Sandwiched between two SEC road series, Arkansas returns home for a midweek matchup with one of its most common non-conference opponents. Here is a preview of the Oral Roberts game…

Schedule (TV)

Tuesday, April 9 - 6:30 p.m. CT (SECN+)

The game will be streamed on SEC Network-plus, meaning it can be watched online on ESPN3.com or on the WatchESPN app.

Weather Report

It is finally starting to feel like spring in Northwest Arkansas. According to the Weather Channel, temperatures will be in the upper-70s when Tuesday’s game starts. Once the sun goes down, it will dip into the low-70s and upper-60s. Rain and wind should not be a factor.

Arkansas’ Starting Pitcher (season stats)

Tuesday - R-So. Marshall Denton (11 games/2 starts, 1-0, 2.84 ERA, 10 K/1 BB, 12 2/3 IP)

With Patrick Wicklander starting the final game of the Auburn series and throwing 96 pitches in five innings, the Razorbacks had to switch up their midweek starter.

Denton is the logical choice because he does have experience starting games, as he started Game 2 of Arkansas’ two-game midweek series against Western Illinois and Texas. Throwing five innings in those games combined, he allowed no runs on five hits and one walk while striking out four.

Although he doesn’t have overpowering stuff like Wicklander, Denton throws strikes - something that can’t be said of the freshmen who will likely follow him out of the bullpen Tuesday - and does so with an usual arm angle, as he’s a side-armer.

In the Polls

The Razorbacks lost their midweek game last week, but took two of three games at Auburn to help them jump back up to No. 10 in the latest HawgBeat Composite Poll. Oral Roberts is unranked and No. 230 in the RPI, which has the Razorbacks at No. 4.

Scouting the Opponent

Oral Roberts’ starting pitcher (season stats)

Tuesday - Sr. RHP Tanner Rogen (2 games/0 starts, 1-0, 2.08 ERA, 3 K/3 BB, 4 1/3 IP)

Traditionally a very good baseball program, Oral Roberts has struggled this season. It is one game under .500 at 14-15 overall and - after being swept at Western Illinois - 6-6 in the Summit League.

By comparison, the Razorbacks swept a two-game midweek series against Western Illinois by a combined score of 19-1, with the second game cut short by an inning because of a run rule.

The Golden Eagles have, however, had some recent success in midweek games, beating Oklahoma 4-2 in 11 innings on the road and UALR 4-3 in 10 innings at home the last two weeks.

It appears they will give Rogen his first career start. He has allowed just one earned run in 4 1/3 innings this season, but had a 7.11 ERA in 12 2/3 innings last year.

Another guy the Razorbacks could see on the mound is junior left-hander Caleb Lee, as he actually started both of the last two midweek games. He has a 7.36 ERA in 7 1/3 innings, all of them coming in midweeks.

With a series against conference-leader Omaha coming up this weekend, Oral Roberts might not want to use up all of its pitching, but its top relievers appear to be redshirt freshman right-hander Sam Rainwater (2.29 ERA in 19 2/3 innings) and sophomore right-hander AJ Archambo (4.13 ERA in 24 innings). Freshman right-hander Trey Wolf leads the team with four saves, but also has a 5.09 ERA.

Offensively, junior first baseman Spencer Henson is the Golden Eagles’ best player. Coming off a season in which he earned the Triple Crown in the Summit League, he is hitting .349/.472/.709 with seven home runs and 26 RBIs. He has shown good plate discipline with 20 walks and is also a right-handed pitcher who has a couple of saves.

A couple of their other top offensive weapons are two-way players, as well. Freshman Isaac Coffey is a weekend starter, but otherwise plays third base and is hitting .300 with three home runs, 18 RBIs and a team-high eight doubles. Senior Trevor McCutchin has yet to allow an earned run in 6 2/3 innings, while also hitting seven home runs as a designated hitter.

Cowboy Returns

Another one of Oral Roberts’ best players is someone Arkansas fans should be real familiar with: Hunter Wilson.

Now at his fourth school, Wilson - nicknamed “Cowboy” - played for the Razorbacks the last two seasons. He was a favorite amongst his teammates and the fans, known for his high energy. That was on display each time the Razorbacks hit a home run and he slammed the plastic Hog hat on his teammates’ heads before slapping them on the butt.

The highlight of his time at Arkansas was when he hit a grand slam - the first home run with the Razorbacks - against Florida in the SEC Tournament.

With one year of eligibility remaining and limited playing time likely because of the addition of Trevor Ezell, Wilson chose to become a graduate transfer and finish his career at Oral Roberts. It was a move that head coach Dave Van Horn understood and fully supported.

So far this season, he is hitting .304/.374/.402 with seven doubles, one home run, 18 RBIs and 24 runs. He leads the team with seven steals on seven attempts, but also has a team-high seven errors as the starting second baseman.

This will actually be the third different team Wilson has played for inside Baum-Walker Stadium. In addition to Arkansas, he began his career with Stephen F. Austin and went 1 for 6 for the Lumberjacks in a two-game midweek series that the Razorbacks swept back in 2015. (Between Stephen F. Austin and Arkansas, Wilson played at Eastern Oklahoma State J.C.)

Other Arkansas Connections

Two players on Oral Roberts’ roster are from the Natural State, which isn’t surprising considering its location in Tulsa is a short drive from the state.

Redshirt junior Blake hall is the Golden Eagles’ starting center fielder and is originally from Magnolia, where he played with current Arkansas designated hitter Matt Goodheart. Joining the team from Hill College, he is hitting .291 with four home runs, 10 RBIs and three stolen bases.

Junior Adam Scoggins also signed with Oral Roberts out of junior college, as he went to Crowder College after finishing his career at Springdale Har-Ber. The left-handed pitcher has given up three earned runs in 3 2/3 innings this season for a 7.36 ERA while striking out five and walking four.

Stat of the Midweek

Off to a 6-6 start, Oral Roberts is in serious jeopardy of ending one of the more impressive streaks in college baseball.

Not including their two-year stint in the Southland Conference, the Golden Eagles have won 19 straight Mid-Continent/Summit League regular-season and tournament titles.

They are currently tied for third in the six-team league and Omaha is undefeated in conference play at 12-0.

Stat Comparison - Arkansas | Oral Roberts (national rank, out of 297 teams)

Batting average: .289 (50th) | .257 (182nd)

Slugging percentage: .454 (28th) | .413 (79th)

On-base percentage: .389 (43rd) | .349 (204th)

Home runs: 34 (t-25th) | 30 (t-44th)

Runs/game: 7.1 (35th) | 6.0 (t-134th)

ERA: 3.56 (38th) | 4.94 (161st)

WHIP: 1.25 (23rd) | 1.47 (126th)

Strikeouts/9 innings: 9.7 (30th) | 8.6 (98th)

Strikeout-to-walk ratio: 2.50 (44th) | 1.99 (125th)

Fielding percentage: .973 (77th) | .973 (76th)

Stolen bases/game: 1.56 (t-57th) | 0.52 (t-271st)

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