Razorbacks lose two starters ahead of top-5 matchup
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas did not just lose three games in Starkville, Miss., swept Friday and Saturday by then-last place Mississippi State in the Southeastern Conference’s West division.
The now No. 7 Razorbacks (28-13, 10-8) lose their second baseman and third baseman, too.
Coach Dave Van Horn said neither starting redshirt senior second baseman Carson Shaddy nor freshman third baseman Casey Martin will start tonight because of injuries they suffered on Saturday.
Arkansas will host No. 4 Texas Tech (32-9, 10-5 Big 12) at 6:30 p.m. tonight at Baum Stadium and at 6 p.m. on Wednesday. Tonight’s game is scheduled to be available online on SEC+. Wednesday’s game will be televised on the SEC Network (Resort Channel 79).
Shaddy suffered a “bad bruise” on his right hand when he was hit by a pitch during a 5-3 loss in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday against Mississippi State (22-19, 8-10). He is hitting .356 with nine home runs and 29 RBIs this season and did not play in Saturday’s nightcap, which Mississippi State won, 7-5.
Martin played in both games Saturday, but injured his hip in the first game. He is hitting .333 with eight home runs and 33 RBIs.
“He hurt it diving for a ball on game one Saturday,” Van Horn said before the Razorbacks practiced Monday. “I didn’t really know about it until after the day was over. He’s sore. I definitely won’t start him tomorrow. He’s trying to tell me he can play, but he won’t start. I know that.”
Shaddy could not grip a bat between games Saturday and also is out of tonight’s lineup, said both Van Horn and Shaddy who was available to media on Monday.
Junior Hunter Wilson replaced Shaddy at second base and went 1-for-3. Van Horn said he will likely start Wilson or sophomore Jack Kenley at second with either Kenley or senior Jared Gates at third base.
“You lose two of your top starters for one or maybe both games with both kids, it makes it more difficult,” Van Horn said. “But it also lets us show we have a little bit of depth and can move some guys around and get some guys that haven’t played as much a chance to get in the lineup.”
The final two midweek non-conference games with Texas Tech are key for RPI and NCAA Regional seeding. So, of course Van Horn would like Shaddy and Martin starting, but this weekend’s SEC West series with Alabama (22-20, 5-13) is more important.
Likewise for the Red Raiders. Texas Tech will look to beat its rival from the old Southwest Conference days, but a Big 12 series this weekend at TCU (19-17, 6-8) is the team’s foremost concern.
Right-hander Ryan Sublet (0-1, 8.62 ERA) is scheduled to start for Tech tonight against Arkansas freshman Jackson Rutledge (3-0, 2.08). Van Horn said he will wait on tonight’s game before announcing Wednesday’s pitching plans.
For Tech, it would not be surprising if junior right-hander and Fort Smith Southside alum Ty Harpenau (4-1, 4.30) pitches at some point against Arkansas.
Batting .318 as a team with 58 home runs, the Red Raiders are led by two .400 hitters. Left fielder Grant Little, nine home runs and 51 RBIs, and third baseman Josh June, eight home runs and 57 RBIs, both bat .404. Three other starting regulars are batting .345, .321 and .297 with 20 home runs between them.
“I mean, that’s pretty amazing,” Van Horn said. “That just means they’re probably pushing each other. As a team, they’ve done it against both left-hand, right-handed pitchers. If you look at the matchup, it doesn’t really matter to them. Pretty solid offensive team.”
But so is his own team, Van Horn said, even if they did strand 27 runners for three games in Starkville.
“We have a good team,” Van Horn asserted. “We had a bad weekend, obviously, but it’s good to play competition like Texas Tech. I think the mindset is learn and move on and realize that everybody’s good in the league and you’re going to maybe have a weekend like that. The key is to get over it.”