UA lefties earn conference honors

Arkansas pitcher Hagen Smith earned SEC pitcher of the week honors Monday for his historic performance during the Razorbacks’ 5-4 victory over Oregon State.

Smith, a junior lefthander, struck out 17 batters during a 78-pitch, 6-inning start against the seventh-ranked Beavers at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. He tied Jess Todd’s 17-year-old program record for strikeouts in a single game and did so in 40 fewer pitches than Todd threw against South Carolina at the 2007 SEC Tournament.

Smith did it against an Oregon State lineup considered to be one of college baseball’s best. The Beavers are averaging 9.4 runs per game and have struck out just 59 times in their other 7 games.

Smith struck out Travis Bazzana, Oregon State’s second baseman who is the No. 3 draft prospect in college baseball, three times in 12 pitches.

Arkansas left-handed pitcher Colin Fisher also earned SEC weekly honors as he was named co-freshman of the week Monday.

Fisher pitched 7 1/3 innings between games against James Madison and Oklahoma State in his first two outings as a Razorback. Fisher did not allow an earned run, but the Cowboys scored the game-winning run against him unearned in the 14th inning of a 2-1 decision Saturday at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.

Fisher pitched 2 1/3 innings against the Cowboys, struck out 6 and allowed 2 hits and 1 walk.

Against James Madison last Monday, Fisher threw five shutout innings in his college debut.

Fisher shared freshman of the week honors with Florida pitcher Liam Peterson. Peterson struck out 13 in seven innings over a pair of outings for the Gators.