Resident News Network

NCAA Softball Fayetteville Regional Starts Today

Sports

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2:54 pm

NCAA Softball Fayetteville Regional Starts Today

FAYETTEVILLE- The Arkansas Razorbacks softball program will again host the NCAA Tournament this weekend. The Fayetteville regional will start at 5 p.m. and will continue through Sunday.

The schedule for the Fayetteville regional is as follows (all times are Eastern time):

Friday, May 19

GAME 1: Notre Dame vs Oregon, 5 p.m. (ESPN 2)

GAME 2: Arkansas vs Harvard, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN+)

Tournament is double elimination, and the losers on Friday will play on Saturday to stay alive in the tournament.

Saturday, May 20

GAME 3: Winner of Game 1 vs Winner of Game 2, 2:30 p.m. (ESPN+)

GAME 4: Loser Game 1 vs Loser Game 2, 5:30 p.m. (ESPN+)

GAME 5: Winner Game 4 vs Loser Game 3, 8 p.m. (ESPN+)

Sunday, May 21

GAME 6: Winner Game 3 vs Winner Game 5, 2 p.m. (ESPN+)

GAME 7 (If Necessary): Rematch of Game 6, 4:30 p.m. (ESPN+)

Hogs Win at Vanderbilt: One Game Away From At Least a Share of SEC Title

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Resident News Network

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1:57 pm

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Hogs Win at Vanderbilt: One Game Away From At Least a Share of SEC Title

NASHVILLE, TN– No. 2 Arkansas (39-13, 20-8 SEC) put up a four-spot in the top half of the first inning and never looked back, sinking No. 12 Vanderbilt (35-17, 17-11 SEC), 8-2, on Thursday night at Hawkins Field.

With the win, Arkansas moved one step closer to clinching an SEC regular-season championship. The Razorbacks can secure at least a share of the title tomorrow with a win against the Commodores or if Florida loses at Kentucky.

The Razorbacks also earned their 20th SEC win of the season on Thursday night. It marks just the fourth time that Arkansas has won 20 or more SEC games since 1992, the team’s first season competing in the SEC.

All nine Arkansas batters came to the plate in the top of the first inning as the Hogs tagged Commodore starter Patrick Reilly for four runs on one hit, four walks, one hit batsman and two errors in the frame. A pair of runs scored on a two-out error by Vanderbilt second baseman RJ Austin before Brady Slavens’ massive two-out, two-run shot to right.

Slavens’ blast, his ninth of the season and 39th of his Razorback career, gave Arkansas a comfortable 4-0 cushion in the first inning. The ball traveled 398 feet and left Slavens’ bat at 105 miles per hour, clearing the right field wall in a hurry.

Caleb Cali’s two-out RBI single in the second extended Arkansas’ lead to 5-0. Peyton Holt’s two-out single in the fourth brought home two more runs as the Hogs took advantage of one of Vanderbilt’s four errors to open a 7-0 edge.

On the mound, starter Hagen Smith made the most of the early run support. The left-hander, who improved to 8-1 with the win, spun five innings of two-run ball with seven strikeouts before turning the ball over to Will McEntire.

The veteran righty took over in the bottom of the sixth with a 7-2 lead to protect and did exactly that. McEntire struck out six over four scoreless innings, allowing just one hit in a dominant relief effort to earn his second save of the season.

Arkansas’ eighth and final run of the ballgame came via a two-out wild pitch in the top of the seventh, which allowed Holt to scamper home from third. Six of the Razorbacks’ eight runs in Thursday night’s win were scored with two outs.

Holt finished with a team-leading three hits, recording his second three-hit game of the season. Cali and Slavens each drove in a team-leading two runs, while Jared Wegner played in his first game since April 14 and scored two runs.

Right-hander Brady Tygart will get the start on the mound tomorrow as the Hogs look to clinch both a series win as well as their fourth regular-season conference championship in history. First pitch is 7 p.m. Friday, May 19, on SEC Network.

For complete coverage of Arkansas baseball, follow the Hogs on Twitter (@RazorbackBSB), Instagram (@RazorbackBSB) and Facebook (Arkansas Razorback Baseball).

– ArkansasRazorbacks.com || On Twitter @ArkRazorbacks || Facebook.com/ArkansasRazorbacks

Note to Our Readers: The previous story was sourced directly and its entirety from the University of Arkansas Office of Communications, Oliver Grigg.

Guardians of the Flame

News

Tammy Teague

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3:18 am

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By Brandy Young

The “Flame of Hope” made its way across Logan County on Wednesday, May 17. The Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Arkansas is a four-day relay that covers more than 1200 miles and includes over 700 runners, eventually bringing the flame to the Opening Ceremonies of the Sumer Games on May 18. It is the largest awareness vehicle for Special Olympics, and Logan County Chief Deputy and Magazine Mayor Josh Scott is proud to spearhead this event.

“The main goal is to raise awareness for our athletes in Logan County,” said Scott, who was instrumental in bringing the run to the area. Magazine, Booneville, and Paris Police Departments and the Logan County Sherriff’s Office participated in the Torch Run this year, and Scott hopes to grow the event to include the Arkansas State Police and the Arkansas Game and Fish Wildlife Officers in the future.

Participants from the Booneville Human Development Center start this year’s Torch Run.

This year’s Logan County Torch Run was kicked-off by the staff and clients of the Booneville Human Development Center and continued in the City of Magazine, Mount Magazine State Park, and the City of Paris. At each location, crowds cheered on the participants to show their support for the athletes and officers.

Magazine School Pre-K students cheer on the runners.

The Special Olympics Arkansas Summer Games are held each year at Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas. The event brings together over 2,000 athletes and 500 coaches from across the state. The Summer Games features competition in athletics, bocce, flag football, powerlifting, swimming and team softball. Every race, every game, and every competition held at the Summer Games represents many weeks of training, preparation and dedication by the athletes, coaches, and volunteers.

This year’s Summer Games take place on May 19-20 following the Opening Ceremonies on May 18. Good luck to all of the athletes!

Arrest Reports 5/7

Police Reports

Tammy Teague

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10:58 pm

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Arresting agency – Greenwood Police Department:
Sherry Lea Adams of Mansfield was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on May 12 at 9:15 a.m. and remains at the SCADC. Adams was charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Misdemeanor, and Driving While Intoxicated 3rd offense.

Ricky Steven Gaines of Van Buren was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on May 9 at 12:23 a.m. and released on legally sufficient bond May 9 at 9:12 a.m. Gaines was charged with Endangering the Welfare of a Minor in the Second Degree, and Driving While Intoxicated 1st Offense.

Kent Gustin of Fort Smith was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on May 13 at 9:04 p.m. and remains at the SCADC as a parole hold with charges. Gustin was charged with Parole Violation,

Kent Gustin of Fort Smith was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on May 13 at 9:04 p.m. and remains at the SCADC as a parole hold with charges. Gustin was charged with Parole Violation, Absconding, Possession of Controlled Substance – Schedule VI Misdemeanor <4oz., and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Ingest Meth/Cocaine.

Kenneth Wayne Slusher of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on May 8 at 12:57 p.m. and released on legally sufficient bond May 12 at 11:22 p.m. Slusher was charged with Failure to Appear – Class A Misdemeanor, and failure to Appear – Class C Misdemeanor.

Ivy Lakota Smith of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on May 8 at 1 p.m. and remains at the SCADC. Smith was charged with two counts of Failure to Appear – Class C Felony.

Arresting agency – Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office:
Courtney Wanda Bridges of Paris was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on May 12 at 2:56 p.m. and released on legally sufficient bond May 12 at 4:32 p.m. Bridges was charged with Theft of Property <$1k.

Scottie Don Graham of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on May 9 at 12:26 a.m. and remains at the SCADC. Graham was charged with Driving While Intoxicated 2nd offense.

Zachary Troy Mason of Booneville was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on May 8 at 11:18 a.m. and released on legally sufficient bond May 11 at 8:37 p.m. Mason was charged with Failure to Appear – Class C Felony.

Justen Robert Reynolds of Lavaca was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on May 9 at 2:56 p.m. and released on May 9 at 8:37 p.m. Reynolds was charged with Petition to Show Cause.

Deborah Jean Penix of Lavaca was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on May 10 at 2:33 p.m. and remains at the SCADC as an ADC commitment hold.

Brandon Stone of Booneville was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on May 11 at 4:06 p.m. and remains at the SCADC without bond. Stone was charged as an ADC commitment hold.

Johnnie Lee Witt of Huntington was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on May 17 at 9:55 a.m. and is scheduled to be released May 19 at 9:40 a.m. Witt was charged with Contempt-willful disobedience (Failure to Pay Fine).

Arresting agency – Fort Smith Police Department:
Thomas Robert Capo of Booneville was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on May 11 at 10:42 p.m. and released on legally sufficient bond May 16 at 8:30 p.m. Capo was charged with Possession of Controlled Substance – Schedule I/II 2-28g Felony, and Possession Drug Paraphernalia – Felony.

Daniel John Qualls of Hackett was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on May 13 at 1:46 a.m. and released on signature bond May 13 at 12:19 p.m. Qualls was charged with Public Intoxication – Danger to self or others.

Bradley Scott Willbanks of Booneville was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on May 10 at 2:53 p.m. and released to an outside agency on May 10 at 11:54 a.m. Willbanks was charged with Assist Outside Agency-Felony, Assist Outside Agency-Misd., and Public Intoxication – Danger to self or others.

Arresting agency – Hackett Police Department:
Cassie Marie Chancellor of Ozark was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on May 11 at 8:24 p.m. and released on legally sufficient bond May 12 at 4:37 p.m. Chancellor was charged with Possession Drug Paraphernalia – Felony, and Possession of Cocaine <2g.

Arresting agency – Arkansas State Police Troop H:
Caylee Garner of Subiaco was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on May 7 at 2:27 a.m. and released on legally sufficient bond May 7 at 4:49 a.m. Garner was charged with Driving While Intoxicated 2nd offense, and Improper Lane Change/Usage/Left of Center.

Arresting agency – Bonanza Police Department:
Staci Leann Neu of Bonanza was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on May 12 at 1:32 p.m. and released on legally sufficient bond May 13 at 1:27 p.m. Neu was charged with Failure to Appear – Class C Felony.

Arresting agency – Barling Police Department:
Matthew Ryan Romero of Magazine was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on May 12 at 9:03 p.m. and released to an outside agency on May 14 at 7:09 a.m. Romero was charged with Assist Outside Agency-Misd.

Arresting agency – Logan County Sheriff’s Office:
April Page, 28 of Joshua, TX, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on May 10 at 5:38 p.m. Page was charged with failure to appear.

Zachary Hatton, 31 of Booneville, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on May 11 at 9:08 p.m. Hatton was charged with failure to appear and failure to pay.

Ryder Wheat, 33 of Booneville, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on May 12 at 2:20 p.m. Wheat was charged with body attachment.

Peggy Goudy, 44 of Booneville, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on May 13 at 8:02 p.m. Goudy was charged with failure to pay.

**The charges against those arrested are allegations and the cases are still pending in the courts.**

After the State Championship 2022 Season, Charleston Facing Rebuilding Year in 2023

Sports

Resident News Network

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8:46 pm

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After the State Championship 2022 Season, Charleston Facing Rebuilding Year in 2023

The 2022 season was a historic season for the Charleston Tigers football program that Tigers fans will never forget. A large and talented senior class led the Tigers to just a few points shy of going undefeated, annihilated everyone in their path in the state playoffs on their way to the state title.

But as fun as that was, 2022 is over, and for head football coach Ricky May and his staff, the rebuilding process started in mid-December and continues now into spring football practice.

The heavy graduation of the seniors on last season’s team have left the program with a very young and inexperienced roster for 2023. Make no mistake, there is talent on this team, but most of them have not played a down of varsity football.

And with all of the success next season’s team had in junior high, playing at the senior high level is a completely different game. Charleston has always faced a long history of opposing teams circling them on their schedules and playing their best games against the Tigers. It is something that Charleston players know and have understood over the years. But coming off of last year’s state title, it is assured that all of Charleston’s common opponents from last year will be out to even the score this year against the Tigers.

And that factor will begin early in the schedule next fall with the traditional tough non-conference portion of their schedule. It will be important, regardless of the outcome of those non-conference games, for the Tigers to emerge as injury-free as possible before they begin conference play for another spot in the state playoffs. It will be a little like the 2019 season where Coach Ricky May, in his first season as head coach, faced a slew of injuries that decimated his team. He did a masterful job that year keeping the team together in his first season and getting players ready for conference play. The Tigers made the playoffs that year and that will again be the goal in 2023.

The 2019 team was more experienced going into the season that year than the 2023 team will be, but the 2019 team quickly started racking up the injuries, even before the season started that year. In fact, as good as last year’s Tigers were in winning a state championship, the 2019 season, in my opinion, may have been Coach May’s best job of coaching and managing his team to date.

RNN Sports was on campus earlier in the week to observe and photograph the day’s spring practice workout at Alumni Stadium. The Tigers coaches are excellent teachers, and I observed a lot of that taking place, especially in the early portion of the practice. The practice, with players dressed in pads, gradually picked up in intensity with a short, two-minute style scrimmage held in the final period of the practice.

Each team is different, and the culture of each team is equally different. The senior class that graduated in 2022 had a reputation of “bringing it” every day in practice, and especially on game days. I don’t recall Charleston coaches having to motivate them much to play hard, fast, and continuously on every down. That, in my opinion, is in part what made them state champions.

But as is the case with a lot of programs that are coaching kids coming up from junior high to play senior high ball for the first year, the intensity and speed of both practices and games are different to the young players. Openly, I observed that this may be a young group of Tigers that may have to learn and make the step-up to senior high level intensity. I believe they most certainly will. The championship culture at Charleston will motivate them, and the coaching staff will certainly push them.

After the day’s workout, I asked Coach May for any comments he may have on this team and where they stand at this early point in spring practice. Coach May responded by saying, “We are struggling right now. A lot of youth and inexperience in a lot of key spots right now. We have had a few bright spots to build on.”

Coach May and his excellent staff of assistant coaches will have the Tigers ready to play in Week One of the 2023 season, and it is my opinion that the team may struggle a little bit early against a tough, 4A non-conference schedule, but I believe Tigers fans will see their team improve each week during conference play and be in the running for a state playoff berth at the end of the regular season.

If you have not already done so, more pictures from the Tigers’ spring practice are available now on Facebook at Charleston Tigers Sports.

Spring practices will continue for this week until summer workouts begin around May 31. Charleston will host football camps at Alumni Field starting in June. Stay with RNN Sports for the latest on Charleston football this summer and into the fall 2023 season!

2023 Scott County Rodeo Royalty

Networks

Tammy Teague

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5:45 pm

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The 2023 Scott County Rodeo Royalty Pageant will be held at the Scott County Rodeo Arena on June 1 at 6 p.m. The following are the pageant contestants:

Buckaroo Contestants:
Paisley Jo Jeffrey
Paisley is the 3 year old daughter of Brandy Jeffrey of Waldron, AR. Her favorite color is pink
and her favorite animal is the horse. Currently, her favorite hobby is going to tumbling class.
Paisley hopes to work at the vet clinic someday like her mama. When asked about participating
in the rodeo pageant last year, she confidently answered that her favorite part was…. “the
popsicles.” Her pony Tina Turner agrees.
Cora Bohanan:
Cora is the 3 year old daughter of Kyle and Malena Bohanan of Waldron, AR. Cora loves to start
the weekend with pink pancakes with sprinkles and chocolate milk on Saturday mornings. She
loves riding and petting her horses, June and Pinto Bean. Her favorite pastimes area splashing
in the creek and mud puddles, feeding all of her animals and shopping with mommy.
Aubree Cox
Aubree is the 4 year old daughter of Colton and Hannah Cox of Charleston, AR. She has 2 dogs,
Doz and Augie and a horse named Magic. She attends Branch Church of Christ in Branch.
Aubree loves to play outside in the mud with her dogs.
Levi Parnell
Levi is the 1 year old son of Victoria and Jesse Parnell of Vandervoort, AR. He loves playing in
the mud, feeding his goats, chickens and cows. He also enjoys helping his mom and gram plant
the garden and flowers. He also enjoys riding the tractor with his dad and riding horses with his
Aunt Maggie.
Little Miss Contestants:Dallie Mathews
Dallie is the 8 year old daughter of Buck and Anne Mathews of Waldron, AR. She not only loves
barrel racing, team penning and roping but also playing softball. She has 3 horses, Salty, George
and her main stick Brandy. If she’s not riding or playing softball she is definitely pestering her
little sister Clancy! Dallie is sponsored by Mathews Custom Meats in Waldron, AR.
Callie Myers
Callie is the 8 year old daughter of BJ and Beth Myers of Waldron, AR. Callie is an active
member of Westark Horse Show Association and was the pony all around High point champion
for 2022. She attends Waldron Elementary School. She enjoys riding her horses and raising
corgis. When she grows up she wants to be a teacher. Callie is sponsored by her parents, BJ & Beth Myers.
Layla Willson
Layla is the 7 year daughter of Ronnie and LaTisha Willson of Mansfield, AR. She loves riding
horses with her mom and brother. She also enjoys gymnastics and softball. She lives on a farm
and like to help do farm chores, especially helping her mom with her beehives. Layla is sponsored by Saddle Up Tack Shop in Greenwood, AR and Steven Layne Properties, LLC in Mansfield, AR.
Rockie Moore
Rockie is the 8 year old daughter of Travis and Crystal Moore of Waldron, AR. She rides her
horse almost daily and is responsible for the care of her horse Socks. Her hobbies include
spending time in the barn with “Socks” and mini cow “Luna”. She plays basketball and softball,
but her favorite times are playdays and rodeos. Her dream is to be a farmer raising cattle and
horses. Rockie is sponsored by her aunt, Beverly Rush.

Princess Contestants:
Julia Skulman
Julia is the 12 year old daughter of Rob and Shirley Skulman of Fort Smith, AR. She is an honor
roll student and cheerleader at Chaffin Middle School in Fort Smith. She also plays basketball,
tumbles and rides horses. Julia’s connection to Scott County runs deep on her mother’s side of
the family. Her great-great grandfather, Tom Gray, was the mayor of Waldron for 15 years and
is remembered as a kind, gentleman citizen. He and his wife, Beulah attended the Methodist
church with their many children and grandchildren. Julia’s great grandfather is the late I.T.
“Buddy” Gray, and her late grandmother is Helen Rawlings Gray. Their eldest daughter, Lois
Gray Wade, is her only living grandparent. Further Scott County roots extends to Dutch Creek
where her late grandfather Jerry Wade is the son of Gladden and Ocia Wade. Julia’s paternal
grandparents are the late Walt and Delores Skulman of Ozark. Julia has a special bond with
horses since she was a toddler and always dreamed of owning a horse. Christmas Eve, 2021,
was when her dream came true and her parents found a beautiful, sweet palomino, Pistolena
Chic, who needed a little girl. You’ll often find Julia not only riding Chic, but grooming her,
playing with her and just chilling out laying across her back as if Chic was a lounge chair! These
two just seem to trust and completely get each other. Julia and Chic participate in the Royal J
Legends, the Greenwood Roundup Club, Stigler Oklahoma Round Up Club, A-OK barrel racing, Lavaca Southern Fringe barrel series and other rodeo and barrel events in western Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma. Julia is sponsored by Carly & Company in Fort Smith, AR.
Camryn Huschka
Cami is the 13 yr old daughter of Ryan and Hilary Huschka of Dayton, AR. She is excited to be a
member of the Scott County Rodeo Royalty this year. Cami is new to horses and has been riding
for 2 years. She is very proud of her horse, Tortilla. Tortilla is a 5 year old Cayuse Indian horse.
Cami enjoys spending her free time working her horses, volunteering for Urban Acres Horse
Sanctuary and trail riding. Cami is sponsored by Urban Acres Horse Sanctuary and trail riding. She is also sponsored by Sebastian Interiors, Milltown Valley Meats, Chaffee Nutrition, Saddle Up Tack shop, Greenwood Air, Leaonette’s Style Shop, Chance Howard Farrier Services, Pure Country Bling, 71 Express, Mama’s Log Cabin, MadHappy Designs, Greenwood Nutrition Den, Heidi Wubbels, Big Red Realty, ENJAY Livestock, Ralls Family, Alicia Kirkpatrick, Grandma Rox & Hot Dottie.
Grace Shrum
Grace is 11 year old daughter of Ericka and Nate Shrum of Mansfield, AR and Candace and
Brock Grouse. She enjoys playing with her cousins, riding horses, hog hunting, playing softball,
basketball and swimming. Her favorite holiday is the 4th of July. When she grows up she wants
to be a teacher. A fun fact about her is she has 34 first cousins. Grace is sponsored by RB Transport in Waldron, AR and Brent Mays Pumping in Mansfield.
Brenlei Mirus
Brenlei is the 14 year old daughter of Kayla Walston of Hatfield, AR and James Mirus of
Mountainburg, AR. She will be a freshman at Mena High School this fall. Brenlei enjoys riding
horses, hanging out with friends and family and showing animals. Her future goals are to go to
college to become a large animal veterinarian. Brenlei is sponsored by Hornet Tire and Automotive in Cove, AR.
Lexi Escalanta
Lexi is the 12 year old daughter of DJ Escalanta and Brittany Willet of Mansfield, AR and Rosie
Samo and Jeremy Southerland of Panama, OK. She goes to school in Panama, OK and is in the
7th grade. Her hobbies are spending weekends playing fast pitch softball with her travel team
and riding her horse “Lilah.” When Lexi grows up she wants to be a vet. Lexi is sponsored by her parents, DJ Escalanta and Brittany Willet.

Queen Contestants:Vivian Holmes
Vivian is the 18 year old granddaughter of Tina and Leonard Holmes of Waldron, AR. She will
begin college this fall at UA Rich Mountain where she plans to obtain an associates in general
science. After obtaining that degree she plans to transfer to UAFS to further her education in
dental hygiene. As a senior at Waldron High School, she was the captain for the basketball team
and part of the FFA horse judging team. She was also a member of BETA, FCA and Talent
Search. In her free time she enjoys swimming, spending times with her friends and teaching her
dog, Skip new tricks. Vivian is sponsored by R&H Body Shop in Waldron, AR.
Haley Myers
Haley is the 15 year old daughter of BJ and Beth Myers of Waldron, AR. She is a 9th grader at
Waldron High School. Her interests include basketball, barrel racing and bull riding. She was the
2022 Crossroads Cowboy Church Champion Jr barrel racer, the 2022 DD Rodeo Co. Champion
14-19 steer rider and is a member of the Women’s Professional Bull riding Association.
Haley is sponsored by her parents, BJ and Beth Myers.
Sadie Espinoza
Sadie is the 15 yr old daughter of Kandy and Ramon Espinoza of Waldron, AR. Sadie is involved
in her youth church group at Haw Creek Baptist church. She loves all sports. She plays
basketball, volleyball and runs track for Waldron High School. She also plays travel basketball
with her Intensity team. When not on a court or track field, she can be found horseback,
roaming the bottoms along the river. She is competing on her palomino “B”, but back at home
is red mare “Diamond and new colt “Maverick”. Sadie wants to thank everyone who bought
tickets and supported her during this pageant. Sadie is sponsored by Southside Vet Clinic in Waldron, AR.

Sr. Queen Contestant:Aubrey Gaines
Aubrey was born in California and moved to Arkansas less than a year later. She has lived in or
near Waldron for the last 18 years. She loves her family, horse, “Boo”, the Lord and her
amazing fiancé Grady. She has been working with her mare for 4 years now and can’t wait to
see how well they do together in the arena. Aubrey is sponsored by Allen Mechanical Services in Waldron, AR

The Scott County Rodeo will be held on June 2, and 3.

It’s #2 Arkansas at #12 Vanderbilt For the SEC Regular Season Championship

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Resident News Network

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4:29 pm

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It’s #2 Arkansas at #12 Vanderbilt For the SEC Regular Season Championship

NASHVILLE, TN – Sitting alone atop the SEC standings with three games left to play in the regular season, No. 2 Arkansas (38-13, 19-8 SEC) ventures east to No. 12 Vanderbilt (35-16, 17-10 SEC) with a prime opportunity to clinch the program’s fourth overall conference championship.

First pitch in the series opener between the Hogs and Commodores at Hawkins Field is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, May 18, on SEC Network with Tom Hart (play-by-play) and Chris Burke (analyst) on the call. Game two is 7 p.m. Friday, May 19, on SEC Network, while the regular-season finale gets underway at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 20, on SEC Network+.

Arkansas enters the final weekend of the regular season with a one-game lead over No. 4 Florida (40-12, 18-9 SEC) in the SEC standings. The Razorbacks, who lead No. 5 LSU (39-12, 17-9 SEC) by 1.5 games in the SEC Western Division, can clinch a share of the overall SEC title with two wins and win the conference outright with three wins at Vanderbilt.

Schedule

Thursday, May 18

#2 Arkansas at #12 Vanderbilt – 6 p.m. – SEC Network – Listen – Live Stats

Friday, May 19

#2 Arkansas at #12 Vanderbilt – 7 p.m. – SEC Network – Listen – Live Stats

Saturday, May 20

#2 Arkansas at #12 Vanderbilt – 2 p.m. – SEC Network+ – Listen – Live Stats

On the Mound

Thursday, May 18

Arkansas – LHP Hagen Smith (7-1, 2.47 ERA)
Vanderbilt – RHP Patrick Reilly (3-2, 6.43)

Friday, May 19

Arkansas – TBA
Vanderbilt – LHP Devin Futrell (6-3, 2.93)

Saturday, May 20

Arkansas – TBA
Vanderbilt – TBA

Tune In

Tom Hart and Chris Burke will be on the call for all three games of this weekend’s series in Nashville. Thursday and Friday’s contests will be broadcast on SEC Network, while Saturday’s regular-season finale will stream on SEC Network+.

The entire series can also be heard on the Razorback Sports Network from Learfield, including locally in Fayetteville on 92.1 FM or through the Razorback app, with Phil Elson on the call. A full list of radio affiliates is available here.

History Lesson
Arkansas is 34-31 all-time against Vanderbilt, including a 14-13 record in games played in Nashville. Under head coach Dave Van Horn, the Hogs are 21-24 overall with a 7-10 on the road against the Commodores since 2003.

The Hogs, 5-5 in their last 10 games against the Commodores, have not won a regular-season series against Vanderbilt since 2017 at Baum-Walker Stadium. Arkansas, which has played six road series against Vanderbilt since Van Horn’s first season as head coach, owns a 3-3 series record in Nashville, including series wins in 2004, 2006 and 2010.

Here’s the Situation
For Arkansas entering this weekend…

* Two Arkansas wins would clinch a share of the SEC title; three would win outright.

* If Arkansas and Florida finish in a tie atop the standings, both would be considered co-champions. Tie would only be broken for SEC Tournament seeding purposes.

If Arkansas goes 2-1…

* Arkansas and Florida would be co-champions if Florida goes 3-0.

* Arkansas would be champion if Florida loses at least one game.

If Arkansas goes 1-2…

* Florida would be the outright champion with three wins this weekend.

* Arkansas and Florida would be co-champions with two Florida wins and one LSU loss.

Machine of Consistency
Under head coach Dave Van Horn, Arkansas has won 18 or more SEC games for six consecutive seasons.

2017: 18-11 SEC record

2018: 18-12 SEC record

2019: 20-10 SEC record

2020: N/A

2021: 22-8 SEC record

2022: 18-12 SEC record

2023: 19-8 SEC record

Since Van Horn’s first season in 2003, Arkansas has won 18 or more SEC games 11 times. LSU is the only other team in the SEC to post at least six consecutive seasons of 18 or more SEC wins, doing so in 10 straight seasons from 1996-2005.

With just one win this weekend at Vanderbilt, the Razorbacks can secure their 20th conference win of the campaign. Arkansas has won 20 or more SEC games just three times since 1992, the team’s first season competing in the SEC.

1999: 22-8 (SEC champions)
2019: 20-10 (T-1st SEC West)
2021: 22-8 (SEC champions)

Hagen on the Hill

Arkansas pitcher Hagen Smith will start his third consecutive series opener, getting the ball in Thursday night’s game against Vanderbilt. The left-hander was the Razorbacks’ No. 1 starter to begin the year but transitioned to a “wild card” role due to early-season injuries to the team’s pitching staff.

For the year, Smith has made 14 appearances with eight starts, including four in SEC play. He is 7-1 with a team-leading 2.47 ERA and two saves over 58 1/3 innings of work on the mound. The true sophomore has struck out a team-high 86 batters and limited opposing hitters to a meager .184 batting average.

Three of Smith’s four SEC starts this season have come on the road. In his last SEC road start, Smith spun five innings of two-run ball at Mississippi State on May 5, matching his season high with eight strikeouts to earn the win.

For complete coverage of Arkansas baseball, follow the Hogs on Twitter (@RazorbackBSB), Instagram (@RazorbackBSB) and Facebook (Arkansas Razorback Baseball).

– ArkansasRazorbacks.com || On Twitter @ArkRazorbacks || Facebook.com/ArkansasRazorbacks

Note to Our Readers: The previous story was sourced directly from the University of Arkansas Office of Communications, Oliver Grigg.

Four Ways to Use Cash Wisely

Tammy Teague

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11:24 pm

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There has been a lot of talk about a “cashless” society, but it’s not here yet. In fact, cash
can still be a valuable element of your overall financial picture – if you employ it wisely. But
how?
Consider these four key uses of cash:
• Everyday spending – Of course, you need sufficient cash on hand to pay for your cost
of living – mortgage, debt payments, utilities, groceries, etc. You’ll likely rely on your savings or
checking accounts to pay for these needs.
• Unexpected expenses and emergencies – It’s never a bad idea to establish a monthly
budget. But, as you know, life is unpredictable – and sometimes you may encounter “budget busting” expenses, such as a major home repair or a large medical bill. If you haven’t planned
for these costs, you might be forced to dip into your long-term investments, such as your IRA
and 401(k), which can result in taxes, penalties and less money for your retirement. A better
alternative is to prepare in advance by building an emergency fund containing up to six months’
worth of living expenses in cash, or at least in a highly liquid account, held separately from your
regular checking or savings account so you won’t inadvertently spend the money.
• Short-term savings goal – When you are investing for a long-term goal – especially
retirement – you will likely need to own a reasonable percentage of growth-oriented vehicles,
such as stocks and stock-based mutual funds. The value of these investments will fluctuate, so,
if it’s possible, you’ll want to avoid selling them when their price is down – which may make
them unsuitable for short-term goals. But if you’re aiming for a goal that you want to achieve in
a year or so – a wedding, a long vacation, and so on – you’ll want to be sure a specific amount
of money is there for you when you need it. Consequently, you’ll want to put away cash for this
type of goal, possibly in a short-term savings or investment vehicle that might pay somewhat
higher interest than a regular checking/savings account.
• Source of investment – In regard to your longer-term investment strategy, cash can
play two important roles. First, it can serve as its own asset class, alongside other classes, such
as stocks and fixed-income vehicles. Unlike these other classes – especially stocks and stock based mutual funds – cash won’t fluctuate in value, so it can potentially help lessen the impact
of market volatility on your portfolio. And second, having the cash available in your portfolio
gives you the opportunity to quickly take advantage of other investment opportunities that may
occur. And you may be able to use your existing investments to help replenish the cash in your
portfolio. For example, if you choose to take stock dividends in cash, these dividends can be
“swept” into your brokerage account and held there until you’re ready to invest them. (However,
depending on your comprehensive financial strategy, it may be a good move to simply reinvest
the dividends into the same stocks or stock funds.) Keep in mind that you won’t want your
investment accounts to contain too much cash, as its purchasing power can erode due to
inflation.
By managing your cash efficiently, and putting it to work in different ways, you can gain
some key benefits – and you’ll help yourself to keep moving toward your short- and long-term
goals.
This article is provided by Jeffrey O’Neal, Financial Advisor
Edward Jones
20 N Express St, Paris, AR 72855
479-963-1321
jeffrey.o’neal@edwardjones.com
edwardjones.com/jeffrey-o’neal
Edward Jones, Member SIPC

Area Students Explore the Universe

Featured

Tammy Teague

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11:21 pm

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By Dr. Curtis Varnell

Students from several area schools have been exploring space travel and the universe through the
Young Astronauts program. The program, developed by Guy Fenter Education Coop Science
Specialist’s Amber Cobb and Dr. Curtis Varnell, introduces k-2 students to the basic science
concepts involved in space travel. Students explore the forces of gravity and the requirements
for astronauts to enter space as they prepare to launch space rockets that they assist in designing.

Once in space, they learn that loss of gravity had dramatic effects as they learn how astronauts
sleep, eat, and adapt to a trying environment. Students try out space food in the form of space
ice cream and learn to drink tang from an enclose bag and through a straw in order to prevent it
from drifting about the space craft.
As part of the program, students study rocketry by launching several classroom rockets and
engineering the rockets so that they can fly longer distances and land on designated islands (hula
hoops). The culminating activity allows students to explore the space environment by donning
space suits complete with helmets and gloves and trying to perform work in a zero-gravity
simulated setting. An important portion of the program involves learning about the role(s)
women now play in space exploration- including the fact that many women serve as engineers as
well as astronauts. The program has also been adapted and used by older students who design
and launch two-liter water rockets.
The program, funded with a grant from AIAA (American Institute of Aeronautics and
Astronautics) and NASA, the program has impacted the study of aeronautics and astronomy
throughout the region. Area schools participating in the Young Astronauts program include Van
Buren, Clarksville, Waldron, Paris St. Josephs, Franklin County Montessori, Hackett
Elementary, County Line Elementary, and Magazine. Other schools are scheduled for the fall
semester.

Timepiece: Old South Restaurant

Featured

Tammy Teague

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11:13 pm

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By Dr. Curtis Varnell

World War II had ended and the age of the automobile was in full swing. All across America,
new style, pull-in restaurants were being constructed to cater to the needs of the modern traveler.
Along major highways, restaurants entrepreneurs constructed sleek new buildings with large
parking lots to accommodate families as well as the truckers who frequented the roads. Neon
lights flickered in the darkness to attract those who wanted twenty-four around the clock service.
Booths built around lacquered colorful tables allowed groups to sit comfortably while they
ordered and consumed the “special” of the day or the centerpiece food offered by the café. Many
of the restaurants expanded, offering their brand of food to the hungry highway travelers.
McDonalds, Hardee’s, and Dairy Queen became household names with stores along every major
thoroughfare.

Most Arkansans have fond memories of stopping in at AQ chicken or Minute Man and enjoying
time and a meal with family. Minute Man, developed in Arkansas, was known for fast service
and for their “radar” microwaved deep dish hot pies. AQ was a one of a kind chicken palace and
just the thought of those delicious hot buns and chicken cooking bring back childhood and
nostalgia for what is perceived a better and slower pace of life.
Many of those stores have gone the way of the dinosaur. Minute Man, once consisting of a chain
of 57 stores is down to one remaining at last count. A/Q recently closed its Springdale store and
ended a business that lasted three-quarters of a century. Other chains have adapted to the times,
destroyed the old type buildings, and replaced them with a modern design.
A few of those old time road house type stops still exist. A visit to the Old South restaurant in
Russellville is like a step-back into time. The neon lights still flash, the booths are still sleek and
waiting, and the country-style food is delicious. Build in a modular style in 1947, the building is
a part of local history and lore and is on the national register of historic places. Advertised as
serving two presidents and a king, one quickly recognizes which one people most identify with.
Elvis busts and pictures adorn the walls. The Old South once served a venue of deep fried food
including the fried honey bun and deep fried pickles. If Elvis wasn’t attracted by those, he
certainly could not have resisted the turtle pie, a local favorite still served today.
The Old South is located highway 64. The highway was once the most direct route from the east
to the west coast, connecting with route 66 in Tulsa. Famous travelers were attracted to its food
as well as to its never-closed venue. Bill Clinton was fond of the food offered there and
President Jimmy Carter once stopped in for a meal. Famous entertainers that visited included
Ernest Tubb, B.B. King, and Johnny Cash but it was the common working guy stopping in for
breakfast, coffee, or a delicious evening meal that has kept it open through the years.
Today, the Old South Restaurant looks virtually the same on the exterior and interior as it did
when constructed in 1947. It has a streamlined design, large rounded front windows, padded
booths, and lots and lots of neon lights. The menu still offers many of the same items that were
included in the original store. Visiting the place is like a step into the past with travelers and
working people enjoying coffee, pie, and conversation. The prices are reasonable and the
nostalgia is free.

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RESIDENT NEWS NETWORK