How to Watch Arkansas vs Santa Clara, Starting Pitchers (Regional)
The No. 3 Arkansas Razorbacks (41-16) will open the Fayetteville Regional on Friday against the Santa Clara Broncos (35-18) at Baum-Walker Stadium.
Arkansas is 30-4 this season when playing at home and it has not played in Fayetteville since May 14. The Razorbacks went 2-1 at the SEC Tournament last week and reached the semifinals for the seventh time in school history.
Santa Clara swept the West Coast Conference Tournament, defeating Portland twice, Gonzaga, and Saint Mary’s. The Broncos outscored their opponents 42-8 in the WCC Tournament.
“It’s going to be a great regional,” Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn said. “I feel like, at least on paper, this is probably one of the top two or three regionals in the country as far as the talent.”
Arkansas left-hander Hunter Hollan will make his 15th start of the season and 16th appearance. Hollan threw 5 ⅓ innings against LSU in relief in Hoover, and he allowed two runs on six hits, walked two and struck out eight.
Hollan, a transfer from San Jacinto College, has been battling what he described as a pinched nerve in his leg and what Van Horn described as shin splints for the better part of the second half of the season. Van Horn said Thursday that Hollan is doing much better.
“Yeah, he’s a lot better,” Van Horn said. “A lot, like it’s probably just about gone. It was actually starting to get better when he pitched really well here about three weeks ago and then - was that South Carolina maybe? - and then it bothered him a little bit after that and then it got better. I think it’s continued as far as what I was told yesterday that he’s feeling really good.”
Santa Clara will start right-hander Cole Kitchen. Kitchen, who threw 3 2/3 innings against Portland in the WCC Tournament and allowed two runs on four hits and struck out three while walking just one batter. Kitchen has started 15 games this year and he owns a 4.25 ERA with 33 walks and 67 strikeouts in 78 1/3 innings pitched.
"He's been a Friday night starter for the last three years," Santa Clara head coach Rusty Filter said of Kitchen. "He's been a starting pitcher since the day he walked in. He was a freshman and he was an opener. He was a two-way player, really good athlete. Left-handed hitter that we thought would be an outfielder, but his progression came really quick.
"Once he really solidified that Friday role, we no longer allowed him to be a two-way player. He's a very competitive man. You might hear him from the press box when he's not pitching. He's definitely a leader of the team. He will go out there and compete. I think he will handle the moment the best."
HawgBeat will have you covered with live updates, stats, commentary and much more throughout the game, and you can check out details on how to watch, starting pitchers, starting lineups when they're posted, notes and more below:
How to watch/listen
Who: No. 3 Arkansas Razorbacks (41-16) vs. Santa Clara Broncos (35-18)
When: 2 p.m. CT
Where: Baum-Walker Stadium — Fayetteville, Arkansas
Stream/Online: ESPN+ (Mike Ferrin & Greg Swindell)
Radio: Learfield Razorback Sports Network (Phil Elson & Bubba Carpenter)
Starting Pitchers
Santa Clara RHP Cole Kitchen (3-2, 4.25 ERA) vs. Arkansas LHP Hunter Hollan (8-2, 4.06 ERA)
Notes
~ Arkansas is 1-0 against Santa Clara all-time with the only meeting coming in 1995 in San Jose, California. The Razorbacks beat the Broncos, 10-3.
~ Arkansas is 12-11 against teams from the West Coast Conference and is playing a WCC team in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2008.
~ Santa Clara is 7-16 against teams from the SEC and it last played Texas A&M in 2022.
~ Arkansas is hosting a regional in Fayetteville for the 10th time in school history and for the fifth time in the last six seasons.
~ Santa Clara’s total home attendance this season was 9,139, while Arkansas had 9,196 in attendance against Auburn on March 19.
Headlines
Diamond Hawgs Podcast - Fayetteville Regional Preview w/ Zack Morris
Fayetteville Regional Preview: Arizona
Fayetteville Regional Preview: TCU
Fayetteville Regional Preview: Santa Clara
WATCH: Van Horn, Bohrofen, Morris preview Fayetteville Regional
Santa Clara, TCU, Arizona press conferences prior to Fayetteville Regional
Van Horn: 'You can’t take anybody lightly'
Van Horn: 'We’re prepared for what we’re getting into'
Arkansas draws No. 3 national seed, Fayetteville Regional is set