Arkansas-Texas Renew Rivalry With Midweek Series
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – For the first time since 2012, Arkansas and Texas will face off on the baseball diamond, renewing a rivalry that dates back to the early 1900s. Coming off its fourth-straight series victory last weekend, the fifth-ranked Razorbacks welcome in the Longhorns to Baum Stadium for a two-game series starting on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
Game one between the Hogs and Longhorns will be televised nationally on the SEC Network with Tom Hart and Kyle Peterson calling the action. Game two will be online only on SEC Network+ with Brett Dolan and Troy Eklund on the call.
Both games will be available on the WatchESPN app also. Phil Elson (PXP) and former Razorback Bubba Carpenter (Analyst) will have the radio call on the IMG Sports Network.
Important Links
Tue, March 13 – Arkansas vs. Texas (Game 1) – 7 p.m. – LIVE STATS | WATCH
Wed, March 14 – Arkansas vs. Texas (Game 2) – 4 p.m. – LIVE STATS | WATCH
Probable Starters
TUE: ARK LHP Kacey Murphy (0.00 ERA, 1-0, 8 K, 3 BB) vs. UT RHP Beau Ridgeway (8.31 ERA, 1-0, 3 K, 3 BB)
WED: ARK TBA vs. UT RHP Nico O’Donnell (2.13 ERA, 1-0, 11 K, 7 BB)
The rivalry between the Longhorns and Razorbacks dates back well into the early 1900s before both teams were part of the now defunct Southwest Conference. Once Arkansas joined the conference in 1974, the Hogs and Longhorns faced off at least once every year from 1974 until 1991 until Arkansas joined the Southeastern Conference.
Since then, Arkansas and Texas have only faced five times, four coming in the NCAA Tournament. Tuesday’s matchup will only be the second regular-season meeting between the two teams since 1991 and first since 2012 when the Hogs and ‘Horns played in the Houston College Classic.
As for this year’s team, Arkansas will be sending left-hander Kacey Murphy to the mound as he’ll be making his third start of the year, second in the midweek. Murphy has only allowed one unearned run in his 10 innings of work and has struck out eight batters, six coming against Arizona two weeks ago in San Diego.
The Razorbacks are fresh off a series win over defending MAC-champion Kent State, where they hit .276 as a team with seven home runs. Four of those long balls came in the deciding game three on Sunday where Arkansas scored 10 unanswered runs over the final five innings to come back from a 3-1 deficit to win 11-4.
Freshman Casey Martin, sophomore Jordan McFarland, and redshirt senior Carson Shaddy all had a hand in the homers on the final day of the series. McFarland actually went deep twice, including hitting a grand slam, after coming off the bench in a pinch-hit situation for Jared Gates in the fifth. McFarland turned in a career-high five RBIs that day and has now equaled his home run total from his freshman season.
Overall, Martin continued to lead the team in hitting for the second-consecutive week as he went 5-for-12 (.417) at the plate with two doubles, one home run and three RBIs against the Golden Flashes. Over the last two weeks, Martin is hitting .433 with three home runs, 10 RBIs, and slugged a team-leading .833. Martin currently has the third-highest batting average in the SEC (.415), highest among all freshmen and his slugging percentage is also the second-highest in the league (.805)
First pitch between the Hogs and Longhorns is set for 7 p.m. on Tuesday with SEC Network bringing the action to your television. Fans can also catch game two between Arkansas and Texas on Wednesday at 4 p.m. at Baum Stadium.
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