Arkansas starting pitcher Hagen Smith. Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News / USA TODAY NETWORK

Watch: Arkansas southpaw goes on historic strikeout spree vs. No. 7 Oregon State

By Mike Santa Barbara | Last updated 2/23/24

Arkansas starting pitcher Hagen Smith posted an all-time performance after going on a historic strikeout spree Friday against No. 7 Oregon State at Globe Life Field.

Smith pitched six scoreless innings, recording an incredible 17 of 18 outs by way of strikeout. Meanwhile, his 17 K's tied Jess Todd (2007) for the Arkansas record.

HAGEN SMITH HAS TIED THE ARKANSAS SINGLE-GAME STRIKEOUT RECORD WITH 17 pic.twitter.com/JKlpq7oHoz
— Arkansas Baseball (@RazorbackBSB) February 24, 2024

From the jump, it was clear that the junior was locked in. Smith K'd nine consecutive batters to start the game, which tied yet another record set by Todd.

Hagen Smith is absolutely dialed in early on. He’s up to 9 punchies through 3 shutout IP against a loaded Oregon State lineup. FB has been up to 99, pairing it with a mid-80s SL that has been excellent tonight - true plus pitch. Command much-improved. pic.twitter.com/RJ54Tvm3rZ
— Peter Flaherty III (@PeterGFlaherty) February 24, 2024

Friday's outing for Smith was the dictionary definition of a bounce-back game. The 2023 All-American didn't have the best start to the season. On Opening Day, James Madison roughed up Smith, chasing him from the game in the first inning after crossing three earned runs across the plate.

The southpaw earned All-SEC First Team honors in 2023, finishing 8-2 with a 3.64 ERA over 71.2 innings pitched.

MLB Pipeline ranks Smith as the 15th-ranked prospect ahead of the 2024 draft. While he boasts a fastball averaging 92-95 mph and topping out at 98 mph, the true gem of his arsenal is a slider featuring "sweep and depth" traveling between 82 and 85 mph.

"He has a strong six-foot-three, 215-pound frame built for durability and could become a frontline starter if he can harness his stuff," MLB Pipeline's scouting report reads.

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