This Week in Razorback History

Arkansas pitcher Isaiah Campbell tosses the ball to himself during a College World Series game against Florida on Friday, June 22, 2018, in Omaha, Neb.

June 22

2018

Arkansas won its side of the bracket at the College World Series by beating Florida 5-2, dethroning the defending NCAA champions and eliminating the Gators from the series.

Sophomore Isaiah Campbell (5-6) outdueled Florida ace Brady Singer (12-3) by striking out 8 batters, walking none and allowing 2 earned runs on 2 hits through 51/3 innings. Jake Reindl threw 12/3 scoreless innings and Matt Cronin posted a two-inning save, his 13th of the season to tie the school record held by Colby Suggs (2013), the bullpen coach on the 2018 team and now an advance scout for the Minnesota Twins.

Casey Martin went 4 for 5 and scored 3 runs to lead the Razorbacks, while Luke Bonfield, Dominic Fletcher and Jax Biggers had 2 hits each in Arkansas' 11-hit attack.

Martin singled and scored on Bonfield's single in the first inning to give the Razorbacks a lead they would not relinquish. Martin also singled to open the third and scored on Fletcher's RBI single. Martin scored again on a Bonfield ground out in the fifth before Fletcher's solo home run.

Martin drove in the Hogs' final run with an infield single, plating Jared Gates in the sixth.

2012

The Razorbacks fell 3-2 to No. 7 South Carolina in their bracket finale at the College World Series in Omaha, Neb., in what was known as the Perry Costello game.

Arkansas starter DJ Baxendale walked a season-high five and the Razorbacks walked a season-high nine with Costello behind home plate. Two of those walks came with the bases loaded, forcing in South Carolina's tying run in the fifth and go-ahead run in the seventh inning.

Razorbacks fans and even national media pointed out the inconsistencies in the strike zone in that game.

Baxendale stared down Costello as he left the mound after the fifth inning bases-loaded walk, and ESPN analyst Kyle Peterson said, "He did get squeezed. He got squeezed at times tonight [so] I can understand the reaction coming off. [He's] responsible for the bases loaded – he did walk five -- but that's one of those where if you get a strike called here, strike called there it entirely changes the course of three or four at-bats over the course of the game."

Arkansas built a 2-0 lead through three innings. Matt Reynolds singled home Tim Carver, who had singled on the first pitch of the game, in the first inning, then Reynolds provided a sacrifice fly in the third inning to plate Jake Wise, who had been hit by a pitch.

Arkansas had beaten South Carolina 2-1 in a winner's bracket game four days earlier to snap the Gamecocks' 22-game postseason winning streak. South Carolina beat the Razorbacks 2-0 the day before to set up the winner's bracket finale.

2011

Arkansas signee Calli Berna, a point guard from Fayetteville, earned MVP honors in leading the West to a 75-49 victory over the East in the Arkansas High School Coaches Association All-Star girls basketball game in Walton Arena.

Berna had 18 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 blocked shot in 16 minutes. She became a four-year starter for the Razorbacks.

1963

R.H. Sikes birdied the par-3 1st hole at the Wichita Country Club to beat John Lotz of San Jose State 1 up on the first extra hole to win the NCAA individual golf title.

Sikes, a native of Springdale, led the field with a 3-under par after two rounds of stroke play and downed Harry Hoskins of Texas A&M (5 and 4), Bobby Greenwood of North Texas (2 and 1) and Pat Thompson of Texas (5 and 4) before beating Lotz for the title.

Sikes, runner-up at the U.S. National Amateur in 1963, had a hole-in-one on the par-3 11th during the second round of the final.

June 23

2015

Arkansas outfielder Andrew Benintendi was named the Golden Spikes Award winner as the best college player in the country in an honor presented by USA Baseball and sponsored by Major League Baseball.

Benintendi, who led the nation with 20 home runs and helped guide the Razorbacks to their eighth College World Series, was also named SEC Player of the Year and the NCAA Player of the Year by Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball.

2004

Senior distance runner Alistair Cragg was named the SEC's Roy F. Kramer Male Athlete of the Year for the 2003-2004 school year.

Cragg, who also won the award the previous school year, became the third two-time male winner along with LSU center Shaquille O'Neal (1991-92) and Florida quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel (1995-96).

The award, named after the former SEC commissioner, is voted on by the conference's athletic directors.

"It's a great honor when you look at the company that Alistair has joined in getting it for the second time," Arkansas Coach John McDonnell said. "Not only has he been a great athlete, I think he has shown to everyone in all the sports in the SEC that he's a class person, too."

Among the SEC athletes Cragg beat for his second award was Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning, the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft.

"For a track runner to be spoken of in the same sentence as a guy like Eli Manning means a lot," Cragg said. "It makes me proud of what I've done."

Cragg's accomplishments included three NCAA titles (3,000 meters and 5,000 indoors and 10,000 outdoors) and five SEC titles (3,000 and 5,000 indoors and 1,500, 5,000 and 10,000 outdoors).

After transferring from SMU, Cragg won seven NCAA titles and 14 SEC titles in three years at Arkansas.

June 24

2013

Arkansas baseball Coach Dave Van Horn brought aboard ace assistant coach Tony Vitello, one of the best recruiters in the college game, who had been at TCU the previous three seasons.

Vitello also worked eight years at his alma mater, Missouri, where he helped recruit and develop an array of talent, including Ian Kinsler, Max Scherzer, Aaron Crow and others.

The Razorbacks had consistently strong signing classes with Vitello as recruiting coordinator, including his second full class in 2015, headlined by future Golden Spikes Award winner Andrew Benintendi, being ranked No. 1 by Perfect Game.

Vitello spent four years at Arkansas before landing his first head coaching job at Tennessee in 2017.

1992

Razorbacks Todd Day, Oliver Miller and Lee Mayberry were picked in the first round of the NBA Draft.

Day, a shooting guard, was picked 10th by the Milwaukee Bucks. Miller, a center, was pick No. 22 by the Phoenix Suns, and point guard Mayberry was taken by Milwaukee on the next pick at No. 23.

Corey Williams, currently an Arkansas assistant coach, also was selected in the 1992 draft. Williams, a guard from Oklahoma State, was taken in the second round at No. 33 by the Chicago Bulls.

Day played eight seasons in the NBA for the Bucks, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns and Minnesota Timberwolves and averaged 12.3 points and 3.4 rebounds. He also played overseas and in the minor leagues, including a stint with the Arkansas Rimrockers and the Arkansas Aeros. Day is now head coach of Philander Smith College in Little Rock.

Miller played nine seasons in the NBA with the Suns, Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors, Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves. He averaged 6.3 points and 5.1 rebounds.

Mayberry, an assistant coach for the women's team at Oral Roberts University in his hometown of Tulsa, played seven seasons in the NBA with the Bucks and Vancouver Grizzlies. He averaged 5.1 points and 3.6 assists.

Williams played as a rookie on the Bulls' 1993 NBA championship team.

June 25

1979

The Milwaukee Bucks selected Arkansas All-America guard Sidney Moncrief in the first round of the NBA Draft.

Moncrief was the No. 5 overall pick, still the highest ever for a Razorback.

Moncrief, a star at Little Rock Hall High School, played 10 of his 11 NBA seasons with the Bucks and his final season with the Atlanta Hawks.

Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019, Moncrief was a five-time All-Star and twice was NBA Defensive Player of the Year. He had career averages of 15.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists and was on playoff teams in all 11 of his NBA seasons.

June 26

2018

Blaine Knight held Oregon State to a single run on seven hits over six innings and the Razorbacks blew up for four runs in the fifth inning to defeat Oregon State 4-1 in the opening game of the College World Series finals in Omaha, Neb.

The game was delayed by a day due to projected thunderstorms in eastern Nebraska, a common occurrence during that CWS.

Trailing 1-0 entering the fourth, the Hogs broke through against left-hander Luke Heimlich (16-3). Carson Shaddy drew a one-out walk, moved to third on Jared Gates' single and scored on Grant Koch's single. Heimlich hit Jax Biggers and Eric Cole with pitches to force in another run. Then Casey Martin drove in a run with a fielder's choice and Heston Kjerstad drew a walk with the bases loaded to set the final score.

Knight struck out six Oregon State hitters while improving to an Arkansas-record 14-0, and Matt Cronin worked the final inning for his school-record 14th save.

2014

Arkansas signee Anton Beard, a guard from North Little Rock, scored 14 points to lead the East to an 85-77 victory over the West in the Arkansas High School Coaches Association All-Star boys basketball game at the Farris Center in Conway.

Beard, the game's MVP, scored nine points in the second half as the East overcame a seven-point deficit to claim its fifth consecutive victory.

"We knew this wasn't going to be easy," said Beard, who led North Little Rock to its second consecutive Class 7A state title in March.

Beard played four seasons with the Razorbacks.

June 27

2018

The Razorbacks dropped Game 2 of the College World Series 5-3 to Oregon State in Omaha, Neb.

Arkansas held a 3-2 lead entering the ninth inning before the Beavers rallied for three runs.

Arkansas reliever Matt Cronin (2-2) induced a foul pop with two outs in the ninth, but the Razorbacks were unable to catch it down the right-field line. Cadyn Grenier took advantage of the extra swing with a single to tie the game, then Trevor Larnach hit a two-run home run to set the final score.

Arkansas took the early lead when Jared Gates reached on a hit by a pitch and scored on a wild pitch in the second inning.

Trailing 2-1 in the fifth inning, Arkansas tied it on consecutive singles by Casey Martin, Heston Kjerstad and Luke Bonfield, then Carson Shaddy's two-out single made it 3-2.

2008

Chris Bucknam was hired as Arkansas' men's head coach for cross country and track field to replace the legendary John McDonnell, who won 40 national and 84 conference titles.

Bucknam came to Arkansas from the University of Northern Iowa, where he was on the staff the previous 30 years, including 25 as head coach.

"I'm a brave guy, aren't I?" Bucknam said of the challenge of replacing McDonnell.

Bucknam said he did not apply for the Razorbacks' position, but was contacted by UA Athletic Director Jeff Long at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Des Moines, Iowa. After flying to Fayetteville for an interview, Bucknam was offered the job and a few days later accepted it.

"As a track coach, this is what you dream about," Bucknam said. "I'm living a dream right now."

Long said McDonnell recommended Bucknam as a possible replacement after announcing his retirement in April.

Coaching the men's and women's cross country and track and field teams at UNI, Bucknam led the Panthers to 25 Missouri Valley Conference championships and six top 20 national finishes.

"He's a tenacious recruiter, his work ethic is unmatched and he has the ability to identify talent," Long said. "At that mid-major level, more importantly, he has the ability to develop that talent."

Bucknam has led Arkansas to the 2013 NCAA indoor championship along with four national runner-up finishes in indoor and outdoor track. His Razorbacks have combined to win 22 SEC championships.

2001

The Boston Celtics took former Arkansas guard Joe Johnson in the first round of the NBA Draft.

Johnson, who played at Little Rock Central and entered the draft after his sophomore year, was the No. 10 overall pick.

Johnson played 18 seasons in the NBA for the Celtics, Phoenix Suns, Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Miami Heat, Utah Jazz and Houston Rockets.

A seven-time All-Star, Johnson played in 1,276 regular-season games and had 20,405 career points, 5,059 rebounds and 5,001 assists.

Johnson averaged more than 20 points per game in five consecutive seasons from 2005-06 through 2009-10 with the Hawks, including 25.0 in 2007-08.

Johnson also scored 1,828 points in 120 career playoff games.

June 28

2018

Freshman Kevin Abel (8-1) throttled the Razorbacks with a 2-hitter on 129 pitches as Oregon State won the College World Series with a 5-0 victory.

The Beavers (55-12-1) took their third CWS title in 13 years, following back-to-back crowns in 2006-07, and denied the Razorbacks (48-21) in their first trip back to the CWS final since their debut appearance in Omaha, Neb., in 1979.

Both Arkansas hits came in the third inning, on Grant Koch's leadoff double and Casey Martin's infield single.

Oregon State scored two runs in the first inning against Isaiah Campbell (5-7) on Adley Rutschman's single and a throwing error for all the runs Abel would need.

2006

The Utah Jazz picked Arkansas guard Ronnie Brewer, an early declarer as a junior, with the No. 14 pick in the first round of the NBA Draft.

He became the second member of his family to be drafted in the first round along with his father Ron Brewer Sr., the No. 7 pick to Portland in 1978.

Brewer, who starred at Fayetteville High School, played in the NBA for eight seasons with Utah, the Memphis Grizzlies, Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets. He had career averages of 7.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 503 games.

1995

All-America forward Corliss Williamson was taken with the No. 13 pick in the first round of the NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings after his junior season.

Williamson, from Russellville, was the Most Outstanding Player of the 1994 NCAA Final Four when Arkansas won the national championship. He played 12 seasons in the NBA with the Kings, Toronto Raptors, Detroit Pistons and Philadelphia 76ers and had career averages of 11.1 points and 3.9 rebounds.

Williamson was the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year in 2002 and won a championship in 2004, both with the Pistons.

1983

Darrell Walker, an All-America guard at Arkansas, was taken with the No. 12 pick in the first round of the 1983 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks.

Walker, now coach of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, played 10 seasons in the NBA with the Knicks, Denver Nuggets, Washington Bullets, Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls. He was on the Bulls' 1993 NBA championship team in his final season.

Walker averaged 8.9 points, 4.6 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 1.5 steals for his NBA career.