Van Horn, Hogs wary of last-place Tide
FAYETTEVILLE — The Arkansas Razorbacks arrive in Tuscaloosa, Ala. tied with Auburn atop the Southeastern Conference West at 5-1 while the Crimson Tide, Arkansas’ weekend hosts, share the division basement (1-5) with Texas A&M.
Don’t focus long on those opposite numbers, Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn warns. Because other key numbers read the same going into their threegame SEC series at 6 p.m. today, 7 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at Alabama’s new Sewell-Thomas Stadium. All games air on the Razorback radio network and Saturday’s and Sunday’s on the SEC Network (Resort Channel 79).
“Alabama is obviously not off to the start that they wanted,” Van Horn said. “But if you look at their numbers, they are almost exactly the same as ours as far as batting average, ERA, stolen bases, doubles … I mean I could go on and on.”
Other than SEC and overall records, 20-5 for Arkansas and 12-13 for Alabama, and home runs, Arkansas leads 36-22, some numbers are identical — both teams hit. .283 — and others are very close. Alabama has 40 doubles to Arkansas’ 37 and 15 steals to Arkansas’ 14 with an aggregate 3.28 earned run average to Arkansas’ 3.30.
“They just don’t have the wins in league,” Van Horn said. “But I know we are going to be going into a pretty hostile environment as far as the team in that other dugout. They are going to be hungry to get some wins and we are going to have to play really well.”
New Alabama coach Greg Goff coached a Louisiana Tech team that beat Arkansas last season in Fayetteville before the Tide swept three, 8-6, 10-4 and 7-4, from the Razorbacks in Fayetteville.
“When they came in on paper they weren’t a very good hitting team but they hit really well against us,” Arkansas junior first baseman Chad Spanberger recalled. “They got most of their people back.”
Taking the Tide last place for granted seems the last thing that the Razorbacks would do given they finished last in the SEC last year and are out to repeat history made last year in Starkville, Miss.
“Mississippi State was first last year and the year prior they were last,” Arkansas junior shortstop Jax Biggers said. “Hope that’s what we can do. If you don’t try to win each inning and each pitch it can go sideways quick.”
Junior right-hander Jake Waters, 4-2, 2.14 ERA with 33 strikeouts but also 18 walks in 33 2-3 innings, sophomore lefty Dylan Duarte, 1-1, 2.89, and senior right-hander Nick Eicholtz, 1-0, 5.64 ERA, are Alabama’s likely starters.
Arkansas counters tonight with sophomore righthander Blaine Knight, 3-1, 2.51 ERA, and an incredible
41 strikeouts vs. 2 walks in 32 1-3 innings righthander Trevor Stephan on Saturday, 4-1 and 2.02, with
50 strikeouts vs. 9 walks in 35 2-3 innings Unless needed relief, seniors Josh Alberius and Dominic Taccolini likely will work Sunday’s game though Taccolini didn’t pitch last Sunday after finishing the final three innings for Knight following the long rain delay in a victory over Missouri.
Arkansas won two of three at Missouri after sweeping Mississippi State in the SEC opening series at Baum Stadium.
Alabama opened the SEC swept at home by Missouri but last week played SEC East power South Carolina three times to the wire winning 4-2 then losing twice, 6-5 in 10 innings and 4-2.