Smith, Diggs deliver No. 8 Hogs’ win vs. Longhorns

ARLINGTON, Texas – Hagen Smith and Brady Tygart were nearly unhittable on Saturday night, leading No. 8 Arkansas (1-0) to a 3-2 Opening Day win over Texas (0-1) in the College Baseball Showdown at Globe Life Field.

The Razorbacks have won six of their last eight games against the Longhorns, including the past two meetings between the teams in Arlington, Texas. Arkansas is now 8-5 all-time against Texas under head coach Dave Van Horn.

In front of an announced crowd of 15,721, Smith saw the entire preseason All-American. The left-hander went eight through five scoreless innings of one-hit ball, leaving the game after throwing 68 pitches in his first start of the year.

The Razorback bats wouldn’t get going until Smith was out, but Arkansas and Texas traded zeroes until the seventh inning. Kendall Diggs’ two-run single with the bases loaded in the top half of the frame broke a scoreless tie and put the Hogs ahead, 2-0.

John Bolton followed Diggs’ run-scoring production with some offensive firepower of his own. Making his Arkansas debut, the graduate transfer from Austin Peay hit a one-out double down the left field line, scoring Jace Bohrofen from second and putting the Razorbacks up, 3-0, in the seventh.

Texas would battle back in the bottom of the seventh, scoring a pair of runs via a solo homer and a wild pitch to cut Arkansas’ lead to one. When the Longhorns put runners on first and second with one out in the bottom of the eighth, Tygart was called upon to kill the threat.

The preseason All-American, who was recently named to the Collegiate Baseball Writers Association preseason watch list for the Stopper of the Year Award, came out of the bullpen and quickly proved why he is considered one of the best closers in all of college baseball. Tygart decisively struck out both batters he faced to end the threat and preserve Arkansas’ one-run lead entering the ninth.

Tygart stayed in the bottom of the ninth, and the result was no different. The Hernando, Miss., native retired from the side in order, striking out the final batter of the game to record a five-out save — nine of his career — and seal the Razorbacks’ 3-2 victory.

Bolton and Brady Slavens each finished with two hits to lead the Hogs offensively. Cody Adcock was credited with the win — his first as a Razorback — in center relief, striking out two while allowing two walks on two hits in innings of work.

Arkansas will advance to a top-15 showdown tomorrow night against No. 15 TCU on day two of the College Baseball Showdown. The first pitch between the Razorbacks and the Horned Frogs is set for 7 pm on Saturday, February 18, at FloBaseball.