LEXINGTON, Ky. – After its second-consecutive conference series sweep, the fifth-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks will look to keep the momentum going as they travel to Lexington, Kentucky this weekend for a three-game series against the Kentucky Wildcats.
All games this weekend will be available for viewing online only via SEC Network+. Friday’s game will have a first pitch of 5:30 p.m., followed by a 1 p.m. start on Saturday. Sunday’s game will start at noon CT.
The Razorbacks (35-11, 15-6 SEC) are still at the top in the SEC Western Division with 15 wins, two games ahead of LSU, Mississippi State and Ole Miss. The 15-6 record includes thee sweeps at the hands of Missouri, then-No. 2 Mississippi State and last week with No. 18 Tennessee. Arkansas is a on a seven-game conference winning streak, its longest since 2010.
Arkansas is fresh off a big win in its final non-conference contest of the year, defeating Grambling State, 17-3, its second-largest run output in a game this year. Casey Martin, Heston Kjerstad and Zack Plunkett all hit home runs in the game. Kjerstad now has 13 home runs this year, which ties for second in the SEC.
Redshirt senior Trevor Ezell also had quite the memorable game on Tuesday as he went 3-for-3 with six runs scored. The six runs ties the school record for runs scored in a game, joining Jeremy Jackson from 1997 and Todd Zacher in 1981.
Redshirt junior Isaiah Campbell will head to the mound for the 12th time this season and eighth in conference play as he brings a 2.45 conference ERA and four SEC victories to the ballpark. Eight of Campbell’s last nine starts have been quality and he leads the conference in overall innings pitched (71.0).
Follow Live
This weekend’s series can be viewed on SEC Network+ on all three days via the Watch ESPN app and WatchESPN.com. Phil Elson will have the radio call all three days on the Razorback Sports Network.
Probable Starters
(ARK) RHP Isaiah Campbell (7-1, 2.66 ERA, 81 K, 13 BB) vs. (UK) RHP Jimmy Ramsey (2-4, 7.29, 54 K, 19 BB)
Game 2: (ARK) LHP Patrick Wicklander (4-1, 4.14 ERA, 65 K, 28 BB) vs. (UK) LHP Zack Thompson (4-1, 1.88 ERA, 102 K, 24 BB)
Game 3: (ARK) TBA vs. (UK) TBA
Razorback Prime Nine
>> Arkansas heads to Kentucky to begin the final month of the regular season this weekend. This is the first time since 2016 that Arkansas has played a series at Kentucky. The Hogs have won six of their last seven against the Wildcats and four-straight series.
>> Last time the Hogs visited Kentucky in 2016, Arkansas won the series two games to one behind a stellar 10-inning complete game by Dominic Taccolini, the longest outing by an SEC pitcher that year. It was Arkansas’ lone conference series win that year.
>> Arkansas won its second-straight SEC series by way of sweep last week, taking three-straight from Tennessee, its third sweep in conference play. The Hogs have won seven-straight conference games, it’s longest streak since 2010.
>> Arkansas is hitting .366 as a team during its seven-game conference winning streak and averaging 10.1 runs per game during that stretch. Christian Franklin, Heston Kjerstad and Casey Martin are all hitting over .400 during that span.
>> Freshman right-hander Connor Noland worked 7+ innings for the second-straight week after going seven innings against Tennessee last week. He struck out a career-high 10 batters and gave up only two hits with one unearned run.
>> Sophomore outfielder Heston Kjerstad was named one of the National Players of the Week by Collegiate Baseball on Monday after hitting .450 last week with three home runs. He now has 12 homers on the year, two shy of his total from 2018.
>> Casey Martin and Dominic Fletcher lead the SEC in doubles heading into Friday’s game with Kentucky. The duo has hit three doubles in the last six games and each have 19 for the year.
>> Right-hander Isaiah Campbell will look to have a bounce-back start of sorts on Friday as he’ll make his 12th start of the year. Last week was the first time Campbell did not go five innings, but he continues to lead the league in innings pitched 71.0.
>> Redshirt senior Trevor Ezell eclipsed the 300 career hit mark over the weekend after notching seven hits in three games against Tennessee. Ezell had three hits in each of the first two games against the Volunteers and now has 303 hits for his career.
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