CHARLOTTE, N.C. After a record-setting weekend in the sweep over then-No. 4 Kentucky, the Razorback baseball team will hope to carry its good play into its Spring Break road trip this week, starting with a two-game midweek series at Charlotte. First game between the Hogs and 49ers is set for Tuesday at 6:05 p.m. CT, and will be played at BB&T Park, the home of the Charlotte Knights, Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox.
Tue, March 20 Arkansas vs. Charlotte (Game 1) (BB&T Park) 6:05 p.m.
Wed, March 21 Arkansas vs. Charlotte (Game 2) 3 p.m.
Probable Starters
TUE: ARK RHP Barrett Loseke (11.25 ERA, 0-0, 5 K, 2 BB) vs. CHAR RHP Chase Gooding (2.77 ERA, 2-0, 16 K, 5 BB)
WED: ARK TBA vs. CHAR TBA
Fourth-ranked Arkansas will be coming off one of its best offensive weekends in the last 20 years after it scored 39 runs over three games with Kentucky, its most in a three-game SEC series since 1997. With wins of 9-4, 14-2, and 16-9, the Razorbacks swept the Wildcats for the first time since 2004 and hit .419 as a team with 13 home runs.
Arkansas currently leads the SEC and is second in the nation with 39 home runs this year. The Hogs are currently on a quicker pace than last season when they hit a league-best 83 home runs. After 20 games last year, Arkansas only had 29 home runs.
The Razorback offense has been lethal in the early innings this year, as well. 70 of Arkansas 186 runs have come in the first three innings, making up for 40 percent of its overall runs. Combined, Arkansas run production is the best in the SEC and its .327 team batting average also leads the conference.
Eight different players hit at least one home run during the series against Kentucky with five hitting two home runs over the two-day span. Junior shortstop Jax Biggers led all Razorbacks with a .719 average, en route to SEC Player of the Week honors.
Biggers totaled three multi-hit games, including one three-hit game and one four-hit performance last week. Hes now one of three Hogs with a four-hit game this year and is second on the team with seven multi-hit performances this season. In Saturdays doubleheader, the Missouri City, Texas native went 7-for-9 (.778) with two long balls and six RBIs.
Arkansas nearly swept the weekly conference honors this week as Casey Martin earned his second SEC Freshman of the Week award on Monday. The Lonoke, Arkansas native hit .350 last week with three home runs and seven RBIs combined against Texas and Kentucky.
Martin is currently riding a team-best 13-game hit streak dating back to the Feb. 28 game against Dayton. During the streak, hes hit an even .400 with 20 hits, 17 RBIs, six home runs, and 16 runs scored.
The Razorback and 49ers kick off their series on Tuesday in BB&T Park with first pitch at 6:05 p.m. Fans can catch the game on BeIN Sports, subject to availability. Wednesdays game two will be on Cox Sports with first pitch at 3 p.m. in Hayes Stadium.
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI