Hogs look to rebound versus Bears
FAYETTEVILLE — The always tough Missouri State Bears host Arkansas tonight at a particularly tough time on the Razorbacks schedule.
Game time between coach Dave Van Horn’s 25-8 Razorbacks of the SEC and Keith Guttin’s 2110 Bears of the Missouri Valley Conference is 6:30 p.m. at Hammons Field in Springfield, Mo. It will be available for Internet viewing and streaming on ESPN3 and will be carried on the Razorbacks radio network.
Arkansas, initially off to a roaring SEC start sweeping three from Mississippi State at Baum Stadium then winning two of three at Missouri and at Alabama, suddenly has lost momentum. After drubbing No. 13 SEC West archrival LSU, 9-3, last Friday night at Baum, the Razorbacks literally threw away an 8-2 lead after seven innings Saturday when they were tagged for a three-run eighth then handed LSU a one-hit, five-run ninth for a 10-8 LSU triumph.
On Sunday the Razorbacks were beaten 2-0 by LSU freshman Eric Walker’s complete game momentum.
So not only are the Razorbacks reeling while playing an always emotionally-charged regional rival who swept Arkansas last year after the 2015 Hogs beat the Bears two of three to advance from the Super Regional at Baum to the College World Series, but Arkansas starts its next SEC series a day early hosting Georgia Thursday night, Friday night and Saturday afternoon at Baum instead of the customary Friday through Sunday.
It’s a squeeze for the Bears, too, 6-0 in the MVC after sweeping three from Dallas Baptist last Friday through Sunday in Springfield and starting a threegame MVC Thursday night at New Mexico, but momentum does seem on the Bears side.
“They’re a good team,” Van Horn said. “They won their weekend series against Dallas Baptist, and they’re at home. Their RPI is as good as ours and probably better now.”
Those are givens that the Razorbacks can’t control when facing the Bears, led by third baseman Jake Burger, .370, 12 home runs, 34 RBI; first baseman Justin Paulsen, .367, 4 home runs 29 RBI; and shortstop Jeremy Eierman, .357, 12 home runs, 33 RBI.
What his Hogs can control, Van Horn said, is their own response to tonight’s game and its springboard into the Georgia series.
“What we need to do is play good baseball, swing the bats better and win or lose get a better momentum going into this Georgia series,” Van Horn said.
Razorbacks fourth-year second baseman Carson Shaddy of Fayetteville and second-year senior junior college outfielder Jake Arledge said there is never lack of incentive against Missouri State.
“For the last three years, it’s been a heck of a series,” Shaddy said. “Back from 2015 when we saw them in the Super Regional, that whole series just kind of laid the foundation for this rivalry. I can’t wait to go out and play them.”
Arledge of Huntington Beach, Calif., concurred.
“I wasn’t here in 2015, but I saw some videos and watched on television,” Arledge said. “That’s where the rivalry started. Last year they got us a couple times, and this year we’re going to get them. We’ll get ‘em.”
Van Horn’s inevitable piecemeal midweek pitching plan likely will be more piecemeal than ever tonight not wanting to overextend any from possible relief use Friday and Saturday against Georgia.
Sophomore lefty Kacey Murphy of Rogers, a career high 10 strikeouts in four innings beating Grand Canyon University last Wednesday, likely will start or at least be among the Arkansas pitching multitude tonight.
Expect Cannon Chadwick, emerging early season to be the ace closer but struggling lately including losing Saturday night’s game in the ninth, to get tested tonight.
“He’s got to get better with his slider and command,” Van Horn said. “He might have to go out and pitch on Tuesday a little bit. An inning, so we can see what he can do before we throw him in a game on Thursday night with a tight ballgame.”