The Arkansas baseball team is set to host Oklahoma State for two exhibitions Saturday afternoon after defeating the Cowboys, 8-1, Friday evening.
Head coach Dave Van Horn's pitching staff held Oklahoma State to just one hit in 29 at-bats during Friday's contest, and Diamond Hog pitchers struck out 18 batters with only one walk.
Offensively, the Razorbacks finished 13-of-36 at the plate (.361 batting average) with 10 punchouts, six walks and five extra-base hits. The standout of the day was junior college transfer third baseman Brent Iredale, who racked up four hits in four attempts with one RBI.
Admission and parking is free to the public for Saturday's games. Concessions will be available and no outside food and drinks are allowed except in the Hog Pen. There will be no television or stream option.
“The way we’re going to work it on Saturday, is we’re going to probably play 10 innings, but we’re going to play two 5-inning games,” head coach Dave Van Horn said Thursday. “We talked about this yesterday, and we had talked about it originally when we were making plans to do this, to play a little bit more than nine innings. So we decided to go 10. So at the end of five innings on Saturday, we’ll take a five- or 10-minute break and let them fix the field again.”
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WHO: Arkansas vs. Oklahoma State
WHAT: Baseball exhibitions, free for public to attend
WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 12 at 12 p.m. CT
WHERE: Baum-Walker Stadium — Fayetteville, Arkansas
UPDATES: Below... (IT WILL NOT BE TELEVISED OR ON RADIO)
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Game One:
Starting Lineups
Arkansas
1. Charles Davalan, CF
2. Wehiwa Aloy, SS
3. Ryder Helfrick, C
4. Brent Iredale, 3B
5. Logan Maxwell, RF
6. Kuhio Aloy, DH
7. Nolan Souza, 2B
8. Michael Anderson, 1B
9. Justin Thomas Jr., LF
SP - RHP Ben Bybee
Oklahoma State
1. Brayden Smith, CF
2. Nolan Schubart, LF
3. Aidan Meola, DH
4. Colin Brueggemann, 1B
5. Jayson Jones, 3B
6. Kollin Ritchie, RF
7. Avery Ortiz, 2B
8. Garrett Shull, DH
9. Ian Daugherty, C
10. Brock Thompson, SS
SP - LHP Drew Blake
Top 1st - (Ben Bybee pitching for Arkansas)
- Smith strikes out looking in a 3-2 count
- Schubart grounds out to Souza at second base
- Meola hits a home run to left field (1-0)
- Bruggemann grounds out to Anderson at first base
1 runs, 1 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB
Bottom 1st - (Drew Blake pitching for Oklahoma State)
- Davalan hits a 105 MPH single to center field
- Wehiwa Aloy grounds into double play, p to 2B to 1B, Davalan out on the play
- Helfrick hits a 103 MPH single to center field
- Helfrick reads a ball in the dirt (wild pitch) and steals second base
- Iredale strikes out swinging to end the inning
0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB
Top 2nd - (Bybee pitching for Arkansas)
- Jones homers down the left field line (2-0)
- Ritchie strikes out swinging in a full-count
- Ortiz grounds out to Iredale at third base down in the count 0-2
- Sull smokes a hard liner to Maxwell in right
1 runs, 1 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB
Bottom 2nd - (Blake pitching for Oklahoma State)
- Maxwell hits a dribbler down the right field line and reaches on an infield single
- Kuhio Aloy smokes a 105 MPH single through the left side, Maxwell advances to second base
- Souza doubles down the right field line, Kuhio Aloy advances to third, Maxwell scores (2-1)
- Anderson strikes out swinging in a 2-2 count
- Thomas gets plunked by a pitch, bases are loaded
- Davalan reaches on a fielder's choice, Thomas advances to second, Souza out at third base unassisted, Kuhio Aloy scores (2-2)
- Wehiwa Aloy pops up to shortstop to end the inning
2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB
Top 3rd - (Will McEntire pitching for Arkansas)
- Daugherty hits a deep fly ball to Davalan in center field
- Thompson doubles to right field in an 0-2 count
- Smith homers to left field, 2 RBI, Thompson scores (4-2)
- Schubart strikes out swinging on an 82 MPH offspeed pitch
- Meola grounds out to Iredale at third base
2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB
Bottom 3rd - (Mario Pesca pitching for Oklahoma State)
- Helfrick grounds out to third base
- Iredale charges a 105 MPH liner to second base for the out
- Maxwell hits a oppo homer to left field, RBI (4-3)
- Kuhio Aloy flies out to center field
1 runs, 1 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB
Top 4th - (Tate McGuire pitching for Arkansas)
- Brueggemann flies out to Davalan in center field on the first pitch
- Jones pummels a double to right field in a 2-2 count
- Ritchie hits a lazy fly ball out to Maxwell in right field
- Ortiz homers to left center, 2 RBI, Jones scores (6-3)
- Shull strikes out looking to end the damage
2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB
Bottom 4th - (Pesca pitching for Oklahoma State)
- Souza hits a first-pitch 106 MPH liner to center field for the out
- Anderson grounds out to second base
- Thomas singles to right field down in a 3-2 count
- Davalan flies out to center field on the first pitch
0 runs, 1 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB
Top 5th - (Dylan Carter pitching for Arkansas)
- Daugherty smokes a 103 MPH left-field double in a 3-2 count
- Thompson strikes out looking on a 95 MPH fastball from Carter
- Smith lines out to Thomas in left field, Daugherty advances to third on the play
- Schubart flies out to Maxwell in right field to end the inning
0 runs, 1 hits, 0 erros, 1 LOB
Bottom 5th - (Brennan Pillips pitching for Oklahoma State)
- Wehiwa Aloy works a full-count walk after eight pitches
- Helfrick flies out to center field on the first pitch
- Iredale grounds out to third base, Wehiwa Aloy advances to second on the play
- Maxwell gets hit by a pitch
- Kuhio Aloy walks in a full-count to load the bases, Maxwell advances to second, Aloy advances to third
- Souza grounds out to second base to end the game
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 erros, 3 LOB
Game One FINAL: Oklahoma State 6, Arkansas 3
Game Two:
Starting Lineups
Arkansas
1. Brenton Clark, CF
2. Zane Becker, C
3. Camden Kozeal, 2B
4. Carson Boles, RF
5. Reese Robinett, 3B
6. Elliott Peterson, DH
7. Trenton Rowan, 1B
8. Kolton Reynolds, LF
9. Gabe Fraser, DH
10. Tyler Holland, SS
SP - LHP Parker Coil
Oklahoma State
1. Brayden Smith, CF
2. Nolan Schubart, LF
3. Aidan Meola, DH
4. Colin Brueggemann, 1B
5. Jayson Jones, 3B
6. Donovan LaSalle, RF
7. Avery Ortiz, 2B
8. Garrett Shull, DH
9. Beau Sylvester, C
10. Brock Thompson, SS
SP: LHP Ethan Lund
Top 1st - (Parker Coil pitching for Arkansas)
- Smith singles up the middle in a full-count
- Schubart lines out to Reynolds in left field
- Meola flies out to Boles in right field
- Smith steals second base
- Brueggemann hits a hard liner to Rowan at first base to end the frame
0 runs, 1 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB
Bottom 1st - (Ethan Lund pitching for Oklahoma State)
- Clark strikes out swinging on a 94 MPH heater in a full-count
- Becker slaps a fly ball out to right-center field
- Kozeal smokes a 108 MPH liner to centerfield to the the inning
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB
Top 2nd - (Steele Eaves pitching for Arkansas)
- Jones pulls an inside offspeed pitch to Holland at shortstop for the out
- LaSalle pokes a lineout to Rowan at first base
- Ortiz strikes out swinging, but reaches first base on a wild pitch
- Ortiz advances to second base on an Eaves wild pitch
- Shull grounds out to Rowan at first base unassisted to strand the RISP
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB
Bottom 2nd - (Lund pitching for Oklahoma State)
- Boles takes four pitches to draw a walk
- Robinett strikes out on a high offspeed pitch
- Boles advances to second base on a wild pitch
- Peterson strikes out swinging in a full-count, Boles steals third base
- Rowan strikes out swinging on high cheese to close the inning
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB
Top 3rd - (Tag Andrews pitching for Arkansas)
- Carter singles to third base
- Thompson strikes out swinging on an 82 MPH pitch
- Smith reaches on a fielder's choice on a ground ball to Rowan, who makes a nice play to secure the out at second base
- Schubart doubles to right field on the first pitch, Smith advances to third base
- Conover flies out to Clark in center on the first pitch
0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB
Bottom 3rd - (Jake Kennedy pitching for Oklahoma State)
- Reynolds works a full-count, but strikes out on a 91 MPH fastball
- Fraser takes first base after getting plunked by the pitch
- Fraser evades the tag and steals second base
- Holland reaches first after getting hit by a pitch
- Clark hits a soft liner to second base for the out
- Holland advanced to second on a wild pitch, Frazer advanced to third base
- Becker singles to third base, RBI, Holland advanced to third, scores on a throwing error by Jayson Jones, Fraser scores
- Kozeal strikes out swinging on three pitches
2 runs, 1 hits, 1 errors, 1 LOB
Top 4th - (Luke Williams pitching for Arkansas)
- Hoover walks on a low-90s fastball
- Jones pops up to Kozeal at second base on the first pitch
- LaSalle fouls out to Rowan at first base
- Ortiz lines out to Kozeal, who makes the jumping catch to close the inning
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB
Bottom 4th - (Cale Sudderth pitching for Oklahoma State)
- Boles smacks a single over the shortstop into left field
- Robinett flies out to left field
- Peterson thinks he draws a walk, but gets called on strikes looking
- Boles takes second base on a wild pitch
- Rowan earns first base after taking three straight balls
- Reynolds singles to third base to load the bases
- Reynolds advances to second, Rowan advances to third, Boles scores on a passed ball
- Fraser singles to second base, RBI, Reynolds advances to third, Rowan scores
- Holland homers to left field, 3 RBI, Fraser scores, Reynolds scores
*Inning is called*
5 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB
Top 5th - (Lance Davis pitching for Arkansas)
- Shull strikes out swinging on five pitches
- Carter flies out to Boles in right field
- Thompson singles to center field
- Reiland pinch runs for Thompson, advances to second
- Smith singles to right field, advances to second base on an error, Reiland advances to third, scores on error
- Alexander hits for Schubart, walks on five pitches
- Conover flies out to Clark in center on the first pitch
1 runs, 2 hits, 1 errors, 2 LOB
Bottom 5th - (Kash Ferris pitching for Oklahoma State)
- Clark walks on five pitches
- Becker flies out to center field
- Kozeal walks after a seven-pitch at-bat, Clark advances to second
- Boles hits a first-pitch fly ball out to left field
- Robinett grounds out to first base unassisted to end the game
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB
Game Two FINAL: Arkansas 7, Oklahoma State 1
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Game Preview
This is the first time the Diamond Hogs have faced outside competition on the college level in the fall since September 2019, when the Oklahoma Sooners came to town for a 14-inning exhibition. Arkansas also hosted the Texas Rangers instructional league team for two exhibitions in Oct. 2022. The Razorbacks won both matchups and outscored the Rangers, 18-6.
The Diamond Hogs and Cowboys have plenty of recent history, as Arkansas won two of three games over Oklahoma State to make it out of the 2022 Stillwater Regional and eventually make a deep run in the College World Series before being eliminated by the eventual national champions, Ole Miss.
Arkansas has also played Oklahoma State at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, each of the past two seasons. The Razorbacks picked up an 18-1 run-rule win in seven innings on Feb. 19, 2023, and the Cowboys returned the favor with a 2-1 victory in 14 innings Feb. 24 of this year.
Last season, the Razorbacks finished with a 44-16 overall record and a 20-10 mark in SEC play. Oklahoma State was 42-19 overall with a 19-9 record in Big 12 play last season.
Van Horn's roster features 51 players entering fall ball, and he'll have to cut it down to 40 before starting the 2025 season. After next year, the roster limit of 40 with a total of 11.7 scholarships will change to a limit of 34 roster spots and scholarships.
Key players back for Arkansas include pitchers Gabe Gaeckle, Gage Wood, Will McEntire, Christian Foutch and others, along with position players Wehiwa Aloy, Nolan Souza, Kendall Diggs and more.
Arkansas also dipped in the transfer portal to form one of the nation's top transfer classes this offseason. Names to know include transfer pitchers Zach Root (East Carolina) and Landon Beidelschies (Ohio State), plus FGCU transfer outfielder Charles Davalan, TCU transfer outfielder Logan Maxwell and others in the field.
As always, HawgBeat will have plenty of coverage of Arkansas fall baseball live on The Trough message board throughout the weekend.
