Baum-Walker drowns out Bulldogs’ chirps
With each inning Mississippi State’s dugout got louder Sunday.
The SEC Network broadcast couldn’t completely disguise it.
It started in the first inning, but after the Bulldogs scored five in the second inning it became a chorus of chirps.
After three innings Arkansas trailed 6-0 and Baum-Walker Stadium was quiet.
The Razorbacks had trailed by that large of a margin only one other time this season, and to make it worse it seemed their bats had taken their finals and gone home.
In their previous four outings they had averaged less than five runs per game.
Maybe it was the chirping, but in the fourth inning the Razorbacks seemed to be more focused, more intense at bat and that made the game a little more compelling.
Arkansas got one in the bottom of the forth and the crowd started to come to life, but the chirping didn’t stop.
The Hogs added three in the fifth and the crowd was into it and the chirping was drowned out.
Of course, Arkansas went on to win 9-6 to bring its overall record to 42-10 overall and 19-8 in SEC play with a series at Texas A&M to finish the season this weekend.
The Aggies trail the Hogs by two games in the race for the SEC West title. Kentucky has the best record at 20-7 and will finish the season hosting Vanderbilt while Tennessee is also in the race at 19-8 and a series with South Carolina left.
★★★
There will be a meet-andgreet fundraiser from 6:309:00 p.m. on Thursday night for new Arkansas-Pine Bluff women’s basketball Coach Erica Leak at Agasi 7 Rooftop Bar and Kitchen, 322 Rock Street in Little Rock.
A native of Wheatley, Lane played high school ball at Palestine-Wheatley and collegiately at Louisiana Tech, where she made all-conference all four years and played in four NCAA Tournaments.
She started her coaching career at Forrest City before moving to West Memphis.
She was announced by UAPB Athletic Director Chris Robinson as the Golden Lions’ new coach late last month.
With her charm and personality she definitely won the news conference.
★★★
There was a time that sports wanted little to do with Las Vegas because of the gambling.
UNLV survived because it was a state school.
Now the oasis in the desert is becoming one of the biggest sports cities in the United States because of the wealth created by gambling.
It isn’t official, yet, but apparently the 2027 College Football Playoff National Championship will be played there.
Vegas would be the 11th site to host a CFP title game and only the fourth in the Western part of the country, joining Los Angeles, Phoenix and the Bay Area with that honor. The 2025 game will be in Atlanta and the 2026 game in Miami.
★★★
The annual fun in the sun golf tournament, known as the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame Celebrity Golf Tournament, will be Monday, June 24 at Chenal Country Club.
There are morning and afternoon flights and each team will be joined by an Arkansas Sports Hall of Famer.
The event is usually like a family reunion as inductees from every college and most high schools get together to recall games.
For more information go to arksportshalloffame.com or call 501-313-4158.
The purpose of the ASHOF is to honor and preserve the history of individuals and teams who have brought honor, prestige and fame to the state of Arkansas through outstanding achievement, accomplishments and contributions in amateur and professional sports, and also encourage and promote higher education through the funding of scholarships to deserving student-athletes.
The ASHOF currently awards 10 scholarships each year.