Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Healthy Diggs returns to form vs. S.C.
FAYETTEVILLE — Turns out one of the best things happening for Arkansas breaking a 2-game losing skid, sweeping two nonconference from Texas Tech last midweek at Baum-Walker Stadium, didn’t happen at all.
Both Tech games Coach Dave Van Horn didn’t play right field mainstay Kendall Diggs, slumping with an injured shoulder.
Diggs started fresh for the Razorbacks scheduled the 3-game SEC series at South Carolina crammed into a Friday night game and Saturday doubleheader because of Sunday rain.
Diggs’ formerly booming bat didn’t boom Friday, 0 for 3. He struck out during Arkansas’ scoring inning. His was hardly the lone Arkansas boom-less bat.
On just four hits, against five Gamecocks pitchers — two during the two-walks, two-wild pitch, tworun sixth inning — the Razorbacks overcame South Carolina’s 1-0 lead to prevail, 2-1. Arkansas scored on a wild pitch and Jack Wagner’s sacrifice fly sufficing for winning starter Hagen Smith, 1 run through 6 innings, and superb relief pitching by Gabe Gaeckle and lefty vs. lefty specialist Stone Hewlett.
Diggs, 1 for 4 with an RBI, broke his slump in Saturday’s first game but for naught with Arkansas losing, 6-3 despite a dozen Hogs hits.
Saturday’s second game Arkansas doted on Diggs, 2 for 5 with 2 doubles and 2 RBI. Diggs doubled and scored on Peyton Holt’s single for just a 4-2 sixth-inning lead. The Hogs broke it open with a 5-run seventh. Diggs deadly damaged doubling home two to left and scoring on another Holt hit.
““The shoulder feels great,” Diggs said. “Our training staff did an amazing job helping me get back to 100%. Everything feels good.
“In the box with every at-bat, I’m just getting more comfortable while getting back to my old self. I’m excited for the future.”
Especially if Arkansas’ offense catches up to its pitching and defense like it did in Saturday’s second game and obviously periodically has during its 34-6 overall/14-4 SEC West campaign going into tonight’s visit to Dickey-Stephens Stadium in North Little Rock vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
“As a whole, we’re not really clicking to our full potential,” Diggs said. “Obviously, the guys on the mound are doing an outstanding job. But, as far as the offense goes, we’re getting the job but we’re not getting close to what we’re going to be. It’s a really good sign.”
Arkansas’ offense produced more hits in Saturday’s first game loss than the nine in the nightcap victory.
“Like that first game,” Diggs said. “We had 12 hits but we left a lot of guys (13) on. You have to string something together and get them in there.
“That was huge to string it together.”
And huge to have their right fielder back in the swing.
“It does a lot for our lineup,” Van Horn said.“Brings a veteran hitter in there that can hit the ball over your head all over the field. He definitely makes our lineup a lot tougher.”