December 17, 2024

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Full Recap: Arkansas dominates doubleheader with McNeese

Andrew Ellis030 mins

Follow along here for complete coverage of Arkansas’ doubleheader against McNeese.

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McNeese Cowboys (8-5)

  1. CF Connor Westburg
  2. LF Cooper Hext
  3. 1B Chase Keaton
  4. 2B Peyton LeJeune
  5. DH Simon Larranaga
  6. RF Braden Duhon
  7. SS Easton Dowell
  8. C Grant Mangrum
  9. 3B Gage Trahan

P: Cameron LeJeune

No. 2 Arkansas Razorbacks (10-2)

  1. LF Ross Lovich
  2. SS Wehiwa Aloy
  3. RF Kendall Diggs
  4. 1B Ben McLaughlin
  5. 3B Jared Sprague-Lott
  6. DH Peyton Stovall
  7. C Hudson White
  8. 2B Nolan Souza
  9. CF Ty Wilmsmeyer

P: Hagen Smith

1st Inning

  • Top 1
  • Hagen Smith starts his outing with a four-pitch strikeout on a slider in the dirt, and we are underway. Then, a four-pitch walk to Cooper Hext provides the game’s first baserunner with one out.
  • Smith issues another walk, this time on a 3-2 pitch to Chase Keaton. There are two Cowboys aboard now with one out.
  • Peyton Lejeune grounds one to third base, and Sprague-Lott tosses to second base for a force out. Lejeune beats the throw to first to extend the frame, leaving runners at the corners with two outs.
  • Smith gets Larranaga to go down looking at a well-placed breaking ball to escape the jam. The strikeout marks the 232nd of his career, tying him with Kevin Kopps on Arkansas’ all-time list.
  • Bottom 1
  • Cameron Lejeune walks Ross Lovich on four pitches to start the home half of the inning.
  • Wehiwa Aloy grounds a 1-1 pitch to the left side, and it’s an easy 5-4-3 double play to wipe out the leadoff baserunner.
  • Diggs grounds a 2-2 pitch softly to the right side, and the 4-3 putout is made to end the inning without a score.

2nd Inning

  • Top 2
  • Smith picks up right where he left off in the first inning, getting to a 3-2 count before striking out Duhon on a slider in the dirt for the first out.
  • Smith’s third walk of the game is issued to Easton Dowell with one out, but he gets Grant Mangrum to strike out looking for the second out after that.
  • Smith’s 42nd pitch of the afternoon is a breaking ball that freezes Trahan for the third out. The Razorback southpaw is now up to five strikeouts through two scoreless, hitless innings of work while throwing exactly 50% strikes.
  • Bottom 2
  • The first hit of the day belongs to Ben McLaughlin, who pops up a blooper to left field that somehow falls between three fielders in the wind. Jared Sprague-Lott follows with a drag bunt attempt but is thrown out at first as McLaughlin moves to second.
  • Peyton Stovall’s first plate appearance of the year will go down as a hit as he grounds one down the third-base line and beats the throw to first.
  • Hudson White grounds the first pitch he sees up the middle for a 6-4-3 double play that could not have been rolled easier.

3rd Inning

  • Top 3
  • Smith picks up strikeout No. 6 with an 85 MPH slider dotted on the inside corner to Westenburg to start the frame.
  • A ball was put in play as Hext grounded out to third, but Smith completes his first perfect frame by striking out Keeton with a fastball painted on the outside edge.
  • Bottom 3
  • Nolan Souza is walked on five pitches to start the bottom half as a third straight leadoff man reaches for Arkansas.
  • Wilmsmeyer goes down swinging at a 3-2 cutter after a solid AB while Souza steals second base. One out now as the Hogs get a runner in scoring positon.
  • Lovich grounds an 0-2 pitch to first base for the second out as Souza moves to third base.
  • Arkansas 1, McNeese 0: Wehiwa Aloy comes through with the two-out RBI as he sends a single through the left side for the Hogs’ third hit. That’s just the second run Lejeune has allowed this season in 17 innings.
  • Kendall Diggs hits a fastball 107 MPH up the middle and directly off the shoulder of Lejeune, but it bounces over toward the other Lejeune at second base, and he makes the play to end the inning.

4th Inning

  • Top 4
  • After Smith got his eighth strikeout of the day to start the frame, Simon Larranaga rips a single to left field for the first Cowboy hit.
  • Duhon lays down a bunt for some reason. Sprague-Lott makes the play for the second out as Larranaga moves to second base. Two away now for McNeese.
  • Smith gets Dowell to go down swinging at a slider for his ninth strikeout of the day to end the inning. He’s through four scoreless innings on 64 pitches.
  • Bottom 4
  • Ben McLaughlin rips an opposite-field base hit to left field, and the left fielder takes a bizarre route to field it and allows him to reach second for a leadoff double.
  • Sprague-Lott grounds out to third for the first out, and that will not advance McLaughlin.
  • Arkansas 2, McNeese 0: After a Stovall groundout provided the second out of the frame, Hudson White smacks a double into the right-center gap for another two-out RBI for the Hogs.
  • Wilmsmeyer goes down swinging to end the inning. He is now responsible for both Lejeune strikeouts on the afternoon.

5th Inning

  • Top 5
  • Senior RHP Will McEntire is now in to pitch for Hagen Smith, who will be scheduled to pitch for Arkansas in the SEC opener on Friday.
  • McEntire gets a flyout and a strikeout to begin his outing, but Connor Westenburg keeps the inning alive with a single through the left side, and Cooper Hext follows with a base hit through the right side. Runners now on the corners.
  • Keeton flies a 3-2 pitch to shallow center field to end the frame after 25 pitches.
  • Bottom 5
  • Ross Lovich starts the home half with a single to center field on a 1-2 breaking ball. Nice piece of hitting to provide Arkansas with its fifth straight leadoff man.
  • Aloy goes down looking at a well-placed 2-2 pitch on the inside corner for the first out and the third Lejeune punchout of the day.
  • Diggs goes down swinging, and McLaughlin grounds out to first to end the inning without a run.

6th Inning

  • Top 6
  • Peyton Lejeune lines the first pitch of the inning from McEntire to right field for a leadoff single.
  • Lejeune moves up to second on a wild pitch, but McEntire gets Larranaga to go down swinging for an important first out.
  • Arkansas 2, McNeese 1: Braden Duhon rips an RBI single to right field. McLaughlin cuts off the throw from Diggs and fires to second to throw out Duhon looking to stretch it to a double, but the Cowboys are on the board.
  • Easton Dowell records a two-out single for the Cowboys’ fifth hit against McEntire, but the big righty bounces back and gets Mangrum to ground one back to him for the third out.
  • Bottom 6
  • Jared Sprague-Lott makes it six straight leadoff men for the Hogs as he pokes a single through the left side of the infield.
  • PITCHING CHANGE: The Cowboys will go to the bullpen and bring in RHP JT Moeller to face Stovall.
  • Great at-bat by Hudson White ends with a base hit to right-center field. Sprague-Lott was off with the pitch and gets to third with one away.
  • PINCH HITTER: Peyton Holt will come on to pinch hit for Souza with runners at the corners.
  • Arkansas 3, McNeese 1: Holt hits the first pitch he sees and bloops it into shallow center field for an RBI single. White goes first to third on the play, and Holt moves to second on the throw.
  • PINCH HITTER: Hudson Polk comes in to pinch hit for Wilmsmeyer.
  • Polk goes down swinging at a 3-2 pitch for the second out.
  • PINCH HITTER: Will Edmunson comes in to hit for Lovich. He flies out to right field for the final out.

7th Inning

  • Junior RHP Jake Faherty is now in to pitch for Arkansas.
  • Top 7
  • Gage Trahan starts the inning with a leadoff single to center field on a 1-1 fastball.
  • Faherty strikes out Westenburg with a 96 MPH fastball in on the hands before issuing a five-pitch walk to Hext. Two on now with one away.
  • Another walk to Keeton loads the bases with one out, and that will do it for Faherty.
  • PITCHING CHANGE: Freshman RHP Gabe Gaeckle will come on to pitch now with the bases loaded and one out.
  • Gaeckle gets Lejeune to swing through three fastballs for a big strikeout. Two away now, but the bases remain loaded.
  • Gaeckle gets the pinch hitter Plowman to ground out softly to third base to end the frame unscathed.
  • Bottom 7
  • Moeller retires the Hogs in order, marking the first time a Cowboy pitcher has done so this afternoon.

8th Inning

  • Top 8
  • Gaeckle induces two quick ground balls to second base to start the inning, but Holt lets the second one slip through his glove on the transfer, and it will go down as an E4. One on and one out.
  • Gaeckle gets a swing and a miss on a 96 MPH heater for his second strikeout before getting a popup to Holt to end the frame.
  • Bottom 8
  • Moeller continues to hold the Razorbacks in check and gets two quick strikeouts and a popup to end the inning and keep it a two-run game.

9th Inning

  • Top 9
  • Connor Westenburg lines a 2-2 slider up the middle for a leadoff single, and that will bring the tying run to the plate with nobody out.
  • Hext grounds out to Holt at second base for the first out. Westenburg was off the pitch and advanced to second base safely with one away.
  • Gaeckle gets Keeton to go down swinging at 95 mile-per-hour cheddar for the second out.
  • Lejeune flies out to center field, and that will do it. Hagen Smith strikes out nine and gets the win to improve to 2-0, and Gaeckle picks up his third save of the year with 2.2 scoreless innings of work and three punchouts.

GAME 1 FINAL: Arkansas 3, McNeese 1

First pitch of the second game is set for 3:30 p.m. (CT). Starting lineups will be posted below momentarily…

McNeese

  1. CF Connor Westenburg
  2. LF Cooper Hext
  3. 1B Chase Keeton
  4. 2B Peyton LeJeune
  5. DH Cole Plowman
  6. RF Braden Duhon
  7. SS Easton Dowell
  8. C Parker Stroh
  9. 3B Gage Trahan

P: Zach Voss

Arkansas

  1. CF Will Edmunson
  2. DH Peyton Stovall
  3. RF Kendall Diggs
  4. SS Wehiwa Aloy
  5. 1B Ben McLaughlin
  6. 3B Peyton Holt
  7. 2B Nolan Souza
  8. LF Jayson Jones
  9. C Ryder Helfrick

P: Brady Tygart

1st Inning

  • Top 1
  • Brady Tygart issues a leadoff walk to start his day after a strong at-bat from Westenburg, and we are underway.
  • The first out comes on a ground ball to McLaughlin at first. He steps on the bag after a bobble as Westenburg advances to second with one out.
  • Tygart picks up his first strikeout on a well-placed heater on the outer edge before getting LeJeune to ground out softly to second base to end the frame.
  • Bottom 1
  • After Will Edmunson grounded out to start the frame, Peyton Stovall lines a one-out single up the middle for the game’s first hit.
  • The second out comes on a 5-4 fielder’s choice after Kendall Diggs’ infield popup fell between two fielders.
  • Arkansas 1, McNeese 0: For the second time today, Wehiwa Aloy drives in the game’s first run with an RBI single. This one was a rare off-the-wall single, but it scores Diggs with two outs after he stole second base.
  • Ben McLaughlin hits one well to fairly deep left field, but it’s caught for the third out.

2nd Inning

  • Top 2
  • Tygart gets Plowman to go down swinging at a 3-2 curveball to begin his second inning of work.
  • Braden Duhon is hit with a 2-2 fastball to provide the Cowboys another baserunner.
  • Tygart issues a walk to Easton Dowell, and that will put runners on first and second with one away.
  • Parker Stroh is hit by a pitch, and that will load the bases. Arkansas pitching coach Matt Hobbs out for a visit with Tygart now.
  • Tygart gets Trahan to go down swinging at a 3-2 fastball for an important second out. Bases remain juiced as the lineup turns over.
  • Westenburg goes down swinging at a sharp breaking ball to end the frame and leave three stranded.
  • Bottom 2
  • After a Holt groundout to start the home half, Nolan Souza hits an opposite-field single 105 MPH through the left side.
  • Voss gets Jones and Helfrick to strike out to end the inning without a run.

3rd Inning

  • Top 3
  • Tygart retires the side in order for the first time, adding two more strikeouts to his total with both coming via swing-and-miss on the curveball. He’s at 61 pitches and six strikeouts through three scoreless, hitless innings.
  • Bottom 3
  • After two quick outs from Edmunson and Stovall, Kendall Diggs keeps the inning alive with an opposite-field double up against the wall in left-center hit 98 MPH off the bat.
  • Aloy goes down swinging at an elevated breaking ball to end the inning and keep it a one-run game.

4th Inning

  • Top 4
  • After another strikeout started the inning, Braden Duhon gives McNeese its first hit with a one-out single up the middle.
  • Easton Dowell follows with a blooper to left field that gets down for a hit. Two on, one out now for the Cowboys.
  • Tygart bounces back to record his eighth strikeout on a well-placed breaking ball, but then he hits Trahan with a pitch to bring the top of the lineup back to the plate and load the bases.
  • Something you don’t see everyday: Connor Westenburg grounds a single to the right side, but it hits Trahan in the foot on his way to second, which goes down as the third out of the inning without a run scoring.
  • Bottom 4
  • McLaughlin starts the frame with a well-hit ball that goes right into the glove of Hext in left field for the first out, then Peyton Holt follows with a hard-hit ball up the middle that gets through for a single.
  • Nolan Souza rips one to the right side, but it’s caught by Keeton near first base, and he steps on the bag to complete the double play before Holt had a chance to get back. That’ll end the inning and keep it a 1-0 game.

5th Inning

  • Sophomore LHP Parker Coil is on to pitch for Arkansas. Final line on Brady Tygart: 4 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 8 K
  • Top 5
  • Cooper Hext starts the inning with a base hit lined through the middle of the infield against Coil.
  • Keeton grounds one to short, and Aloy makes the toss over to second for the force out before Keeton beats the throw to first.
  • Coil gets back-to-back swinging strikeouts against LeJeune and Plowman to end the frame and leave a runner stranded.
  • Bottom 5
  • Arkansas 2, McNeese 0: Jayson Jones hits the first pitch of the inning 108 MPH to straightaway center field and 408 feet for his team-leading third home run of the year.
  • After Helfrick strikes out, Will Edmunson goes the other way and hits an opposite-field single to right field, and Peyton Stovall works a four-pitch walk.
  • Arkansas 5, McNeese 0: Wehiwa Aloy is no longer slumping. He gets a hanging breaking ball and hits it 114 MPH and 468 feet (!!!) to left-center field.
  • McLaughlin flies out to center field to end the inning after four runs.

6th Inning

  • Top 6
  • Braden Duhon has his second hit of the day with a leadoff single to left field.
  • Easton Dowell follows with his second hit of the day on a nice piece of hitting through the right side. Two on and nobody out now for McNeese.
  • Arkansas 5, McNeese 1: Make it three straight Cowboy hits as Parker Stroh lines a single to right-center. That’ll score Duhon from first to get McNeese on the board.
  • PITCHING CHANGE: Senior RHP Koty Frank is now on to pitch for Arkansas after Coil picked up his third strikeout. Runners at first and second with one out.
  • Frank induces a quick flyout before Hext tried to bunt his way onboard, but Helfrick makes the play for the third out.
  • Bottom 6
  • Peyton Holt is walked on four pitches to start the frame.
  • Nolan Souza logs his second opposite-field single of the day with a liner through the left side. Holt goes first to third on the play with no outs.
  • Arkansas 6, McNeese 1: After a Jayson Jones strikeout, pinch hitter Ross Lovich hits a sacrifice fly to right to score Holt.
  • Edmunson grounds out to right to end the inning.

7th Inning

  • Top 7
  • Koty Frank returns to the mound for Arkansas and promptly retires the side in order, getting one flyball out, one groundball out and one strikeout.
  • Bottom 7
  • Stovall and Diggs went down swinging to start the inning, but Aloy is hit by a pitch to keep the inning alive and then steals second.
  • McLaughlin strikes out swinging to end the inning.

8th Inning

  • Top 8
  • Frank delivers another 1-2-3 frame with a pair of groundouts and a deep flyout to left. He’s thrown 20 of his 28 pitches for strikes through 2.2 scoreless innings of work.
  • Bottom 8
  • Peyton Holt starts the bottom half with his third hit of the afternoon (second of game), a hard-hit single to right field.
  • Nolan Souza reaches with his third single of the day on a ground ball right behind the second base bag.
  • Arkansas 7, McNeese 1: The Hogs add another run on a fielder’s choice as Jones’ ground ball up the middle leads to an out at second and a throwing error that plates Holt.
  • Parker Rowland, who came in to catch for Helfrick, rips a single to right field to make it two Hogs on with on out.
  • Arkansas 10, McNeese 1: Peyton Stovall hits the first pitch he sees and rips it over the foul pole in right for a three-run home run. The breaking ball was hit 101 MPH off the bat and 412 feet for his first long ball of the year.
  • Arkansas 11, McNeese 1: Kendall Diggs calls game and hits a solo home run 449 feet to straightaway center, 105 MPH off the bat. That’ll bring the run rule into effect and wrap us up here.

GAME 2 FINAL: Arkansas 11, McNeese 1