FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — For the first time since the 2019 postseason, the Diamond Hogs will not be going to Omaha.
No. 3 national seed Arkansas fell 12-4 to TCU in the final of the Fayetteville Regional on Monday. It was the Hogs' second loss to the Horned Frogs this weekend and third loss to TCU this season, being outscored in the three games 50-15.
The exit marks Arkansas' first time not reaching the super-regional stage since 2017, also the last time the Razorbacks did not win a home regional, when they fell to Missouri State.
The Razorbacks held a 4-2 lead in the fifth, but TCU scored the final 10 runs of the game to send Arkansas home on a day where its bats only mustered three hits.
Arkansas finishes the season with a 43-18 record and a share of the SEC regular season title.
How it Happened
The Hogs, playing as the away team, took the lead immediately in the top of the first.
A hit by pitch for Tavian Josenberger, followed by walks to Jace Bohrofen and Jared Wegner loaded the bases with no outs.
Ben McLaughlin followed up with a sacrifice fly to left center, scoring Josenberger to give Arkansas its first lead over TCU of the weekend.
Arkansas, however, couldn't take further advantage of the opportunity. Kendall Diggs and Caleb Cali popped up to end the inning without any more runs on the board.
Cody Adcock got the start on the mound for Arkansas. Adcock got himself in trouble in the first, putting the first two runners on, but tallied two strikeouts and a ground out from Tre Richardson (TCU's 11 RBI hero from Sunday) to end the inning.
The second inning also saw TCU's first two batters get on after a base hit and hit by pitch. After a sac bunt moved them to third and second, Adcock's day was done.
Hagen Smith came on in relief after throwing 1.0+ innings against the Horned Frogs in the 20-5 loss Sunday. Smith gave up a 2-RBI single to Austin Davis that gave TCU a 2-1 lead, then earned two strikeouts to end the inning. With the two runs credited to Adcock, his final line was: 1.1 IP, 2 ER, 1 H, 1 HBP, 1 BB.
Apart from the quick run in the first, the Arkansas offense struggled to start the game. TCU starter Cam Brown settled in and tossed 1-2-3 innings in the third and fourth, keeping Arkansas without a hit through four innings.
Arkansas broke up the no-hitter in the fifth in a loud way.
After Joseberger's second walk of the game, Bohrofen lasered a two-run home run to center off the batters' eye -- a 427-foot blast that regave Arkansas the lead at 3-2.
Jared Wegner followed that up with a home run of his own, a solo shot to right field. The back-to-back jacks gave Arkansas a 4-2 advantage.
TCU would pull a run back in the bottom of the frame on a fielders' choice, but that was the only earned run for Smith.
Smith gave Arkansas a much-needed outing, tossing 3.2 innings with one earned run and six strikeouts.
The Horned Frogs' took advantage of Smith's exit in the sixth inning. Zack Morris came on for Smith to start the inning, but allowed a leadoff single and then a 2-run home run to Davis, TCU's 9-hole hitter, that put the Horned Frogs back in front 5-4.
Brayden Taylor later grounded into what seemed to be the final out of the inning, but an error from Cali at second base extended the inning. The Horned Frogs didn't let the opportunity go to waste, with Cole Fontenelle singling through the right side to make it a 6-4 game.
TCU added an insurance run in the seventh as Kurtis Byrne sent a solo home run to right center.
Arkansas' offense meanwhile struggled to produce after the two home runs in the fifth, going down 1-2-3 in the seventh and eighth innings.
TCU then added five more runs in the bottom of the eighth to put the game out of reach and punch their ticket to super regionals where the Horned Frogs will face Indiana State.