The Mississippi State Bulldogs even the series against the Arkansas Razorbacks with an 8-5 win. Once again, the Bulldog offense threatened in the first inning, but they delivered this time as the Razorbacks struggled to find the zone.
The first two batters reached on a walk, and Dakota Jordan hit an infield single to load the bases. Hunter Hines grounded into a double play, but a run scored.
Amani Larry extended the lead with a two-run home run just over the left-field wall. State would add another run in the second after a Jordan RBI walk.
Jurrangelo Cijntje drew the start for MSU, and he was not sharp as he ran into trouble in the second and third. After a two-out walk, Peyton Stovall drove a ball to deep center field, but a great catch by Jordan at the wall ended the inning.
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The sophomore outfielder continued his excellent day with a two-run home run to extend the Bulldog lead to 6-0. Logan Kohler joined the home run party as he smashed another two-run home run in the fourth.
Arkansas scored its first runs of the game in the fourth after a walk, a single, and a throwing error. However, Cijntje avoided further damage, and the Bulldogs led 8-2 after four.
Stovall smashed a two-run home run in the fifth to chase Cijntie. He worked 4.1 innings and gave up four runs and two earned runs.
Cam Schuelke relieved Cijntje and got a pair of outs without giving up a run. Brooks Auger took over on the mound for MSU to start the sixth inning.
The Razorbacks got a run back on a sacrifice fly off of Auger. The Louisiana native did not allow another run as he pitched two scoreless innings before handing the ball to Tyler Davis in the ninth.
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The lefty closed the game out and secured the win for the Bulldogs. State needed to win one game this weekend, and they have, but they have a chance to take the series tomorrow at 2 p.m. CT on SEC Network.
Arkansas football has extended an offer to a 2028 in-state prospect.
Running back Kentz Brown, 6-0 and 210 pounds, of Dumas received the offer from running backs coach Kolby Smith on Tuesday.
“Pure excitement,” Brown said of his reaction to the offer. “I was home watching football with my family. It’s a great way to close out the year and welcome the new year. Coach Kolby Smith asked that I call and my family was able to witness the conversation. I grew up watching the Razorbacks and always dreamed of the opportunity. I’m extremely grateful and overwhelmed with joy about this opportunity.”
He is the half-brother of former Dumas and UNLV running back Kylin James. He previously received offers from Ole Miss and Central Arkansas.
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In five games with the freshman team, Brown rushed for 1,179 yards and 14 touchdowns.
He is the first 2028 in-state prospect to receive an offer from Arkansas.
The 2025 NBA Draft class is shaping up be one of the best in years, led largely by its crop of talented guards.
One that flew under the radar prior to the season, but is beginning to make waves, is Arkansas’ Boogie Fland. At a slightly-undersized 6-foot-2, he may very well be the most complete true point guard in the class at the moment, showing scoring prowess, elite passing and plenty of defensive potential.
In a 30-point blowout of Oakland Monday, Fland was again spectacular, adding a team-high 22 points, six assists to zero turnovers and two rebounds. He didn’t see a block or steal, but was able to shoot a blistering 5-for-8 from beyond the arc, in addition to efficiency within it. It seems all season the freshman guard has been able to help Arkansas to wins, a rare trait for a college newcomer, even a four-star.
On the season, he’s added 15.3 points, 6.2 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.8 steals for the Razorbacks. Even those who knew of Fland’s talent going into the season likely weren’t expecting lottery-level numbers, but that’s exactly what he’s put up thus far. His near-3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio has especially been eye-catching.
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While lead guards aren’t in high demand in the NBA at the moment, Fland is making a great case for team’s to draft him in the late-lottery if they’re in need of a steady ball handler.
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FAYETTEVILLE — The Arkansas Razorbacks (11-2, 0-0 SEC) notched a 92-62 win over the Oakland Golden Grizzlies (4-10, 1-2 Horizon) on Monday night in their final tuneup before conference play starts.
Coming out of an extended break after the Christmas holiday, Arkansas looked sluggish and disjointed in the first half. The Hogs turned the ball over nine times in the first 20 minutes and they gave up 30 points in the paint to the Golden Grizzlies.
As the Razorbacks have done many times this season, they pulled away in the second half. A big part of that was the play of Boogie Fland, who scored just one point in the first but exploded for 23 in the second.
Arkansas also got a full-scale effort from Adou Thiero, who had 20 points in the game and tacked on six assists, six rebounds, two blocks and three steals.
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The non conference slate has now come to a close and the gauntlet of the Southeastern Conference schedule starts Saturday against No. 1 Tennessee. Here’s some of HawgBeat’s takeaways from Monday’s win…