Arkansas baseball live score updates vs. Oregon State: Hogs face Beavers in top-10 matchup

ARLINGTON, Texas — Arkansas baseball heads to Texas this weekend looking to make an early-season statement.

The No. 4 Razorbacks (3-1) will begin play in the Kubota College Baseball Series Friday night with a top-10 showdown against No. 7 Oregon State. Arkansas will close out the festivities with games against Oklahoma State and Michigan. All three games will be exclusively streamed on FloBaseball.

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The opener against the Beavers is filled with intriguing storylines. It's a rematch of the 2018 College World Series Final, where Arkansas lost in heartbreaking fashion. It's also a premier pitching matchup, with Hagen Smith hoping to get back on track and Oregon State's Aiden May looking to build off a solid first start.

Arkansas began the season by winning three out of four games against James Madison. Oregon State is undefeated, coming off a midweek win over No. 22 Texas Tech.

Below is a look at the schedule and pitching matchups, along with live updates from Arlington:

Arkansas baseball schedule at Kubota College Baseball Series

• Friday, Feb. 23: No. 4 Arkansas vs. No. 7 Oregon State, 7 p.m. CT, FloBaseball

• Saturday, Feb. 24: No. 4 Arkansas vs. Oklahoma State, 7 p.m. CT, FloBaseball

• Sunday, Feb. 25: No. 4 Arkansas vs. Michigan, 7 p.m. CT, FloBaseball

Probable pitchers for Arkansas baseball and opponents

Arkansas pitchers listed first

• Friday: Hagen Smith (0-0, 27.00 ERA) vs. Aiden May (1-0, 1.69)

• Saturday: Brady Tygart (1-0, 1.80) vs. Brian Holiday (0-0, 0.00)

• Sunday: Mason Molina (0-0, 4.91) vs. TBA

Arkansas baseball vs. Oregon State: Live score updates

Ninth Inning

• FINAL: No. 4 Arkansas 5, No. 7 Oregon State 4. Faherty gets the final out on a strikeout, stranding the tying run at third. The Hogs avoid wasting a brilliant start from Hagen Smith. What a fun start to the weekend.

• Oregon State gets a leadoff single and a sacrifice bunt. The tying runner is on 2nd, and Dave Van Horn is going back to the bullpen. It'll be Jake Faherty for Arkansas trying to get the final two outs.

Eighth Inning

• Arkansas can't scratch across another run. We head to the ninth with the Hogs leading 5-4. Gage Wood is back on the mound.

• Arkansas is back in front thanks to a two-out, RBI triple from Peyton Holt. Small ball worked perfectly for the Hogs in the inning, with Wehiwa Aloy reaching base on a hit by pitch and moving to second on a sacrifice bunt. Aloy did get 90 feet closer on a groundout to second, and Holt did the rest. There are now runners on the corners and two outs after another hit by pitch.

• Tie game. Mason Guerra demolished a two-run home run off Gage Wood to make it 4-4. Hagen Smith, despite a brilliant start, will get a no-decision tonight. The Beavers' offense has come to life in the two innings since Smith's departure.

Seventh Inning

• Will McEntire relieved Hagen Smith to start the inning, and Oregon State took advantage of the pitching change by scoring two runs. Arkansas leads 4-2.

Sixth Inning

• Hagen Smith recorded another two strikeouts to tie a school record, and Arkansas added to its lead with an RBI single by Jayson Jones. The Hogs now lead 4-0.

Fifth Inning

• Arkansas takes a 3-0 lead. The Hogs capitalize on May's sudden departure as Ben McLaughlin clears the bases with a double to right field. McLaughlin jumped on a first-pitch fastball with a 107.1 mph exit velocity. Hagen Smith finally has a lead to work with as we head to the sixth inning.

• Oregon State's Aiden May is leaving the game with an apparent injury. After throwing a ball to Kendall Diggs, May signaled for a mound visit before eventually leaving the field with the Oregon State trainer. Big spot to leave, with runners on first and second and just one out.

• Another three strikeout inning for Hagen Smith, which gives him 15 through five innings. It's reaching a point of absurdity. Arkansas' bats need to come to life and give their ace some support.

Fourth Inning

• Aiden May is matching Hagen Smith, setting Arkansas down in order in the bottom of the fourth. The Hogs have just two hits, and it's still 0-0.

• Oregon State got runners to first and second, but Hagen Smith worked out of the jam by striking out the side, again. Smith now has 12 strikeouts and it's still scoreless in Arlington.

Third Inning

• Ty Wilmsmeyer got the Hogs' first hit of the night, and Kendall Smith singled to put runners on first and third with one out, but Aiden May got out of the jam. Arkansas and Oregon State are still scoreless heading to the fourth inning.

• Three more strikeouts for Hagen Smith in the top of the third. Seven of the strikeouts have been on sliders. He's been dominant, but it's still 0-0.

Second Inning

• Nothing doing for either side in the second. Arkansas got a one-out walk from Jayson Jones, but Peyton Holt grounded into an inning-ending double play on the next pitch. Hagen Smith has six strikeouts already. Feels like we're headed for a real pitchers' duel.

First Inning

• Aiden May sets Arkansas down comfortably in the bottom of the first, working around a hit by pitch with two outs in the inning.

• What an electric start from Hagen Smith, who struck out the side and consistently reached 99 mph on the radar gun. Oregon State did get a drag-bunt single from Micah McDowell, but that was it for the Beavers.

Pre-Game Notes

• There's a sea of red inside Globe Life Field. Oregon State fans traveled well, but it's nothing compared to the Arkansas turn out. There were 'Hog Calls' beginning during the first game of the day between Oklahoma State and Michigan, which the Cowboys won 9-3.

• Not only does Friday night represent a matchup between two top-10 teams, but it's also a showdown between two elite MLB Draft prospects. According to ESPN, Oregon State's Travis Bazzana is the No. 2 ranked prospect for the 2024 draft, while Arkansas starting pitcher Hagen Smith is No. 30. Bazzana will leadoff for Oregon State Friday, giving fans an immediate look at the matchup.

• Below are the starting lineups for Oregon State and Arkansas. The Hogs are keeping Kendall Diggs in the leadoff spot after moving the right fielder to the top of the order for the series finale against James Madison. Freshman Ryder Helfrick will be the designated hitter after making just one start during last weekend's series against James Madison.

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Arkansas baseball score updates vs. Oregon State in top-10 matchup