right-center, cutting the deficit to 7-4. That forces Ole Miss to bring in its closer, right-hander Mason Nichols.
Wegner fell behind 0-2 before working the count full. He appeared to get hit by a pitch, but it was called a foul ball. Arkansas challenged and it was overturned. Bohrofen then grounded into a fielder’s choice, as the Rebels got the force at second, but couldn’t turn the double play. Diggs struck out and then Cali flied out to left to end it.
Arkansas and Ole Miss split the doubleheader.
FINAL: Ole Miss 7, Arkansas 4
BOX SCORE – Arkansas vs Ole Miss
Starting Lineups – Arkansas vs Ole Miss (Game 2)
| Ole Miss Baseball | Arkansas Baseball |
|---|---|
| 1. Jacob Gonzalez – SS | 1. Tavian Josenberger – CF |
| 2. Ethan Groff – CF | 2. Peyton Stovall – 2B |
| 3. Calvin Harris – C | 3. Jared Wegner – LF |
| 4. Kemp Alderman – LF | 4. Jace Bohrofen – RF |
| 5. Anthony Calarco – 1B | 5. Kendall Diggs – DH |
| 6. Ethan Lege – 3B | 6. Caleb Cali – 3B |
| 7. Reagan Burford – DH | 7. Brady Slavens – 1B |
| 8. TJ McCants – RF | 8. Parker Rowland – C |
| 9. Peyton Chatagnier – 2B | 9. John Bolton – SS |
| Pitching: Jr. LHP Xavier Rivas | Pitching: So. LHP Hagen Smith |
Pregame Tidbits (Game 1)
Junior right-hander Jack Dougherty is getting the nod in Game 1 for Ole Miss baseball. He doesn’t walk very many people, with only nine in 32 2/3 innings, but opponents have had success hitting him, posting a .284 batting average. That has led to a 5.79 ERA and 1.44 WHIP.
Arkansas is hoping for a bounce-back performance from left-hander Hunter Hollan, who had his first bad outing last weekend against Alabama. Even with that outing, the junior has a 3.50 ERA in 36 innings across seven starts.
This is the second doubleheader of the year for both teams — and both were swept in their first. Arkansas lost both games in a road doubleheader at LSU, while Ole Miss lost both games in a home doubleheader against Florida.
T-1st: Ole Miss 0, Arkansas 0
Dougherty made quick work of Arkansas in the first inning. He struck out Josenberger and Wegner sandwiched around a ground out by Stovall. He froze Wegner for strike three to end the inning. It was a 13-pitch frame for him.
B-1st: Ole Miss 0, Arkansas 0
Hollan answered with a 13-pitch inning of his own, but it was more eventful. He fell behind the leadoff man 3-0 before plunking Gonzalez in a full count. However, the runner was erased when Groff grounded into a 4-6-3 double play. Harris chased a pitch out of the zone to end the inning with a strikeout.
T-2nd: Arkansas 2, Ole Miss 0
It should have been another 1-2-3 inning for Dougherty, but Chatagnier dropped the ball after fielding a leadoff grounder to second, allowing Bohrofen to reach on the error. He moved to second on a slow chopper to second by Diggs and, after a strikeout by Slavens, Cali smacked an opposite field home run. Because the Slavens strikeout should have been the third out, both runs are unearned.
Rowland followed with a single, prompting a mound visit by Mike Bianco. Dougherty responded by getting Bolton to ground out to third. It was a 20-pitch inning, bringing Dougherty up to 33 for the game.
B-2nd: Arkansas 2, Ole Miss 0
On the first pitch of the second, Alderman hit a chopper up the middle that Hollan made a nice play to field and toss to first for the out. Calarco followed with a little pop up caught by Stovall and then Lege went down swinging, capping a 9-pitch inning for Hollan, who’s at 22 pitches through two innings.
T-3rd: Arkansas 2, Ole Miss 0
Josenberger started the third inning with a deep shot to right-center that landed on the warning track before bouncing off the wall for a stand-up double. However, Stovall followed by looking at strike three and Wegner popped out to short. With two outs, Bohrofen flied out to right, stranding the leadoff double. Dougherty is up to 47 pitches through three innings after that 14-pitch frame.
B-3rd: Arkansas 2, Ole Miss 0
Utermark and McCants went down swinging to start the inning before Chatagnier – the 9-hole – reached on a two-out single. However, Hollan bounced back to get Gonzalez, who poked a little blooper toward third, but Cali was able to move back and get in position to stretch for the catch. It was an 18-pitch inning for Hollan, who is now at 40 through three innings.
T-4th: Arkansas 2, Ole Miss 0
Dougherty got Diggs to chase a pitch out of the zone in a 3-2 count to start the inning with a strikeout. Slavens followed by going up in the zone and driving a single back up the middle. That put a runner on base for Cali, who was called out on strikes. He didn’t like the third strike, which was on the outside corner. With two outs, Rowland also struck out looking. Dougherty – who has now thrown 68 pitches – is up to seven strikeouts, matching his season high.
B-4th: Arkansas 2, Ole Miss 0
Hollan retired the Rebels in order in the fourth. Groff grounded out to short, Harris grounded out back to the pitcher and Alderman flied out to center. It took just 12 pitches, bringing his total to 52 for the game.
T-5th: Arkansas 8, Ole Miss 0
Bolton led off the fifth with a bloop single into right. It’s just his third hit in SEC play. He then stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. Josenberger worked the count full and drew a walk, putting runners on the corners. Stovall grounded out to second for the first out, but it was a chopper that required the second baseman to move to his left. That allowed Bolton to score, making it an RBI for Stovall, and moved Josenberger to second.
That prompted another visit from Bianco, but Dougherty stayed in the game. Wegner singled through the left side to put runners on the corners again and then Bohrofen singled through the right side for an RBI. Runners remained on the corners, as Wegner went first to third on the play. Bohrofen then stole second and Diggs walked, loading the bases for Slavens. He quickly fell behind 0-2, but then smacked a grand slam into the right field bullpen to double the lead.
That prompts a pitching change. The new pitcher for Ole Miss is freshman right-hander Brayden Jones. He came in pumping strikes and got Cali swinging and Rowland looking in back-to-back strikeouts.
B-5th: Arkansas 8, Ole Miss 0
Ole Miss got a leadoff walk from Calarco, who worked the count full and fouled off a couple of pitches before taking a pitch just outside of the zone for ball four. Lege followed with what essentially looked like a swinging bunt down the third base line and it was positioned perfectly, where Hollan couldn’t make the play in time, making it an infield single.
However, Ole Miss couldn’t do anything with the base runners. Utermark hit a sharp liner that took one hop before Cali fielded it and started a 5-4-3 double play. With a runner on third, McCants hit a line drive to the right side, but Stovall was able to make the sliding catch because he was positioned perfectly in the outfield grass. Hollan is up to 71 pitches through five innings.
T-6th: Arkansas 9, Ole Miss 0
Jones got Bolton to pop out for his third straight retired batter, but then ran into problems. Josenberger singled up the middle, Stovall walked and then Wegner notched his 44th RBI of the season with a single into left. That prompted another pitching change.
The new pitcher for Ole Miss is right-hander Jordan Vera. He walked Bohrofen on a full count to load the bases again, but Diggs grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.
B-6th: Arkansas 9, Ole Miss 0
The Rebels threatened again in the sixth, but couldn’t do anything. After a leadoff fly out by Chatagnier, Gonzalez drew a walk and Groff singled. Gonzalez then tagged up to third on a fly out by Harris, putting runners on the corners, but they were stranded there when Alderman also flied out to center. Hollan is up to 88 pitches.
T-7th: Arkansas 9, Ole Miss 0
Slavens started the seventh with a chopper that got over the pitcher and the second baseman’s flip to first wasn’t in time. He was called out on the field, but it was overturned after an Arkansas challenge, so it’s a leadoff infield single for Slavens, who is now 3 for 4. He moved to second on a wild pitch and then tagged up to third on Cali’s deep fly out to center. However, that’s where he was stranded, as Rowland struck out and Bolton grounded out to first.
B-7th: Arkansas 9, Ole Miss 0
Hollan issued a pair of free passes – a walk to Calarco and HBP to Lege – to start the seventh and that was it for him. The new pitcher for Arkansas is right-hander Dylan Carter. He got the Razorbacks out of the jam by retiring three straight. Utermark struck out before loud outs by McCants and Chatagnier, who flied out to deep center and left, respectively. Carter threw 11 pitches.
T-8th: Arkansas 9, Ole Miss 0
Josenberger grounded out to start the inning before Stovall singled through the right side for his first hit of the game. However, Wegner followed by grounding into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.
B-8th: Arkansas 9, Ole Miss 2
Gonzalez started the bottom of the eighth with a single. Then Groff flied out to right and Harris grounded out to second. That latter would have been an easy double play, but Gonzalez was running on the pitch, so he ended up on second with two outs. That was a big play because Alderman followed with a two-run home run to end the shutout.
Calarco followed with a walk, but Lege popped out to Carter to end the inning. He has now thrown 33 pitches.
T-9th: Arkansas 11, Ole Miss 2
Bohrofen led off the ninth inning with a single and then scored when Diggs ripped a triple into the right field corner. Diggs then scored on a sacrifice fly by Slavens. Cali nearly hit a line drive out of the park, but it went off the top of the wall for a double. A ground out to short by Rowland moved him to third. Bolton followed with a walk to put runners on the corners. Josenberger hit a sharp grounder that deflected off the first baseman’s glove, but it was hit so hard, that the second baseman had time to scoop it up and still throw him out to end the inning.
B-9th: Arkansas 11, Ole Miss 2
The new pitcher for Arkansas is right-hander Austin Ledbetter. He got Utermark to look at strike three for a strikeout before facing three straight pinch hitters. John Kramer drew a walk and Garrett Wood lined a single just over the short, but Will Plattner grounded into a 5-3 double play to end the game.
Game 2 will start close to 6 p.m. CT.
FINAL: Arkansas 11, Ole Miss 2
BOX SCORE – Arkansas vs Ole Miss (Game 1)
Starting Lineups — Arkansas vs Ole Miss (Game 1)
| Ole Miss Baseball | Arkansas Baseball |
|---|---|
| 1. Jacob Gonzalez – SS | 1. Tavian Josenberger – CF |
| 2. Ethan Groff – CF | 2. Peyton Stovall – 2B |
| 3. Calvin Harris – C | 3. Jared Wegner – LF |
| 4. Kemp Alderman – LF | 4. Jace Bohrofen – RF |
| 5. Anthony Calarco – 1B | 5. Kendall Diggs – DH |
| 6. Ethan Lege – 3B | 6. Brady Slavens – 1B |
| 7. Judd Utermark – DH | 7. Caleb Cali – 3B |
| 8. TJ McCants – RF | 8. Parker Rowland – C |
| 9. Peyton Chatagnier – 2B | 9. John Bolton – SS |
| Pitching: Jr. RHP Jack Dougherty | Pitching: Jr. LHP Hunter Hollan |
Baseball Schedule This Week
Tuesday — vs. Arkansas State (CANCELED)
Friday — at Ole Miss — 2 p.m. CT (SECN+)
Friday — at Ole Miss — TBA (SECN+)
Saturday — at Ole Miss — 2 p.m. CT (SEC Network)
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: 2-1 over the weekend / 1-0 in the midweek / 22-7 overall, 6-3 in SEC play
Even though it doesn’t have a single player on either preseason All-SEC team, Alabama has been trending in a positive direction under sixth-year head coach Brad Bohannon. Last year, the Crimson Tide prevented the Razorbacks from winning the SEC West by beating them in the final two games of the regular season — including an 18-5 beatdown in the rubber match. Then Alabama beat them at the SEC Tournament. Arkansas gets its revenge by winning the series at Baum-Walker Stadium this year.
In the first of three straight midweeks against in-state foes, Arkansas State comes to Fayetteville and returns to Jonesboro with a blowout loss. Simply put, the Red Wolves aren’t very good. They went 11-38 overall and 5-24 in the Sun Belt last season, which hurt the Razorbacks’ RPI.
Actual: 2-1 over the weekend / midweek canceled / 23-5 overall, 6-3 in SEC play
Tuesday’s game against Arkansas State never happened because of storms across much of the state, but we did correctly predict Arkansas winning 2 of 3 against Alabama last weekend. That makes us 3 for 3 in perfect weekend predictions during SEC play.
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