The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Arkansas
No. 9 Baseball preview: No. 11 Arkansas
03.18.2019 | Baseball
Longhorns host Razorbacks at UFCU Disch-Falk Field
No. 9 TEXAS (15-7) vs. No. 11 ARKANSAS (17-2)
March 19-20, 2019
Where: UFCU Disch-Falk Field
Time: Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.; Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. CT
TV: Longhorn Network
Radio: 104.9 FM The Horn/1260 AM
Live stats: https://texassports.com/sidearmstats/baseball
All-time series: Texas leads, 74-36
PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS
TUESDAY—Texas Fr. RHP Jack Neely (0-0, 6.23) vs. Arkansas Fr. LHP Patrick Wicklander (2-1, 2.45)
WEDNESDAY—Texas TBA vs. Arkansas TBA
GAME NOTES
THE MATCHUP—Texas and Arkansas meet at UFCU Disch-Falk Field for the first time since 2005, when the Longhorns defeated the Razorbacks to win the NCAA Austin Regional on the way to the program's sixth National Championship. The last time the two teams met in the regular season in Austin was 1990. Last season Arkansas won all three meetings with Texas, including in the College World Series.
A LOOK AT THE LONGHORNS—The Longhorns bounced back from the series loss at No. 6 Stanford with an exciting week that included a series win over No. 11 Texas Tech. Texas won a pair of one-run games over the Red Raiders in come-from-behind fashion. SS Masen Hibbeler had a big week, starting all four games and batting .583/.643/.583 with five RBI and four runs scored. The youthful Texas pitching staff has been dominant at times this season and has a 2.97 ERA with 189 strikeouts.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK—Senior infielder Masen Hibbeler was named the Big 12 Conference Player of the Week, following the Longhorn's series win over No. 11 Texas Tech. Hibbeler played a part in all four of the Longhorns' runs scored in Sunday's series-clinching win over the Red Raiders. He lined a go-ahead two-run single up the middle in the sixth inning and later scored after swiping third base and scoring on an errant throw. In the eighth inning, the senior drove in the eventual game-winning run with another RBI single. The Cypress, Texas product, also produced a 4-for-4 game with two RBI and three runs scored against Texas Southern. He was a standout defender throughout the week as well, starting at shortstop for all four games and not committing an error. He also threw out a runner at the plate in the second inning of Sunday's game.
DUUUKE—Junior outfielder Duke Ellis is tied for second in the nation with 26 walks this season and the Longhorn lead-off man leads the team with a .448 on base percentage. With Ellis' ability to get on base, he leads the team with 21 runs scored and seven stolen bases. Ellis is also a standout defender in center field, with a number of highlight reel catches and an outfield assist this season.
MARCH MADNESS—Throughout the month of March the Longhorns are testing themselves against some of the best teams in the country, playing 15 games against nationally ranked teams. After winning series over LSU and Texas Tech and dropping a series at Stanford, Texas is 6-4 against ranked teams this season. Starting with last weekend's series against the Red Raiders, the Longhorns are in the middle of a stretch of playing eight-straight games against ranked teams.
YOUNG GUNS—Head Coach David Pierce's 2019 pitching staff is likely the youngest he has ever head, featuring seven freshmen (one redshirt) and five sophomores (one redshirt). All 12 of the underclassmen pitchers have already appeared in a game this season. Five of the seven pitchers to have started a game for Texas this season are underclassmen. The young pitching staff has had ups and downs, and leads the Big 12 with 189 strikeouts but also has the most walks (96) and wild pitches (32).
NEXT UP—Texas is in the midst of playing 15-of-17 games against nationally ranked teams. After the pair of midweek games against No. 11 Arkansas, the Longhorns will travel to No. 23 TCU for a weekend series.
RANKED—Texas remains in the national rankings heading into the fifth week of the season. The Longhorns' rankings are: D1Baseball (#9), Baseball America (#4), NCBWA (#15), USA Today Coaches Poll (#15) and Collegiate Baseball (#17).
WEEKLY AWARD WINNERS—Five Texas players have received weekly awards from the Big 12 Conference this season – Bryce Elder (Pitcher, Feb. 18), Coy Cobb (Newcomer, Feb. 25), Austin Todd (Player, March 4), Eric Kennedy (Newcomer, March 4) and Masen Hibbeler (Player, March 18). Elder threw an opening-day gem, pitching eight innings and allowing just one run on four hits with no walks. He struck out a career-high nine batters. Cobb was lights out in his UFCU Disch-Falk Field debut, allowing just four hits and no walks in seven shutout innings. Following the weekend sweep of No. 2 LSU, Texas outfielders Austin Todd and Eric Kennedy were both recognized by the Big 12.. Todd had seven RBI during the week and played the role of walk-off hero on Sunday to complete the sweep of LSU. Kennedy played a huge role in helping to sweep LSU, producing hits in every game of the series. Hibbeler batted .583/.643/.583 in four starts at shortstop, contributing to all of the runs scored in Sunday's series-clinching win over No. 11 Texas Tech.
PRESEASON ALL BIG 12—The Longhorns' top returning hitters, OF Duke Ellis and DH Zach Zubia, were named to the Preseason All-Big 12 team. Following the 2018 season – each of their first on the Forty Acres – both Ellis and Zubia were selected as All-Big 12 First Team members.
PRESEASON POLL—In the Big 12 preseason coaches' poll, Texas was selected to finish fourth behind preseason favorite Texas Tech (61), Baylor (58) and TCU (48). Last season, five of the nine Big 12 teams made the NCAA postseason.
DRAFTED—Texas saw five players selected in the 2018 Major League Baseball Draft: INF Kody Clemens (Tigers, 3rd round, No. 79), RHP Nolan Kingham (Braves, 12th round, No. 354), RHP Chase Shugart (Red Sox, 12th round, No. 370), LHP Josh Sawyer (Cubs, 16th round, No. 488) and INF Andy McGuire (Blue Jays, 28th round, No. 836).
PIERCE TO THE POSTSEASON—Head Coach David Pierce has reached the NCAA postseason in each of his seven seasons as a head coach at Texas, Tulane, and Sam Houston State. Last season marked the skipper's first trip to the College World Series as a head coach. Pierce advanced to the College World Series four times as an assistant coach at Rice, including winning the 2003 National Championship.
PRO PARKS—Texas plays a pair of regular season games in professional ballparks this season. The Longhorns take on Incarnate Word at Nelson Wolff Stadium, home of the Triple-A San Antonio Missions, on March 26. Texas then plays at Whataburger Field, home of the Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks, against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on April 30. Also for the 19th time, the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship will be played in Oklahoma City. The Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, home of the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers, plays host to the event.
WATCH 'EM—All but one Texas home game will be broadcast on Longhorn Network this season. The team of Lowell Galindo, Keith Moreland, and Greg Swindell will return to the booth to call the action.
HEAR 'EM—In partnership with IMG-College, Texas games will be broadcast on the Austin Radio Network, primarily on 104.9 The Horn and AM 1260. Craig Way handles primary play-by-play duties alongside Roger Wallace and Quan Cosby.
