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 5th. 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.
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