Arkansas tops Texas in midweek finale

Arkansas third baseman Casey Martin is greeted by teammate Hunter Wilson after Martin hit a home run during a game against Texas on Wednesday, March 14, 2018, in Fayetteville.

Arkansas 7, Texas 5 - Final

Matt Cronin got a flyout in foul territory in left field, then a strikeout looking and a groundout to end the game. The Razorbacks have swept the midweek series from the Longhorns.

Arkansas improves to 13-4, while Texas falls to 9-9. More coming on WholeHogSports.com after player interviews.

Arkansas 7, Texas 5 - End 8th Inning

Jax Biggers walked and he and Hunter Wilson advanced on a wild pitch, but the Razorbacks' half of the eighth ended when Eric Cole grounded out on a 3-2 pitch to the shortstop, stranding two in scoring position.

Arkansas has stranded seven and Texas has stranded nine. The Razorbacks have out hit the Longhorns 10-9.

Matt Cronin will pitch again for the Razorbacks in the ninth. This is a save situation for Cronin, who has one save this year.

Arkansas 7, Texas 5 - Bottom 8th Inning

Hunter Wilson just did a great job of hitting, lining a 2-2 pitch from Texas reliever Matteo Bocchi into center field to score Casey Martin and give the Razorbacks a big insurance run.

Martin walked to leadoff the inning, then moved up twice on small ball. Evan Lee had a great soft bunt down the third base line to advance him to second, then Grant Koch flied out to right to allow Martin to move from second to third.

Arkansas 6, Texas 5 - Middle 8th Inning

After Hibbeler was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Texas made the decision to pinch-hit Michael McCann - a .192 batter - for its two-hole hitter David Hamilton. McCann fell behind 0-2 after a strike looking and foul ball, laid off a high fastball then struck out looking at a 94 mph fastball to strand three Longhorns.

Arkansas 6, Texas 5 - Top 8th Inning

Duke Ellis' RBI single scored Ryan Reynolds, and Ellis was able to advance to second when Heston Kjerstad made a poor decision to throw to the plate. His throw was high of catcher Grant Koch.

Jake McKenzie pinch-hit for Texas and popped up to Jordan McFarland for the second out. Up next is leadoffer hiter Mason Hibbeler, who has walked and reached on an infield single.

Arkansas 6, Texas 4 - Top 8th Inning

Texas is threatening again. The Longhorns recorded three consecutive hit to leadoff the eighth and that has chased reliever Jake Reindl. Matt Cronin inherits runners on first and second with one out.

Ryan Reynolds' RBI single scored Zach Zubia, who doubled to center in the first at-bat of the inning. Cronin will face the bottom of the Texas order, beginning with eight-hole hitter Duke Ellis.

Arkansas 6, Texas 3 - End 7th Inning

Jordan McFarland might not let go of the starting first base job. His two-out double to center scored Eric Cole, who had doubled down the left field line, earlier in the inning, to extend the Razorbacks' lead in the seventh. McFarland was stranded on a long flyout from Dominic Fletcher to left field, near the warning track.

McFarland has multiple hits for the third game in a row.

Arkansas 5, Texas 3 - End 6th Inning

Nothing for either team in the sixth. Texas put a leadoff runner on, but Jax Biggers began a double play to quickly put two away. The Razorbacks have two double plays today and some nice defensive efforts from the infielders.

Arkansas 5, Texas 3 - End 5th Inning

Arkansas had a promising start to the fifth when Jordan McFarland hit a sinking liner into center, but the inning ended unspectacularly with back-to-back infield popups from Dominic Fletcher and Casey Martin, and McFarland was caught stealing second - all in the span of three pitches.

Arkansas 5, Texas 3 - Middle 5th Inning

Texas loaded the bases with one out in the fifth, but Austin Todd hit a grounder to shortstop Jax Biggers, who turned a 6-4-3 double play to get the Razorbacks out of the inning with the lead. The Razorbacks' infielders have been good today.

Texas has stranded five today.

Arkansas 5, Texas 3 - Top 5th Inning

The Hogs are in a jam in the fifth. Barrett Loseke issued consecutive one-out walks, then Kody Clemens - the son of Roger - hit an RBI double down the first base line that went off the glove of a diving Jordan McFarland at the bag.

That's all for Loseke, who recorded one out. Kole Ramage will replace him with runners on second and third.

Arkansas 5, Texas 2 - End 4th Inning

Evan Lee scored on a throwing error by Texas' first baseman, but Grant Koch was out at the plate when he tried to score from second on the error.

The inning ended when Heston Kjerstad hit a loud flyout to right field, stranding two runners.

Arkansas 4, Texas 2 - Bottom 4th Inning

The Razorbacks have erupted in the fourth and chased Texas starter Nico O'Donnell. Jordan McFarland walked to leadoff the inning, then Dominic Fletcher, Casey Martin and Evan Lee all followed with singles to push home three runs with no outs.

A throwing error on Martin's single allowed McFarland to score. Lee's two-run, opposite-field looper into left field gave the Razorbacks the lead.

In for Texas is a big right-hander, Bryce Verplank. His uncle is Scott Verplank, the longtime PGA Tour member.

Texas 2, Arkansas 1 - Middle 4th Inning

Austin Tood doubled with one out and DJ Petrinsky drew a two-out walk for Texas in the fourth, but Caleb Bolden got out of the inning when Duke Ellis popped up to shortstop Jax Biggers on the grass.

Texas 2, Arkansas 1 - End 3rd Inning

Grant Koch might have run Arkansas out of an inning last night with an ill-advised decision to go to second on a single, and Jax Biggers just ran the Razorbacks out of a chance in the third.

Biggers reached on a one-out walk and moved to second with Heston Kjerstad infield hit. But Biggers tried to go to third when a throw to first was a little off line and was easily out on a throw back across the diamond.

The Razorbacks have out-hit the Longhorns 3-0, but are down a run.

Texas 2, Arkansas 1 - Middle 3rd Inning

Hunter Wilson robbed Texas' two-hole hitter, David Hamilton, of a hit when he dove to his left, then glove tossed the ball to first. The inning ended when Caleb Bolden caught Kody Clemens looking at strike three.

Bolden has fanned two in two innings out of the bullpen.

Texas 2, Arkansas 1 - End 2nd Inning

Casey Martin hit a home run off the left field foul pole last night. Today he hit one that almost touched the light post about 100 feet to the right with a two-out solo blast that has pulled the Razorbacks within a run.

Martin's sixth homer of the season was Arkansas' first hit of this game. Nico O'Donnell had done a nice job of pitching to contact prior to that at-bat.

Evan Lee followed with a two-out, opposite-field double down the left field line, but he was stranded when Grant Koch grounded out to end the inning.

Texas 2, Arkansas 0 - End 1st Inning

Arkansas starter Hunter Milligan walked the first two batters he faced and both scored without a hit in the top of the first. Arkansas went down in order in the bottom half of the inning.

Milligan's day is done. Caleb Bolden is out for the second inning. Expect Arkansas to throw a lot of pitchers today.

Pregame

It is a beautiful day in Fayetteville with temperatures in the 60s and a south wind. It looks like we'll have another good crowd today, too.

Both teams will throw freshmen today, although Arkansas is likely to use its bullpen more. The Razorbacks will start left-hander Hunter Milligan, who won his only other start a couple of weeks back against Dayton. He has not allowed a run in three innings.

Texas is throwing right-hander Nico O'Donnell, who started the Longhorns' only win over No. 3 Stanford last week. O'Donnell has a 1-0 record this season and 2.13 ERA.

Arkansas is platooning a bit today, replacing right-handers Carson Shaddy at second base and Luke Bonfield at designated hitter. Hunter Wilson will start at second and Evan Lee will DH.

Arkansas is wearing its white jerseys and pants, and red hats. Texas is in gray jerseys and pants, and those unmistakable orange hats with the block T.

Longtime SEC umpire Tony Walsh is working behind the plate today. Darrell Arnold is the first base umpire, Joshua Schepis is at second and Scott Cline - last night's home plate umpire - is at third.

First pitch is scheduled for 4:05 p.m.