Arkansas continues road swing at Memphis
FAYETTEVILLE - Isaiah Campbell’s pitching problems starting Arkansas’ 17-2 SEC loss at Florida last Saturday has extenuating circumstances that will prevent him from pitching in the Thursday through Saturday SEC series against the Ole Miss Rebels.
Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn, whose nationally No. 6 Razorbacks (17-7) play the Memphis Tigers (8-17) of Conference USA at 6:30 p.m. tonight at Auto Zone Park in Memphis, announced Monday in Fayetteville that Campbell has inflammation in his right elbow and apparently will not travel when the Razorbacks play the nationally No. 4 Rebels at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, 6:30 p.m. Friday and 1:30 p.m. Saturday.
Ideally, Van Horn would move third-game SEC starter Kacey Murphy into Campbell’s slot, but with Murphy having started Sunday’s finale of Arkansas' series at Florida, Murphy will start Saturday’s game against Ole Miss, Van Horn said.
Van Horn said sophomore lefty Evan Lee and freshman right-handers Bryce Bonnin and Jackson Rutledge are possible Friday night starting options after his ace, junior right-hander Blaine Knight (4-0, 1.83) opens the series Thursday night.
Knight is 2-0 in the SEC, winning starts over Kentucky and Florida.
Regarding Campbell, who missed last season with injuries and had pitched a brilliant eight innings to beat then nationally fourth-ranked SEC opponent Kentucky before getting knocked out in two innings at Florida, Van Horn said, “He's got a little inflammation on his elbow. We had him looked at today. So we're going to give him one week off, let him rest a little bit, just doing the normal meds type things.”
Van Horn was asked if he had been aware of Campbell fighting any arm issues before his Florida start.
“Didn't know he was having any issues at all until the next day,” Van Horn said. “His elbow is just bugging him a little bit. So we had it looked at, precautionary, so we're going to give him a week off.”
Does he think Campbell’s absence will be short term?
“I do,” Van Horn replied. “That's what everything points to. He's just got some irritation in there, and it happens with pitchers. Sometimes it's just the way body works, so we'll give him some time to heal up. Some other guys have to step it up.”
Van Horn uses tonight’s game in Memphis as an opportunity to jump start junior right-hander Jake Reindl.
Projected to be Arkansas’ closer, Reindl, who is 1-1 with one save, has struggled with a 5.23 earned run average in relief, so he will try and redirect his momentum from the start.
“We've got to get him going,” Van Horn said. “He's a guy that was really big for us out of the pen last year. He's gotten off to a slow start. I figure we'll just give him a few innings, see how he does.”
Could Reindl still pitch relief against Ole Miss? “Three or four innings (at Memphis), he would be ready go again if necessary Saturday,” Van Horn said.