Week 3 Recap

Razorbacks lose their first series

The No. 24 ranked Diamond Hogs took a step backward this week after losing a double header on Saturday against South Alabama.  Arkansas (7-2) won the first game of the series Friday 12-1 before falling 2-1 and 5-3 on Saturday.  The games were played in advance of a winter storm system that has left Fayetteville completely covered in deep ice and snow.  The Hogs brought their bats in a big way for the first game but fell flat on a day that has been the best weather to play in so far this season. 

It was all Arkansas in the first game as they pounded out 14 hits and scored 9 runs in the first 3 innings against the starting pitcher Matt Bell.  It wasn’t long before head coach Dave Van Horn could make substitutions and get experience for a lot of the back up and younger players.  The Razorbacks’ bats ran into trouble Saturday as South Alabama only needed 3 pitchers to sweep a double header.  Their starting pitchers Locke St. John and Kevin Hill threw 116 and 126 pitches before they each yielded the 9^th inning to their closer Brandon Hallford to shut the door.  Coming into this weekend we knew this team did not have a strong bullpen, and to have any chance to win their starters would need to last into the late frames.  They did exactly that, scattering hits by the Hogs while greatly surpassing any normal pitch count for this time of year.  It was clear this was a big series in the minds of the South Alabama ball club.

Junior Jalen Beeks finally showed he is human by allowing his first earned run in 6 innings while earning the win.  He gave up 3 hits, 3 walks and struck out 6 to improve to 3-0 and raise his ERA to 0.51 for the season.  Freshmen James Teague, Dominic Taccolini and Chris Falwell all came on to pitch 1 inning a piece, allowing only 1 hit in 9 total at bats.  

Chris Oliver struggled with command in the second game with little evidence to show of it.  He only allowed 1 earned run on 4 hits and 3 walks through 5 innings, adding 3 strikeouts.  Freshman Zach Jackson improved his innings streak without giving up an unearned run to 8.2 innings, throwing 2.2 frames with 2 walks and 3 strikeouts.  He is a guy that Van Horn is excited about using in the middle innings throughout the season.  Juniors Jacob Stone and Michael Gunn combined for 1.1 innings, 1 hit, 1 walk and a strikeout.  They are also two guys that are pitching their way into appearances late in games, with Stone being looked at as a candidate to close some games.

Sophomore Trey Killian made his first appearance of the season and did not have quite the start he did last season.  He lasted only 2.2 innings giving up 5 hits, 4 earned runs and striking out 2.  Killian had great velocity but was catching too much of the plate.  The 5 hits off him were all bullets and even the outs he was recording were being hit very hard.  Sophomore Colin Poche pitched 2.1 shutout innings with 2 hits, 2 walks and a strikeout.  Junior Jackson Lowery contributed 3 solid innings giving up an unearned run on 1 hit, 1 walk and 2 strikeouts.  Sophomore Landon Simpson threw 1 innings surrendering only 1 hit over 3 batters faced. 

Junior Joe Serrano paced the Diamond Hogs this week with a .538 average (7-13), 3 doubles, 4 RBI, 3 runs scored and a stolen base.  He boasted a .769 slugging percentage and .571 on base percentage.  Junior Brett McAfee was 5-10 with a double and 3 RBI.  Sophomore Tyler Spoon had 3 hits including a triple to go with 3 RBI for the week.  Junior Krisjon Wilkerson came back from an injury to continue his hitting barrage with 5 more hits, 3 runs scored and 2 RBI in 7 at bats.  Sophomore Michael Bernal continues to solidify his spot at third base with solid defensive play and his ability to reach the base paths.  Bernal only got 2 starts but was 4-6 with a double and .778 OBP.

As a team the Razorbacks hit .300 to South Alabama’s .191, and scored twice as many runs.  But it just goes to show that a team that has good starting pitching and defense can find ways to win baseball games.  The Hogs will take their lumps with this series and learn from it, hopefully improving their defense and success at hitting with runners in scoring position.  There has been little to complain about so far with the Hogs’ pitching after losing its best staff in decades from last year.  They are sporting a 2.00 ERA so far and still have not found their exact rotation and solidity in the bullpen.  This is a team that could become dangerous quickly once they get all their pieces into place.

Arkansas' scheduled game against IPFW on Monday was canceled due to the weather.  There is not expected to be a makeup game scheduled.  Arkansas will head to Berkeley, California this weekend to play single games against San Francisco, Tulane and a double header against California before opening conference play at Florida the next week.