BASEBALL
SEC TV schedule features 10 Arkansas games
The University of Arkansas will have 10 baseball games televised during the 2023 regular season, according to the SEC's TV schedule announced Tuesday.
All of the Razorbacks' series at LSU on March 24-26 will be televised on ESPN2 or SEC Network, and Arkansas will have its series opener and series finale against Texas A&M televised by SEC Network from April 27-29 at Baum-Walker Stadium.
Other Arkansas games scheduled to be televised are the series finale at home against Alabama on April 2; the series finale at Ole Miss on April 8; the series opener against Tennessee at home on April 14; the series opener at Georgia on April 20; and the second game of the Mississippi State series on May 6.
Most of the Razorbacks' non-televised games are expected to be streamed in some capacity, but two games will not be televised or streamed this season.
The March 10 series opener against Louisiana Tech in Fayetteville will not be streamed due to scheduling conflicts with the Razorbacks' softball and gymnastics teams, which also compete on campus the same day.
A news release from Arkansas' athletics department cites "SEC Network obligations as well as an SEC softball game and the new mandated softball replay requirements" as reasons for the decision for no baseball streaming that day, and adds there are no additional ways to show the game because the broadcast rights for home games are owned by SEC Network.
The Razorbacks' annual game in North Little Rock -- this year against Lipscomb on May 2 -- will not be shown, consistent with recent broadcast decisions made for home games played away from campus.
With the exception of the first Louisiana Tech game, all of Arkansas' on-campus games are expected to be available via SEC Network-Plus on the ESPN app. The Razorbacks' away conference games will be available through the same streaming platform.
Arkansas is scheduled to play three games at the College Baseball Showdown -- once against Texas, TCU and Oklahoma State from Feb. 17-19 -- on FloSports, a subscription streaming service that offers monthly rates.
-- Matt Jones
GAC honors Cancilla, Pintarich
University of Arkansas at Monticello first baseman Cade Cancilla was named the Great American Conference's Player of the Week on Tuesday, while Arkansas Tech University pitcher Gerald Pintarich was named the conference's co-pitcher of the week with Southeastern Oklahoma State's Cole Canuteson.
Cancilla helped the Boll Weevils begin a season 3-0 for the first time since 2015 by hitting .556 in a sweep of Mississippi College. He scored three runs and hit a grand slam in the ninth inning of Friday's 7-1 season-opening victory, then went 4 for 4 with 2 runs scored anad 3 RBI in a 4-2 victory in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader.
Pintarich picked up the victory in relief and helped preserve Arkansas Tech's shutout in a 5-0 victory over Chico State on Friday in the Houston Invitational at Minute Maid Park. Pintarich pitched four innings, striking out the side in the fourth and fifth innings, while compiling nine strikeouts. He scattered three hits, all singles, and walked one.
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
El Dorado hires Hill as head coach
The El Dorado School Board on Tuesday unanimously approved the hiring of Chris Hill to serve as the next senior high head coach at El Dorado.
Hill is currently the head coach at Sylvan Hills, where he has been since 2020. He succeeds Steven Jones, who resigned from El Dorado on Nov. 18.
Prior to joining Sylvan Hills, Hill was the offensive coordinator at Harding University. He's also coached at Wynne, Bossier Parish (La.) Parkway, Ashdown, Van Buren and Morrilton.
– El Dorado News-Times
COLLEGE ATHLETICS
UALR launches NIL marketplace with Opendorse
The University of Arkansas-Little Rock announced an enhanced partnership with Opendorse, a marketplace connecting student-athletes to fans, brands and sponsors to establish Name, Image and Likeness opportunities.
"To be the first Ohio Valley Conference school to secure this additional opportunity and platform for our student-athletes further shows our commitment to providing the best resources possible for our student-athletes while ensuring they remain in compliance," UALR Athletic Director George Lee said in a statement."
The Trojans have worked with Opendorse since 2022, but student-athletes will now be able to create a customized profile in order to help identify potential partnerships.
-- Mitchell Gladstone
TRACK AND FIELD
Arkansas 1,600-relay team earns national, SEC honors
After winning the 1,600-meter relay at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic last weekend, the University of Arkansas was honored by the USTFCCCA as its national athlete of the week Tuesday.
The world-leading time of 3 minutes, 1.09 seconds trails only a time of 3:00.77 by Southern California at the 2018 NCAA Indoor meet on the all-time collegiate and world lists. It bettered the school record of 3:03.18 set last year.
Arkansas' relay crew included Connor Washington (46.61), James Benson II (44.82), Ayden Owens-Delerme (45.34) and Chris Bailey (44.32). They were also honored as the SEC runners of the week.
Razorbacks sweep weekly honors
In addition to the 1,600-meter relay team being honored by the SEC on Tuesday, Arkansas' Jordan West was named the conference's field athlete of the week and Jaydon Hibbert earned freshman of the week honors.
West set a career best of 66 feet, 5.76 inches to win the shot put at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic. He led the field through four rounds and had three consecutive throws of 65 feet, 10.5 inches. Hibbert, who competed in the triple jump for the first time, established a collegiate leading mark of 54 feet, 10.75 inches.
Fassold earns conference honor
University of Arkansas pole vaulter Amanda Fassold earned SEC co-field athlete of the week honors Tuesday.
Fassold improved her indoor career best to 14 feet, 10.75 inches at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic. That places her at No. 12 on the all-time collegiate list, where she joins four other Razorbacks, and No. 10 on the American collegiate list.
Fassold bettered her previous personal record of 14 feet, 7.25 inches by clearing 14 feet, 8.75 inches before her winning leap.
-- Democrat-Gazette Press Services