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Game One - Instant Analysis
Game Two - Instant Analysis
Weekend Preview - ON DECK - ARKANSAS
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Redemption day or be swept. Three game lead or two game lead in the SEC.
Those are the odds. The margin in the SEC is always extremely thin. Losing guys like Max Belyeu and Jared Spencer make that margin even smaller. Allow 15 free bases and there is no margin, you are getting bludgeoned.
The Horns MUST match the energy early and withstand the early punch and energy of the crowd. They need to get an early lead and build confidence. They need to cut out the mistakes and most certainly must cut out the free bases. If the Horns don't give the Hogs 15 free bases last night, the score and game look dramatically different. I am not saying that the Horns would have won, as the bats did not do nearly enough, but the perception would have been drastically different.
Losing a series is not the end of the world. This is the SEC, IT HAPPENS. Folks need to get out of the mindset of the Big 12 where if you lose a series, the entire season looks drastically different. Last season, the SEC had 5 teams that were four games, I repeat FOUR games under .500 in conference play and still made the NCAA Tournament. Texas A&M finished with a 19-11 conference record and was the #3 overall seed in the nation.
Regardless of the outcome of this weekend, the Horns are still in a very good place for the post season. In some ways, it is good to get a weekend like this out of the way. No, it isn't fun and trust me, if y'all are frustrated, the team is even more so. The difference between this years squad and prior years is the mental strength and approach to the game. This is not a cliff moment, it is a learning opportunity against a very talented squad that came into the weekend desperately in need of a series win after having lost the past three series. So, regardless of the outcome today, hang in there - everything is ok!
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#1 Texas Longhorns at #11 Arkansas Razorbacks
Date: May 3
Time: Sat at 2pm
Where: Fayetteville, Arkansas (Baum-Walker Stadium)
TV: Saturday - SEC Network+
Series History:
- First Met: 1902
- Last Met: 2023
- Last Texas Victory: 2020 – Texas last beat Arkansas during the ill-fated 2020
- All-Time Series Record: 76-39
- Texas has lost the last two games to Arkansas, both in Arlington (2021 and 2023) and are 2-7 overall in the past 9 games against Arkansas
- Away Record: 24-18
- The last time Texas won in Fayetteville was back in 1991
- Arkansas is picked to finish 4th out of 16 teams
- 2024 Season: 44-16 (20-10 SEC) – Arkansas hosted a Regional in 2024, winning the first game against Southeast Missouri (SEMO), but then dropped their next two games to Kansas State and SEMO to get knocked out of the NCAA Tournament
Records:
Arkansas Razorbacks: 39-9 (16-7 SEC)
Texas Longhorns: 38-7 (19-4 SEC)
Prediction:
- Texas loses the series 1-2
- On the season, I am 31-12
Pitching Matchups:
Sat – Texas RHP Max Grubbs (6-0, 5 saves, 1.40 ERA, 38.2 IP) v. Arkansas – LHP Landon Beidelschies (4-0, 4.27 ERA, 46.1 IP)
- Ohio State transfer was one of the top arms in the transfer portal this offseason
Arkansas Bullpen:
- Gabe Gaeckle (4-1, 5.56 ERA, 11 apps, 9 starts, 45.1 IP)
- Aiden Jimenez (4-1, 0.60 ERA, 14 apps, 1 save, 28.2 IP)
- Dylan Carter (4-0, 2.60 ERA, 19 apps, 27.2 IP)
- Will McEntire (1-0, 3.20 ERA, 14 apps, 1 save, 19.2 IP)
- Christian Foutch (1-0, 4.40 ERA, 14 apps, 3 saves, 14.1 IP)
Arkansas Offensive Leaders:
- Kuhio Aloy (.371 BA, 11 HR, 59 RBI, .641 SLG%, .446 OB%)
- Wehiwa Aloy (.370 BA, 17 HR, 50 RBI, .724 SLG%, .453 OB%, 6-8 SB)
- Cam Kozeal (.365 BA, 10 HR, 49 RBI, .647 SLG%, .413 OB%, 2-3 SB)
- Charles Davalan (.365 BA, 12 HR, 45 RBI, .604 SLG%, .446 OB%, 6-8 SB)
STARTING LINEUPS:
Texas
| 1 | dh | 5 Ethan Mendoza | R | .341 | |
| 2 | c | 6 Rylan Galvan | R | .321 | |
| 3 | ss | 1 Jalin Flores | R | .264 | |
| 4 | 1b | 10 Kimble Schuessler | R | .315 | |
| 5 | cf | 8 Will Gasparino | R | .260 | |
| 6 | 3b | 31 Casey Borba | R | .248 | |
| 7 | 2b | 24 Adrian Rodriguez | B | .301 | |
| 8 | rf | 43 Tommy Farmer IV | R | .257 | |
| 9 | lf | 55 Jonah Williams | L | .421 | |
| 10 | p | 38 Max Grubbs | R | - |
Arkansas -
| 1 | lf | 24 Charles Davalan | L | .353 | |
| 2 | ss | 9 Wehiwa Aloy | R | .369 | |
| 3 | dh | 25 Kuhio Aloy | R | .363 | |
| 4 | 2b | 8 Cam Kozeal | L | .352 | |
| 5 | 3b | 10 Brent Iredale | R | .298 | |
| 6 | rf | 28 Carson Boles | R | .327 | |
| 7 | 1b | 18 Reese Robinett | L | .294 | |
| 8 | c | 27 Ryder Helfrick | R | .299 | |
| 9 | cf | 4 Justin Thomas Jr. | R | .283 | |
| 10 | p | 35 Landon Beidelschies | L | - |
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