Winning streak ends, but Arkansas baseball claims weekend SEC series against Auburn

A historic winning streak is over, but Arkansas baseball passed its first road test of the season. 

The No. 1 Razorbacks (19-3, 5-1 SEC) took two out of three from No. 24 Auburn this weekend, winning a pair of one-run games to open the series. The Tigers (15-8, 1-5) clawed back from a four-run deficit Saturday to avoid the sweep.

Prior to the loss, Arkansas had won 15 straight games, matching the second longest winning streak in the Dave Van Horn era.

Here are five observations from another winning weekend for the Hogs. 

Will McEntire might be the most important pitcher for Arkansas baseball

Hagen Smith is the ace. Brady Tygart is the x-factor and Mason Molina serves as a massive Sunday advantage, but no pitcher will throw in more high-leverage situations this season than Will McEntire.

McEntire pitched three critical innings as the Hogs secured wins in games one and two. He didn't give up a hit and struck out five batters, helping Arkansas shutout the Tigers Thursday night and picking up the save Friday.

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"He’s a veteran and Will is about the toughest guy on the team, so those are the things that help him out mentally," Arkansas pitching coach Matt Hobbs said.

McEntire holds a 1.57 ERA across 28 2/3 innings, which ranks second on the team in both categories. His ability to throw twice during an SEC weekend series is a massive boost for an already deep pitching staff.

Ryder Helfrick steals game two with big breakthrough

It's been a disappointing season for Helfrick, who received comparisons to James McCann during the offseason and was given every opportunity to find a place in the lineup as a true freshman. He proceeded to start his college career 2-for-19.

But Helfrick provided some required magic in game two, stepping to the plate in the top of the ninth and hitting a home run over the 37-foot high wall in left field that secured a 6-5 victory for the Hogs. Arkansas trailed 4-1 before the comeback win.

"I kind of blacked out," Helfrick said. "Once I got in the dugout, it was pretty cool. Everybody was going crazy. It’s definitely a fun environment. Won't forget that one for a while."

Helfrick started three of the first seven games, but he's had just eight at-bats in the last 14. Still, he's one of Arkansas' better defensive catchers and might have gotten the confidence boost he needed with a game-winning home run Friday night.

Bullpen lets go of the rope in series finale

For the first time all season, Arkansas couldn’t hold on to a multi-run advantage Saturday. Mason Molina gave up just one run over five innings as the starter, but Auburn tattooed the Arkansas bullpen. 

Cooper Dossett, Gabe Gaeckle and Colin Fisher combined to give up six runs in the bottom of the sixth. Auburn's Cooper McMurray provided the big blow with a three-run homer to left.

Gaeckle did get the save on Thursday night, but he was ineffective in his second appearance of the weekend.

Hagen Smith continues climb up the record books

Smith sits tied for fourth on the career strikeouts list at Arkansas with 261 after recording 12 punch outs across six scoreless innings in Thursday's series opener. Smith (4-0, 1.24 ERA) worked out of jams and stranded six runners on base as the Hogs earned a 1-0 victory.

At his current pace, Smith would pass Nick Schmidt and become Arkansas' all-time leader in strikeouts before the postseason. He has given up just one run across his last 28 innings.

Depth of lineup does enough

There is still room for improvement offensively, but Van Horn has to be happy with how many Hogs are contributing night-to-night.

Wehiwa Aloy hit a home run in the top of the first Thursday that proved to be the only run, while five different Razorbacks drove in one run in game two. In the series finale, Jared Sprague-Lott and Kendall Diggs combined for five RBIs.

Up Next

Arkansas hosts Little Rock Tuesday night before welcoming No. 4 LSU to Baum-Walker Stadium for a three-game series beginning Thursday.