Scoring Recap: Arkansas 4, LSU 3 (Game 2)
Details on how to watch/stream, betting odds for Arkansas baseball's game against the LSU Tigers.
arkansas.rivals.com
FAYETTEVILLE — The No. 1 Arkansas Razorbacks (21-3, 6-1 SEC) can secure a third straight series win to begin conference play if they manage to earn a victory over the No. 8 LSU Tigers (20-7, 2-5 SEC) on Friday evening at Baum-Walker Stadium.
Led by the pitching duo of Hagen Smith and Will McEntire, the Razorbacks knocked off the Tigers with a 7-4 win Thursday night in Fayetteville. Arkansas had 19 team strikeouts in the contest, plus Kendall Diggs and Jack Wagner both hit homers.
ALSO READ: Top-ranked Arkansas takes Game 1 from LSU
The test will be tougher Friday, though, as the reigning national champions will start ace Luke Holman on the mound for Game 2 after resting him for Game 1 while Smith threw for Arkansas. A transfer from Alabama, Holman owns a 5-1 record and 0.78 ERA, and he tossed six innings of one-run ball while striking out 13 Florida batters last Friday.
"He threw 106 pitches (against Florida)," LSU head coach Jay Johnson said Thursday of Holman. "We're not a very good team if he's not pitching for us. So we need him keep him on full rest being that he threw 106 pitches last week. That's all. That's the only reason."
According to LSU stats, Holman actually threw 104 pitches, but the reasoning from the LSU skipper still makes sense.
The Razorbacks will start left-hander Mason Molina, who has a 2.57 ERA, 15 walks and 47 strikeouts across 28.0 innings pitched this season.
"What I tell our players, we just need to take care of our own business, don’t worry about all the other stuff and do what we can do," Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn said Thursday. "Doesn’t surprise me that they gave (Holman) another day because he threw last Friday. You can say they’re pitching off or you could just say they’re giving him his normal rest. Doesn’t really matter. That’s who we gotta try to beat (Friday)."
Arkansas is 10-4 in its last 14 meeting against the Tigers. The 6-1 start to conference play marks the fifth time under Van Horn and the second time in the past three seasons for the Diamond Hogs.
Temperature around first pitch will be around 70 degrees in Fayetteville with mostly cloudy skies and winds are expected to be blowing south at up to 18 miles per hour.
Below are detail on how to watch Arkansas take on LSU, betting options via BetSaracen and the starting pitches for both teams:
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How to Watch/Listen
Who: No. 1 Arkansas Razorbacks (21-3, 6-1 SEC) vs. No. 8 LSU Tigers (20-7, 2-5 SEC)
When: Friday, March 29 at 7:00 p.m. CT
Where: Baum-Walker Stadium — Fayetteville, Arkansas
TV/Stream: SEC Network/Watch ESPN (Tom Hart and Kyle Peterson)
Radio: Learfield Razorback Sports Network (Phil Elson and Bubba Carpenter)
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BetSaracen Odds
Money Line
- Arkansas (+125)
- LSU (-145)
(Alternate lines, spreads, team totals and player props to be made available on the BetSaracen mobile app.)
(Lines and odds are subject to change at any point after the publishing of this story. HawgBeat does not guarantee any bet as a winner or loser. You must be at least 21 years of age to use BetSaracen. If you have a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit 1800gambler.net)
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Starting Lineups
Arkansas:Lineups to be posted 1 hour before first pitch.
SP: LHP Mason Molina (3-0, 2.57 ERA)
LSU:
Lineups to be posted 1 hour before first pitch.
SP: RHP Luke Holman (5-1, 0.78 ERA)
