Arkansas vs South Alabama

Razorbacks look to improve to 9-0

         With winter weather rolling in on the Sunday forecast, the No. 24 Arkansas Razorbacks will play 3 games in 2 days against South Alabama.  Arkansas will host the Jaguars (3-4) of the Sun Belt Conference after coming off 2 straight 3 game sweeps to start the season.  The Razorbacks will make a slight change to their rotation, adding sophomore Trey Killian to the back end after being suspended 6 games.  Things will look to stay hot in the lineup as Krisjon Wilkerson will also be ready to go after sitting out last week with a hamstring injury.  Head Coach Dave Van Horn will be excited to get his players out there in a tournament style schedule for the weekend.  He will be able to see which pitchers are going to save the bullpen on a weather shortened series.

Weekend Schedule

Friday, Feb 28  3:05 pm  Hi 49/Lo 34  mostly cloudy, SSE wind 15mph

Saturday, Mar 1  12:05 pm DH  Hi 57/Lo 31  partly cloudy, 20% chance of rain

  Weekend Probables

Arkansas                                                                      

Jr. LHP Jalen Beeks (2-0, 0.00)                                    

Jr. RHP Chris Oliver (1-0, 0.82)                                 

So. RHP Trey Killian (0-0, 0.00

C   Sr. Jake Wise (.077, 0, 0)                                                         

1B  RJr. Eric Fisher (.190, 1, 3)                                                     

2B  Jr. Brian Anderson (.458, 1, 9)                                                

3B  So. Michael Bernal (.400, 0, 3)                                               

SS  Jr. Brett McAfee (.222, 0, 4)                                                   

LF  Jr. Joe Serrano (.304, 0, 6)                                                      

CF  Fr. Andrew Benintendi (.294, 1, 6)                                   

RF  RSo. Tyler Spoon (.280, 1, 9)                                               

DH Jr. Krisjon Wilkerson (.455, 1, 2)                                        

South Alabama

Sr. RHP Matt Bell (1-0, 2.03)

Jr. LHP Locke St. John (0-0, 2.70)

Jr. LHP Jared Gates (1-1, 1.46)

C   Jr. Erik Hindmon (.389, 0, 4)

1B  So. Hayden Jones (.310, 0, 2)

2B  Jr. Logan Kirkland (.273, 0, 1)

3B  Jr. Bud Collura (.304, 0, 6)

SS  Fr. Drew LaBounty (.190, 0, 1)

LF  Jr. Cole Gleason (.269, 0, 1)

CF  Jr. Adam Ballew (.207, 0, 1)

RF  Fr. Cameron Cummings (.375, 0, 3)

DH Jr. Matt Wojciechowski (.346, 0, 4)

        Prediction 

The Razorbacks finally have three experienced starters in the rotation this weekend.  South Alabama is a young team who has put up good numbers against mediocre at best opponents.  Arkansas will get their third sweep in a row on a weather shortened weekend.

South Alabama Preview

                Even the best baseball programs in the country are susceptible to a rebuilding year from time to time and South Alabama knows exactly what that feels like this season.  The Jaguars (3-4) are coming off of an incredible 2013 season in which they won 43 games, finished for a tie for first place in the Sun Belt Conference and received a No. 2 seed in an NCAA tournament regional.  Times have certainly changed this season, however, as USA looks to find players to fill some big shoes vacated by the heady veterans that littered their lineup just one year ago.  The Jaguars have just 3 starters returning from 2013 and must replace 9 position players who earned significant playing time as well as 9 pitchers who had at least 10 appearances last season.  Not to mention, they are welcoming 20 newcomers to the squad.  Keeping all of these things in mind, no one really knows what to expect from this season’s USA ball club.

                The offensive philosophy for the USA Jaguars this season may be just to score runs by any means possible.  They simply do not have much talent in the form of returning players.  Bud Collura (.266/24 RBI) and Hayden Jones (.271) are the two best hitters coming back from last season.  So far this year Jones is carrying the second best batting average on the team at .310 and Collura leads the Jaguars with 6 RBI.  The likely offense leader though is junior catcher Matt Wojciechowski.  A transfer from Faulkner State Community College, Wojeciechowski sits in the heart of the Jaguars lineup and so far this season has a .346 average with 3 doubles, 1 triple and 4 runs batted in.  It is difficult to say at this point who else can be relied upon to contribute for USA over the course of this series and the entire season but there will be plenty of time and opportunities for players to prove themselves.

                The strength of this year’s USA team will likely be their starting pitchers.  The key returnee from last season’s staff is righty Matt Bell.  The pre-season all-SBC selection will take the mound on Friday for his third start of the young season.  Bell (1-0, 2.03 ERA) finished last season with a 3.70 ERA and a 6-2 record over 14 starts.  He carried a 2.35 strikeout to walk ratio in 2013 and held opponents to a .239 batting average.  After Bell it is difficult to know what to expect from the remaining starters for this weekend’s series.  Junior lefty Jared Gates is 1-1 in two starts this season with a 1.46 ERA over 12.1 innings.   Fellow classmate Locke St. John has also started two games but has yet to record a decision.  The Hogs best opportunity for scoring runs—much like last weekend—will be if they can get to the Jaguars bullpen.  The top two contributors from last season are James Traylor, who threw 45 innings  over 21 appearances, and Hunter Soleymani, who held opponents to a .220 average in 14 appearances.  Brandon Hallford and Tripp Hobbs will also be counted on heavily this during the weekend matchup with the Razorbacks.

                There are simply too many unknown variables this year when trying to figure out the South Alabama baseball team.  They lost a number of key contributors from last season’s squad, both in their every-day lineup and on their pitching staff.  With only 3 starters returning there are position battles still to be won and a weekend rotation that has still not been settled.  Still, Arkansas cannot afford to let its guard down this weekend.  USA is a dangerous team that will be looking for an early season marquee win to hang its hat on.  The Jaguars will be hungry for a victory over a ranked opponent from the SEC.  As usual, the Hogs need to be focused and ready to play ball in order to beat a very determined foe.

What If...

                Lets take just a second out of our day to play the “what if” game, shall we?  You know, the game where someone says something like the following:  “Gosh, what if Stoerner hadn’t fumbled that ball?”   Or perhaps, “Hey, what if Corliss and Scottie would’ve stayed one more year?”  Or even, “Man, what if Reggie Fish hadn’t tried to catch that punt?”  These are the questions we as fans like to ask ourselves when things do not go exactly the way we think they should have.  We let our imaginations run wild with thoughts of what could have been. 

                Here’s a question worth addressing:  what if Andrew Benintendi had been born a year earlier?  Assuming that all recruiting decisions remain the same for him, this would mean that Benintendi would have been a true-freshman on last year’s Razorback baseball team, rather than this year’s.  Now we all know that one player cannot carry a team in baseball.  It takes a true collective effort from all players involved.  However, I believe one player can make a team exponentially greater.

                Seeing the Razorbacks struggle to find a productive, every-day centerfielder last season was very frustrating.  Jacob Morris and Matt Vinson, the two players who got the bulk of the playing time in center, combined to hit just .246 with 11 doubles, 2 homeruns and 38 RBI.  Though Vinson did improve his play dramatically last season compared to years past he was likely better suited to play a corner outfield position.  Morris had a difficult 2013 season, battling through a number of lingering injuries and never quite living up to his potential.

                Equally as difficult to stomach was the revolving door at the lead-off spot in the order.  Vinson, Jacob Mahan, and Joe Serrano were all counted on multiple times last season to hit at the top of the Razorback order but none were able to hold onto that spot for any considerable amount of time.  Even Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn would likely admit that there was not a true lead-off hitter on his roster last season.

    Six games into the 2014 season Benintendi is already making his presence felt at the top of the Hogs’ lineup.  He is hitting .294 with three doubles, one homerun, nine runs scored and six runs batted in.  Four of his five hits this season have been for extra bases.  Benintendi isn’t just hitting his way on base, either.  He has recorded 5 walks and has been hit by 4 pitches so far this year.  His on-base percentage of .538 is good enough for second best on the team. 

    Benintendi has the numbers so far to please any skipper in the SEC, but it is the intangibles he brings to the game that will put him over the top.  There are certain things you cannot coach in a ball player and Arkansas’ starting center fielder/ leadoff man has been praised by Van Horn for his instincts and baseball knowledge.  He has been playing up an age group his entire young career and that experience has given him confidence to be an impact player as a freshman.  These intangibles include but are not limited to getting jumps on fly balls in the outfield, knowing when to steal, running the bases with wise aggression, making adjustments in the middle of an at bat, and anticipating pitch selections.

                      As a five tool player, Benintendi looks to be a mainstay in the Razorbacks lineup for three years.  He is cashing in productive plate appearances in the leadoff spot for now, but Van Horn projects him as a 3 hole hitter once the spot opens up.  There are a few positions on the diamond that you like to have the type of player Benintendi is.  Arkansas has a senior catcher, a junior shortstop, and a freshman centerfielder that doesn’t seem to know how difficult the transition is from high school to college.  What if he never finds out? 

Pulled Pork Nachos

Pulled Pork Nachos

                When thinking of a day at the ball park one might imagine the green grass, the roar of the crowd, and the crack of the bat.  These things are wonderful sights and sounds that make a ball park experience great and memorable, but there are few things that I look forward to most at Baum Stadium than the smell of the food.  The scent can be caught all around and there are many different flavors to enjoy.

                This week I want to highlight my personal favorite, the pulled pork nachos.  A bed of tortilla chips covered in seasoned, moist pulled pork butt topped with queso is a messy but more than satisfying treat.  I almost always request jalapenos on mine and drown it in barbeque sauce.  This is absolutely a meal that requires a fork so make sure you do not reach your seat without one (as well as a handful of napkins). 

                This dish is not served in the built in concession stands, but can be found only in a portable trailer down the left field line just outside of the Norm Debriyn Concourse.  This trailer also serves barbeque sandwiches, burgers and fries.  The nachos are $7.00 and the jalapenos are no extra cost.  There is a table just to the side of the trailer where you can find lettuce, tomato, onion, barbeque sauce and other condiments as well as napkins. 

                It is rare to see the trailer without a line snaked around a couple times in front of it, especially before the game or in between innings.  Likewise, it is rare to see someone walking away from the trailer with something in their hands other than the nachos, especially if that person is me. 

                

Week 2 Recap

Razorbacks sweep second series, improve to 6-0

                The No. 24 Arkansas Razorbacks baseball team won all three games against the Eastern Illinois Panthers this weekend in front of a total actual attendance of 10,551.  It took a team effort in all three wins as the starting pitching held strong in the first two games, the bullpen turned in gutsy efforts Sunday, and the offense showed that it can come back to win in the late innings.  Arkansas won the first game 6-2 and overcame early struggles to win the last two games 8-3.  Overall, this Diamond Hogs team grew this weekend against a team that showed a lot of grit offensively and in the starting rotation.

                Friday afternoon junior Jalen Beeks (2-0, 0.00, 11.2 innings) turned in another stellar performance (5.2, 3H, 2BB, 5K) to prove his worthiness of consideration to stay in the rotation when Trey Killian returns next weekend.  Landon Simpson came on in relief to throw 2.1 shutout innings while Lance Phillips closed out the last inning giving up 2 runs, only 1 being earned.  The staff kept the Panthers from making the most of their 6 hits, leaving 7 runners stranded.

                Offensively the Razorbacks were outhit 4 to 6 and committed 2 errors to EIU’s 1 but were still able to push enough runs across the plate to win the game.  Freshman Andrew Benintendi, who hit all weekend, recorded his first hit on a RBI double off the wall and recorded another double in the game going 2-4 with a run scored as well.  The only other two Hogs to record a hit were freshman Clark Eagan and sophomore Tyler Spoon who also drove in 1 run on a double.  Juniors Brian Anderson and Eric Fisher also drove in runs without the use of a hit. 

                Saturday starter junior Chris Oliver (1-0, 0.82, 11 innings) gave a quality start for the second week in a row going 6 innings with 4 hits, 2 walks and 4 strikeouts.  Sophomore Colin Poche (0-0, 3.86, 2.2 IP, 4K) pitched 1.1 innings, giving up 1 earned run on 2 walks and striking out 3.  Junior Jackson Lowery ran into even more trouble surrendering 2 earned runs on 3 hits and 1 strikeout while only recording 1 out.  Junior Michael Gunn came through to close out the last 1.1 innings perfectly, striking out 1 batter. 

                Arkansas was able to put together a complete game Saturday, pounding out 10 hits and not committing an error.  The Hogs found another offensive weapon Saturday in sophomore Michael Bernal (3-3, 3B, RBI, 3 R).  Bernal made a case to become the everyday third baseman as he also flashed the leather on two outstanding plays in clutch situations.  Anderson and junior Joe Serrano were both 2-4 with a run scored and 3 and 2 RBI respectively.  Anderson knocked in all 3 of his runs on an 8^th inning home run to put the game out of reach late after EIU had scored 3 in the top of the inning.  Benintendi added an RBI on 1 hit while Eagan and senior Jake Wise each had a hit.

                Sunday was another exciting finish and the Diamond Hogs had to use 6 pitchers to finish off the pesky Panthers.  Freshman Alex Phillips, in his second start of the young season, struggled again with his command and walked 3 batters with 1 hit and 1 strikeout in 2 innings.  Dave Van Horn decided the struggles in a no run ball game were worthy of going to the bullpen early.  Freshman Zach Jackson impressed in long relief throwing 3 shutout innings with 3 hits, 2 walks and 3 strikeouts.  Jackson worked in and out of trouble, keeping batters off balanced with his velocity and off speed combination. 

                Freshman Dominic Taccolini came on for one impressive inning before hitting two batters for the second consecutive outing.  Sophomore Landon Simpson then came in to put out the fire but only got 1 batter out and allowed an unearned run with 1 walk.  Junior Jacob Stone recorded an impressive and much needed 1.2 innings giving up only 1 hit and 1 walk.  Then Gunn again came on late to close out the game.  He got into some trouble giving up 2 hits and a walk while walking 1 batter, but was able to escape unscathed in the run category.

                It was another heroic ending as the Hogs scored 6 runs in the final two innings and bashed another 10 hits with 1 error.  Benintendi (2-4, 3R, 2B, 2 RBI) continued his spectacular weekend hitting exhibition while Anderson (2-3, 1R, 2B, 1RBI), Spoon (2-4, 1R, 2B, 3RBI) and Fisher (2-4) all contributed as well.  Spoon was the one who came through in a big way late in the game this time.  With runners on second and third with 2 outs the Panthers opted to walk Anderson, remembering what he did to them a day earlier.  Spoon took offense and took the ball to the left center gap to clear the bases with a double.  It was hopefully a foretaste of the trouble these two hitters will cause for pitchers this season.  Bernal scored 2 runs as well on 1 hit while junior Brett McAfee drove in 2 runs on 1 hit.

                The Razorbacks took care of business both offensively and defensively when they needed to this weekend and they were awarded with the series sweep.  The pitching staff gave up only 5 earned runs in 27 innings (1.67) and hit only 3 batters.  Head coach Dave Van Horn is slowly finding out who is going to be reliable on the bump this season.  He has been fortunate to have his team find themselves in tough situations early to see who can come in or stay in to get the outs.  Gunn, Jackson and Stone have shown grit out of the bullpen while Beeks and Oliver have more than proven themselves as elite starters.  One thing Van Horn is not going to have much patience for is allowing batters free passes to the bases on walks or HBP.  Throwing strikes is a must if you are planning on pitching in this league. 

                The offense showed great patience this week taking 11 walks and 7 HBP.  They also produced 24 hits (.258), 10 of which went for extra bases.  The most impressive offensive stat this week was how many runs were scored in the 5^th inning or later (17 out of 22).  This statistic shows that the Hogs were able run the pitch count up on skilled starters and get into a less than impressive bullpen to wreak havoc.  Scoring late in games and not giving up are things that are going to drive this team to win close games later in the season. 

                

                The Diamond Hogs will take the week off before facing off in a three game series Friday through Sunday against South Alabama and one game on Monday against Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne.  

Stars of the Week (Week 2)

Freshman of the Week

Zach Jackson:  A righty from Berryhill, OK, Jackson came through for the Hogs in a big way on Sunday.  He was called upon early in the finale to keep the Eastern Illinois hitters at bay while Arkansas batters were working out their issues at the plate.  Jackson pitched 3 strong innings in relief of starter Alex Phillips, giving up just two hits and two walks while retiring 9 of the 13 batters he faced.  Jackson looked very comfortable in just the second appearance of his young Razorback career.  He struck out three Panthers this weekend, giving him 6 strikeouts for the season and keeping his average at 1 strikeout per inning this season.

Pitcher of the Week

Michael Gunn:  A junior left-hander from Wilson, AR, Gunn had two solid appearances over the weekend.  Gunn’s numbers don’t tell the true story of his outings, however, as he was called upon to shut down opposing hitters when other Razorback pitchers struggled.  He threw 1.1 innings to close out the Saturday game and then had another inning of work in the Sunday matchup.  Gunn was never overpowering but showed great poise and toughness.  Over the two games combined he gave up just two hits and struck out one while also walking a hitter.  Coach Dave Van Horn has shown a propensity, at least early in the season, to count on Gunn to help Arkansas in late game situations.

Hitter of the Week

Andrew Benintendi:  Obviously he was a candidate for Freshman of the Week too but we had to make Benintendi share the wealth.  The freshman from Cincinnati, OH had a fantastic weekend at the plate.  Over the three game series Benintendi hit .455 with a slugging percentage of 1.000 and an on-base percentage of .538.  Four of his five hits went for extra bases, including 3 doubles and a two-run homerun on Sunday (his first as a Razorback).  Benintendi also scored 5 runs this weekend (3 in the Sunday game alone) and had four runs-batted-in.  If he continues to be a force at the top of the order for the Hogs, Benintendi will be a popular pick for Freshman of the Year in the SEC at the end of the season.

Tip of the Cap

Brian Anderson:  A native of Edmond, OK, Anderson had another huge weekend at the plate for the Razorbacks.  The Hogs second baseman hit .400 with three runs scored and five runs-batted-in.  Anderson slugged .800 over the weekend as well, recording a back-breaking three-run homer in the Saturday game.  He was so hot at the plate that on Sunday Eastern Illinois walked Anderson to load the bases rather than pitch to him.  He continues to look locked in and focused on each and every pitch he sees.

Michael Bernal:  An off-season transfer from New Mexico Junior College, Bernal had his best two games as a Razorback Saturday and Sunday.  The redshirt sophomore went 4 for 6 over those two games (including a triple on Saturday) scoring 5 runs and driving in one.  Bernal proved most effective as a table setter, finding ways to get on base at the bottom of the line-up so that those at the top could drive him in.  If his defense can match his offensive output, Bernal may win the position battle at third base over Bobby Wernes.

Jacob Stone:  The RHP from Weatherford Junior College looked great in his second appearance of the season Sunday.  Stone was brought in to pitch Arkansas out of a tough situation in the seventh inning and never batted an eye.  He gave up just one hit over 1.2 scoreless innings of work while retiring five of the seven hitters he faced.  Stone’s outing was very encouraging considering the poor performance of a few other pitchers who figured to be counted on heavily this season.



Arkansas vs EIU

Diamond Hogs look for second consecutive sweep

         Coming off a three game sweep of Appalachian State, Arkansas will try and repeat their success this weekend against the Eastern Illinois University Panthers.  EIU traveled to No. 14 Louisiana Lafayette last weekend and played well in a 1-3 series loss.  They held the Rajin’ Cajuns to 1 run in each of the first two games, and lost another game by 1 run.  This Panthers team has good starting pitching and an experienced lineup.  They will struggle once they get into their bullpen so the Hogs will need to be patient at the plate in the early innings.  EIU pitchers have hit 9 batters in 4 games and the Razorbacks could use a few more bruises to get on base after being hit 12 times a week ago.  Arkansas won’t be able to miss their spots with many pitches as the Panthers can hit for average.  Strikeouts could play an important role in keeping the EIU lineup from crossing home plate often.  The Diamond Hogs’ demise will depend on the amount of errors they commit.  Head coach Dave Van Horn is confident they will tighten up their defense after being able to practice outside all week.    

Weekend Schedule

Friday, Feb 21  3:05 pm  Hi 62/Lo 40  Sunny

Saturday, Feb 22  1:05 pm  Hi 64/Lo 39  Partly cloudy

Sunday, Feb 23  1:05 pm  Hi 45/Lo 28  Partly cloudy 

  Weekend Probables

Arkansas                                                                      

Jr LHP Jalen Beeks (1-0, 0.00)                                    

Jr RHP Chris Oliver (1-0, 1.80)                                 

Fr RHP Alex Phillips (0-0, 6.00)                                               

C   Sr. Jake Wise (.000, 0 HR, 0 RBI)                                                    

1B  RJr. Eric Fisher (.200, 1, 2)                                                    

2B  Jr. Brian Anderson (.500, 0, 4)                                                

3B  So. Bobby Wernes (.000, 0, 1)                                               

SS  Jr. Brett McAfee (.375, 0, 2)                                                   

LF  Jr. Joe Serrano (.417, 0, 4)                                                     

CF  Fr. Andrew Benintendi (.000, 0, 2)                                   

RF  RSo. Tyler Spoon (.333, 1, 5)                                               

DH Jr. Krisjon Wilkerson (.455, 1, 2)                                        

Eastern Illinois

SO RHP Jake Johansmeier (1-0, 1.50)

Jr RHP Matt Borens (0-1, 1.50)

Jr LHP Christian Slazinik (0-1, 9.00)

C   Sr. Jacob Reese (.444, 0, 1)

1B  Sr. Cameron Berra (.375, 0, 0)

2B  So. Mitch Gasbarro (.250, 0, 0)

3B  Jr. Brant Valach (.063, 0, 3)  

SS  Fr. Marshawn Taylor (.091, 0, 0)

LF  So. Demetre Taylor (.231, 0, 1)

CF  Jr. Caleb Howell (.333, 0, 4)

RF  Fr. Frankie Perrone (.200, 0, 0) 

DH So. Jason Scholl (.167, 0, 1)

        Prediction

Eastern Illinois is another sleeper team with a lot of upside.  Any time you can pitch with another team you have a chance to win and the front end of their staff is more than capable of frustrating Arkansas hitters.  However, their bullpen will spoil the weekend for them as Arkansas has shown good plate discipline so far this season.  Arkansas sweeps their second weekend in a row. 

Eastern Illinois Preview

Panthers have tools, lack consistency

After opening the season with a sweep of Appalachian State, the Arkansas Razorbacks will host a three game series against the Eastern Illinois University Panthers.  EIU returns an experienced lineup and pitching staff from a 2013 team that went 22-27 overall and 11-17 inside the Ohio Valley Conference.  They lost two of their top hitters in Tresysen Vavra (.318, 8 HR, 20 doubles, 47 RBI, .568 SLG) and Nick Priessman (.311, 12 doubles, 24 RBI), but they return every other major contributor from a season ago. 

Last weekend EIU turned in an impressing showing at No. 14 Louisiana Lafayette despite losing a four game series 1-3.  They were able to hold Louisiana to 1 run in each of the first two games, winning 5-1 and losing 0-1, before losing a 0-13 and 8-9 in the second two games.  Louisiana recorded a .424 slugging percentage with 6 doubles, 3 triples and 3 home runs against Panther pitching.  They were also benefitted by 19 walks and 9 hit batsmen. 

Arkansas will have its hands full for the second week in a row against three good starting pitchers.  Last week’s Friday night starter sophomore righty Jake Johansmeier will assume the same role against Arkansas this week after pitching 6 quality innings giving up 3 hits, 1 earned run and striking out 4.  The Panther’s number two starter is junior RHP Matt Borens.  Borens almost duplicated Johansmeier’s outing, allowing 1 earned run on 4 hits and 1 walk with 7 strikeouts in 6 innings.  Junior lefty Christian Slazinik will get the ball on Sunday after pitching 4 solid innings against Louisiana before running into trouble in the 5^th.  Slazinik was a victim of errors as well allowing 6 runs, 4 earned, on 4 hits, 3 walks and 5 strikeouts. 

It was feast or famine offensively for EIU as they posted 5 hits in a double header last Saturday and 25 hits in the other two games.  They will play a mostly upper classman lineup that posted a .282 average last season.  This is a team that will base hit you to death if you are not on your game, but they don’t possess a great amount of power or speed.  Arkansas pitchers will need to bring their best stuff in order to silence the Panthers’ bats. 

Junior center fielder Caleb Howell paces the EIU lineup with a .333 average, 5 hits and 4 RBI.  He also led the team last season with a .362 average and .442 on base percentage.  Sophomore second baseman Mitch Gasbarro went 3 for 12 last week with 3 doubles and 5 runs scored as their leadoff man.  Keeping him off the base paths will be high on Arkansas’ pitching priority list.  Left Fielder Demetre Taylor is a presence as the cleanup hitter in this lineup, standing in at 6-4, 240 pounds.  The sophomore recorded 3 hits and 3 walks last week.

While their starting pitchers will present a challenge, getting to the bullpen will be a reward for Arkansas’ potently patient lineup.  This EIU team looks a lot like Arkansas’ foe from a week ago with a very experienced lineup and skilled starting pitchers.  They are also an all or none team, they can shut you out and get a lot of hits, or they can walk you around the bases and give you extra outs.  If this team puts their complete game together going forward it could make some noise later in the season. 

Every team that comes to Baum Stadium wants to play up to get a win in front of a very hostile crowd.  Eastern Illinois will be experiencing such a crowd for the second week in a row, so don’t expect them to be too rattled by the noise.  On the contrary, they will be bringing in a lot of confidence after beating a top 15’s best pitcher and giving them a run for their money in two other games.  Head coach Dave Van Horn has chosen some lesser names to play early in the season but they are turning out to be stiff competition to prepare for conference play and boost RPI rankings.  He will be relieved only when this weekend is behind him with a series win.

Hogs show off patience, potency at the plate

                The Arkansas Razorbacks came out swinging last weekend against the Appalachian State Mountaineers and managed to put up some pretty impressive offensive numbers over the course of the three game series.  They seemed to find new and creative ways to reach base each inning and scored runs in bunches at times.  One big question still remains about this team, however.  How long can they maintain this type of production at the plate?  Here are some good, great, and not so great observations of Arkansas’ offensive output during the series. 

The Good

·         The Razorbacks pounded out 27 hits over the weekend which translated to a .297 team average.  This is a huge step up from the .260 they hit as a team last year.  Yes, it is just the first series of the year and fans can’t get too excited about these numbers.  But this is still something to be greatly encouraged by; especially when you consider the 1, 8, and 9 hitters did not record a hit in any of the three games. 

·         The Hogs also found ways to reach base without the benefit of a hit, collecting 16 walks and having 12 batters hit by pitch.  Their new approach at the plate was evident early on as batters crowded the plate and made pitchers work to find the strike zone.  Freshman Andrew Benintendi led the way in both departments, walking 4 times and being hit by pitch 3 times. 

·         Stealing bases could be a very important aspect of the Hogs offensive production this year.  They had a great start to the season by stealing 3 bases in as many attempts.  Brian Anderson’s delayed steal in the second game was a thing of beauty.  This team is not loaded with tons of speed but it is evident they will find ways to take bases when necessary. 

The Great

·         Because of their young, somewhat inexperienced pitching staff the Arkansas offense will be relied upon to put up a lot of runs this season.   They got a great start against Appalachian State by averaging 9 runs per game and not scoring less than 7 runs in any game.  Again, there is still a long way to go, but anything close to these numbers would make for a very successful year.

·         Arkansas had 9 extra-base hits over the weekend, including 3 homeruns and 6 doubles.  This means that 33% of the Hogs hits this weekend resulted in extra bases.  Considering last year’s team only hit 27 homeruns for the year this is a great start as far as power numbers go. 

·         Teams can’t score runs without getting on base and the Razorbacks proved this weekend they definitely know how to reach base safely.  They had an astounding .455 on-base percentage, meaning Arkansas hitters reached base nearly half of the time they went to bat.  If they can manage to stay close to that percentage it will mean plenty of runs this season. 

The Not so Great

·         Hogs hitters tallied just 3 hits in game three of the series against a Mountaineers staff that obviously did not have its best stuff.  Even though they did still manage to score 8 runs in the game it is a little bit disheartening to see a 3 in the hits column, regardless of the game’s outcome.  It is not likely Arkansas will win another game in that fashion with as few hits as they had Sunday.

·         The 8 and 9 hole hitters offered very little in the production department over the weekend.  There was not a starter in either of those two line-up spots who recorded a hit all series long.  For the remaining games Arkansas is going to need greater effort out of the bottom of its order than they got against Appalachian State.

·         Leaving runners on base is no way to score runs and the Razorbacks can certainly attest to leaving too many on during their opening series.  As a team Arkansas left 26 runners on base, which means they left nearly 9 runs on the field per game.  They are going to have to find ways to push more of those runs across throughout the year in order to win ball games.

Home Sweet Baum

Baum Stadium at George Cole Field may be the home of the Arkansas baseball team, but it has been like a second home to many baseball fans over the years.  There are numerous entertaining promotions, giveaways and other aspects that always create a live, engaging atmosphere. One could easily confuse the park for the likes of a minor league stadium, and the truth is it's actually better than many across the country.

The University of Arkansas has a unique situation in that it has one major university in which the great majority of the state follows its sports programs.  There is also not a professional team of any major sport within the state, and the closest major league baseball park is 4 hours to the north in Kansas City.  Needless to say, Arkansas' baseball program has the attention of just about all the baseball fans in the state.

So it leaves little doubt as to why a Baum Stadium experience is among the top in the nation, but we will try and give you a more personal taste of it all year long.  From knowledgeable fans who stay in the game 9 innings to the crazies that sit out in the "Hog pen".  From the mouth watering ball park foods stretched between foul poles to the professional physical structure of 10,737 seats and promotions, we will give you in depth analyses on what the rave is about this field of dreams set back in the Ozark Mountains.

I have been attending Arkansas baseball games regularly for 10 years.  I know most of the ins and outs of pre game preparations and the PA announcements in between innings.  As a student I was able to get into games free for four five years and I have benefited from my mother buying two season tickets each year since then.  We sit in section 102 row N seats 19 and 20 by the way, so come say hello if you get the chance.  And no I did not have to look at my ticket to remember the seats.

Baum Stadium is like a second home to me in a way.  I have spent many days worth of time watching batting practice and games and post game interviews.  I will always say, even to a non baseball fan (bless your heart), that the experience given at Razorback games warrants no prior knowledge of baseball.  My girlfriend is proof of that.  So, if you haven't done so already, come out with the crowd, eat some peanuts and cracker jacks, and root for the Hog team.

Room for Improvement

After one weekend of Razorback baseball I am left with a good feeling about the squad as a whole.  They hit the ball very well and pitched well enough to get a sweep.  There are a few things I have against them so far, though, and I want to get them out there for those who may be unaware (or pessimistic) of them.

My brother (Jordan) and my father (Keith) will tell you I am the ultimate optimist when it comes to the Hogs baseball teams.  I have to really work on seeing things in perspective and I personally think I do a decent job of it.  For instance, when I see the opposing team check a swing and the umpire get the call right, I am not going to boo him for getting it right.  I want to see the game played the right way, regardless of whether my team comes out on top as a result of a "good" call.

But my family will tell you I see the cup completely full all the time, so this post will be about a couple things I saw this weekend that Arkansas will need to improve upon in these next few weeks.

Arkansas committed 6 errors that resulted in 3 unearned runs.  From overthrowing a pick off to allowing a ball to roll under their glove to sailing a relay throw, the hogs kicked it around too much for my liking and really should have been beaten at least once as a result.

Now here comes the optimistic side of me.  I can give the Hogs some room after one week of play (especially since they swept) to commit errors after not being able to practice much on the field in the days leading up to the season.  There was a great amount of snow covering George Cole Field and temperatures down low enough to make you unable to think straight.  Plus, this weekend the field was visibly in the worst condition I have ever seen it in after being under all the snow for so long.

One might argue that the game was played by both teams on the same field and I will agree that is a valid argument, but Appalachian State averaged an error per game.

This is not all to say the Hogs' errors are permissible because they aren't.  I am just optimistically thinking they are going to get more reps in during the week at practice and live up to their defensive potential.

All together there were 19 hit batters in three games played.  That is an absurd number and I would love to have the resources to research if that has ever been done at any level.  Arkansas pitchers were responsible for only 7 of them.  ONLY 7 in three games.  That is also absurd and it is a wonder they were able to hold the Mountaineers to only 11 runs all weekend.

Optimism time.  This was the first weekend being able to throw to live batters outside of their own roster.  There is a heightened level of excitement and that can lead to overthrowing pitches and getting too far in on some batters.  This will also work itself out with reps and experience throwing in games and getting used to using your pitches in live situations with all the nerves to deal with.

Don't forget this is a young pitching staff for the most part and even the older guys are mostly inexperienced with the exception of a couple.  I do have a lot of confidence in them, so I will be careful not to let their youth overcome how much potential they have to being another great staff.

I would also just like to say how proud I am of the fan base that was in attendance all weekend.  The weather cooperated better than any other opening weekend I have been able to see.  Hog fans did not disappoint, coming out in droves and pushing the actual attendance to nearly 15,000 for the weekend.

I am not under the illusion that the weather won't be below freezing in two weeks but it was nice to see three large, engaged crowds out to cheer on the Diamond Hogs.

Thank you for reading and please do not hesitate to leave us a comment below on how you think we are doing, what we could improve and what you would personally like to read about.  We aim to please our readers and it is our mission to give Razorback Baseball fans the news, information and entertainment you prefer.

We have plans to make this a more diverse sports blog and not one filled only with stats and jargon.  We are excited about baseball and that you have decided to give ear to what we have to say about it.  Have a great week and God bless.

Stars of the Week (Week 1)

Freshman of the Week

Andrew Benintendi:  The true freshman hit lead off and played center field for the Hogs this weekend and, despite not recording a hit, managed to contribute in a major way.  Benintendi reached base 7 times during the series (3BB, 4HBP) which turned into four Arkansas runs.  He was also given credit for 2 RBI during the finale, pushing runs across twice with the bases loaded.  Benintendi proved to be a tough out all weekend long.  He turned in very solid at bats during each game, rarely looking like a player performing in his first collegiate series. 

Pitcher of the Week

Jalen Beeks:  The junior lefty from Prairie Grove, AR showed why he will be counted on heavily to chew up a lot of innings for the Hogs this season.  Beeks threw six solid innings as the Friday starter, giving up only 3 hits and managing to strike out 6 while only walking one batter.  He looked very strong from the beginning, striking out four of the first five batters he faced.  Beeks had great command throughout the outing throwing 50 strikes of out 72 total pitches.  Had it not been for the Razorback coaching staff’s pitch count limit Beeks likely would have been able to go a couple more innings on Friday night.

Hitter of the Week

Brian Anderson:  The second-team All-America selection from Edmond, OK had a solid weekend at the plate.  Anderson led the team 7 hits this weekend, recording a .500 average over the three game set.  He had two doubles in the first game driving in 3 runs and contributing one run of his own.  Anderson finished the weekend with 4 RBI and 3 runs scored.  He left just three runners on base during the series.    Anderson was locked in and had great bat control, hitting the ball to all fields each game.  There did not seem to be a single at bat where he did not look completely comfortable in the box.

Tip of the Cap

Michael Gunn:  Coming in for his first relief appearance of the season Gunn showed a hard fastball mixed with sharp off-speed pitches .  He went 2.1 innings giving up just 1 hit and striking out 2.  Gunn’s command was on point as he did not walk a batter and never really got into trouble. 

K.J. Wilkerson:  The JUCO transfer proved to everyone that he is ready to play ball at the D1 level.  Wilkerson collected 5 hits over the weekend, hitting .455 with 2 RBI and 4 runs scored.  His biggest offensive output came during the first game when he went 3-5 with 2 doubles and a homerun.

App St 2/16

Diamond Hogs Sweep Mountaineers

Arkansas was outhit 5 to 3 but was able to pull out the win 8 to 3 and improve to 3-0 on the season in front of 5,072 fans on beautiful, warm Sunday afternoon at Baum Stadium.  Dave Van Horn went with freshman Alex Phillips to start the game who lasted 3 innings, surrendering 3 hits, 1 walk, 2 earned runs, and striking out 3.  Van Horn has praised Phillips this off season for hitting the strike zone with consistency, but he may have caught more of the plate he wanted as he gave up two very well hit solo home runs.  

Freshman Zach Jackson was able to come in and calm things down for 3 innings, giving up 1 walk and striking out 3.  Juniors Jacob Stone and Jackson Lowery and sophomore Colin Poche each pitched one inning with a strikeout a piece and Lowery gave up 2 hits.  

Arkansas did not provide much offense in the way of hitting but they did walk 7 times and were hit by 6 pitches in the game.  Juniors Joe Serrano and Brian Anderson along with sophomore Tyler Spoon each had one of the three hits with Serrano adding 2 RBI.  Anderson, Spoon and sophomore Michael Bernal each had a RBI while freshman Andrew Benintendi drove in 2 runs without the benefit of a hit in the game.  

While it may have been an ugly win, the Diamong Hogs accomplished the series sweep against a very experienced and talented team.  Arkansas' young pitching staff faced a good test in the Mountaineers lineup and came out with much reason to be confident going forward.  

Up next the hogs will host Eastern Illinois in a three game series starting Friday at 3:05.  

App St 2/15

Hogs Use Long Ball to Overcome Errors

The No. 25 Arkansas Razorbacks overcame four errors by hitting two home runs on a very windy day at Baum Stadium Saturday and held on late to win 7-6 over Appalachian State and improve to 2-0 on the young season. Junior RHP Chris Oliver went five innings to earn the win and gave up one hit and one earned run while striking out five.  Redshirt sophomore Landon Simpson ran into some trouble, giving up five hits and three earned runs, striking out two in 1.2 innings.  Junior Michael Gunn earned the save by pitching the last 2.1 innings, only giving up one hit along with two strikeouts.

The Razorbacks have seen much better days defensively as four errors cost them two unearned runs.  Junior shortstop Brett McAfee allowed a ball under his glove and then freshman center fielder Andrew Benintendi allowed the same ball to get past him in the outfield, totaling two errors before the ball was picked up.

Oliver also committed and error on a pick off attempt and junior Brian Anderson sailed the ball over third baseman Mike Bernal on a relay throw after a triple by Dillon Dobson which allowed Dobson to score on the play.

Offensively the Diamond Hogs posted their second consecutive double digit hits game, pounding out eleven hits.  Anderson led the way for the second day in a row going 3-5 with three singles, two runs scored and a stolen base.

Junior first baseman Eric Fisher hit an early solo home run and finished the day 2-4 with two RBI.  Redshirt sophomore right fielder Tyler Spoon had two hits as well including a three run home run into the hog pen to account for all three of his RBI.

Junior DH Krisjon Wilkerson had a pair of hits and junior Joe Serrano drove in one run on one hit.  Benintendi still has not recorded a hit in two games but continues to get on base as he was hit twice, walked and stole a base.

Arkansas' bats have kept up with the warm weather so far, as have the fans with another 4,913 on hand to enjoy the game.  The Razorbacks have had little problem hitting so far, especially in the middle of their lineup.  Their struggles have come defensively and pitchers hitting batters (six in two games).  They will look to tighten up their defense and find more of the strike zone on Sunday at 1:05 as freshman righty Alex Phillips will take the ball and go for the sweep.

App St 2/14

Razorbacks Come Out Swinging in 12-2 Win

The Arkansas Razorbacks opened the 2014 season with a 12-2 win over Appalachian State on Friday evening before an announced crowd of 7,203 fans.  Junior captain Jalen Beeks earned the win, going six shutout innings on an 80 pitch count, allowing three hits, one walk and striking out six.  Beeks, a very good reliever last season, gave head coach Dave Van Horn much to think about before putting him back in the bullpen this season.

Jackson Lowery came on in the 7th inning to strikeout the side with impressive velocity.  Dominic Taccolini ran into trouble in the 8th, hitting the first two batters he faced and later surrendering his only hit to score both runners he allowed on.  Lance Phillips closed out the game with a perfect 9th inning including a strikeout to total ten on the day for the Arkansas staff.

T'he heart of the order got it done on Valentine's Day as Arkansas pounded out thirteen hits while committing one error and stranding ten runners on base.  

Leading the offense was Brian Anderson who was 3-5 with three RBI, all of which came on one of his two doubles.  Designated hitter Krisjon Wilkerson contributed three hits of his own including an opposite field two run home run and a double.  Joe Serrano was 3-3 with one RBI and Brett McAfee had a single, a double and drove in two runs.

Arkansas turned in a solid day defensively as well, turning two double plays early on and committing only one error late in the game after the lineup card had been changed around.

Winning opening day is something the hogs are used to doing as this was their 20th in a row in that category and the 400th win in Baum Stadium history.

Just before the game second baseman Brian Anderson added to his list of preseason accolades by being named to the Golden Spikes watch list, which is given out to the best college baseball player each season.  

The Razorbacks will suit up again today against the Mountaineers at 12:05 with Chris Oliver getting the start.  

Appalachian State Preview

Mountaineers bring experience, depth to Baum Stadium

                The Arkansas Razorbacks open their baseball season this weekend against the Appalachian State Mountaineers, and for both of these teams the first pitch cannot come soon enough.  The Hogs are coming off a season that began with high expectations and ended with broken hearts.  Similarly, the Mountaineers saw a promising start to last season turn into a disappointing finish and were left wondering what could have been.  Last year’s team had signature wins over national power—and the nation’s number one collegiate pitcher—North Carolina State and SEC stalwart Georgia.  Their overall record of 30-24 does not tell the true story of how good the team really was.  And a closer look at the numbers shows that the team played well away from home, going 15-11 on the road.  The Mountaineers also played well in the post-season last year, beating No.1 seeded Western Carolina in the SOCON tournament before eventually falling to the Citadel in the semi-finals.  There are high expectations for Mountaineers again this year.  They have been picked by the conference coaches to finish 3^rd in the SOCON.  Appalachian State has a chance, with a strong conference finish and key wins over some tough non-conference opponents, to possibly make the NCAA tournament.

                With hitting leaders like Hector Crespo (.336/40RBI) and Will Callaway (.344/40RBI) graduating, Appalachian State will turn to some new faces in order to score runs.  First baseman Bradley Morton transferred in from Louisburg College where he hit a solid .420 as a sophomore.  Ozzie Gonzalez, a transfer from Miami, could really add some pop to the middle of the order.  He hit 2 homeruns and drove in 5 runs over the last two games of their three game fall intra-squad series.  The Mountaineers will also have some familiar names back in the line-up this year, including Tyler Zupic who is coming off of a knee injury from 2012 that forced him to miss all of last season.  In that 2012 season Zupic lead the team in most offensive categories and set a number of school records, including having a 19-game hitting streak.  Despite not playing for almost 20 months Zupic has been chosen as a 1^st team all-Southern Conference selection.  Sophomore Alex Leach (.370/54AB) has shown clutch hitting in his short career and could possibly help at the top of the line-up.  Others who should have a large impact in putting runs on the board for the Mountaineers this year include seniors Noah Holmes (.296), who led the team last year with 5 homeruns, and William Head, who was successful on 27 of 31 stolen base attempts.  Look for Appalachian State to have a very patient approach at the plate and simply work hard to find ways to get on base.  The power numbers are not there as they only hit 37 homeruns last year as a club; however, they proved to be a very effective base running team, stealing 100 bases in 124 attempts.  Expect the Mountaineers to get on base by any means possible and to manufacture runs throughout each game.

                Having three proven pitchers in your weekend rotation is enough to make any coach happy.  Which means Appalachian State coach Billy Jones is likely grinning from ear to ear.  Setting the tone for the Mountaineers this year will be last year’s Friday starter junior righty Jamie Nunn.  A nine game winner last year, Nunn finished the year with a 3.96 ERA and averaged better than 2 strikeouts per walk.  His biggest win of the year came in the season opener against eventual College World Series participant NC State, who trotted all-everything lefty Carlos Rodon out to face Nunn.  Sunday’s starter will likely be junior Jeffrey Springs.  The lefty is in the weekend rotation for the second straight season after starting 11 games for the Mountaineers last year.  All indications point to sixth-year senior Tyler Moore taking the mound to start the Saturday game.  Moore has appeared in 60 games over the course of his career at Appalachian State, but this will be his first collegiate start.  The bullpen could pose some question marks for the Mountaineers.  They are having to replace 3 key contributors from last season’s club, two of which combined for 80% of the teams saves.  The pitcher that fans are likely to see the most of from this staff is junior Taylor Thurber.  Thurber led the team with 26 appearances a season ago and had an astounding 5.14 strikeout to walk ratio.  His pinpoint control helped him manage just over 1 walk per nine innings.  Also expected to contribute out of the pen are highly touted freshmen Matt Brill, who was selected in the 24^th round of last year’s MLB draft, and Sean Mason.  Both are righties who may be leaned upon heavily at times over the course of the weekend.  At the back end of the bullpen is JUCO transfer Robert Whaley, a righty who has a thick frame and has shown a very live arm over the fall.  This combination of seasoned veterans and optimistic youngsters could be just the right formula to spell trouble for the Razorbacks throughout the series.

                Appalachian State is a team coming to Fayetteville, AR on a mission.  They have a great opportunity to beat a top 25 team on the road in a traditionally hostile environment.  The Mountaineers have nothing to lose in this situation.  If they come to Baum Stadium and get beat well hey, they were supposed to, right?  But if they can come in and find a way to win, even one game, it will be a huge lift for their season and for the program overall.  Don’t let Appalachian State’s all-time record of 10-36 against the SEC fool you.  They have won 6 of their last 10 games against SEC foes including taking two of three from LSU at Alex Box Stadium in 2012.  Every Hog fan knows what a difficult atmosphere that is in Baton Rouge and the Mountaineers never batted an eye.  They will come to town with no fear and a chip on their shoulder.  The Razorbacks need to be highly focused and on their game in order to win this weekend.  This will not be a pushover opening series.

Arkansas vs App St.

Razorbacks Ready for Opening Weekend

         The Arkansas Razorbacks baseball team begins the season on Valentine's Day and the diamond hogs will have lovely weather to enjoy as they play host to Appalachian State.  Game times are set for 3:05 Friday, 12:05 Saturday and 1:05 Sunday with temperatures looking to get into the 60's.  Fayetteville's weather forecast will be coveted by many teams across the eastern part of the country that are already scrambling to get in three games due to the winter weather that has made it's way across the nation.  Dave Van Horn's squad is chomping at the bit to play against someone other than themselves after being able to only hold team scrimmages all fall and winter.  Fans will also be relieved to get out of their homes into some warmer weather and check out the caliber of team Van Horn has formulated for 2014.  One thing is for sure, planning a date at the ball park this weekend will definitely heat up the relationship.

Weekend Schedule

Friday, Feb 14  3:05 pm  Hi 53/Lo 25  30% chance of am showers

Saturday, Feb 15  12:05 pm  Hi 56/Lo 33  Sunny

Sunday, Feb 16  1:05 pm  Hi 62/Lo 48  Partly cloudy 

  Weekend Probables

Arkansas                                                                      

Jr LHP Jalen Beeks (6-2, 2.20)                                    

Jr RHP Chris Oliver (2-2, 2.25)                                 

Fr RHP Alex Phillips                                                

C   Sr. Jake Wise                                                         

1B  RJr. Eric Fisher                                                      

2B  Jr. Brian Anderson                                                

3B  So. Bobby Wernes                                               

SS  Jr. Brett McAfee                                                   

LF  Jr. Joe Serrano                                                      

CF  Fr. Andrew Benintendi                                   

RF  RSo. Tyler Spoon                                               

DH RFr. Garrett Rucker                                        

Appalachian State

Jr RHP Jamie Nunn (9-5, 3.96)

Sr RHP Tyler Moore (1-0, 2.45)

Jr LHP Jeffery Springs (3-4, 6.28)

C   Jr. Ozzy Gonzalez

1B  Jr. Bradley Morton

2B  Sr. Tyler Zupcic

3B  Sr. William Head 

SS  So. Dillon Dobson

LF  Fr. Brian Bauk

CF  So. Jaylin Davis  

RF  Sr. Preston Troutman 

DH So. Alex Leach

        Prediction

Arkansas is handing the ball to its top two returning relief pitchers to start the first two games and handing it over to a freshman for the third game.  Appalachian State is throwing three very experienced weekend starters and has nothing to lose.  Arkansas warms up the bats this weekend to pull off the sweep over the Mountaineers.