Senior Razorbacks focus on recent program history
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas is always subjected to decades of history any time the Razorbacks meet the Texas Longhorns, their historic rival from the Southwest Conference.
Enough already, these Razorbacks (44-19) think, as their opening College World Series date looms against the Longhorns (42-21) at 1 p.m. on Sunday at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha in Nebraska. The game is scheduled to be shown on ESPN (Resort Channel 30).
Redshirt senior second baseman Carson Shaddy, of Fayetteville, is a direct living descendant of the rivalry’s past as the son of Chris Shaddy, a 3-year Razorbacks letterman and the shortstop on the 1982 Arkansas team coached by Norm DeBriyn. Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn was the team’s second baseman. The younger Shaddy implies put a cork on talk of the past.
Shaddy went through it back in March before Arkansas beat the eventual Big 12 champion Texas team, 13-4 and 7-5, on March 13-14 at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville. Preceding 100 or so fans wishing the Hogs well before their bus headed to the airport from Baum for their flight to Omaha, Shaddy minimized his reply to a question of if his dad relayed any of his experiences and feelings about Texas.
“Yeah, but that’s not something that needs to be said to the media,” Carson said. “Just trying to make it another ball game. I don’t want to bring anything else into the game that we don’t need to bring. We’re going to have a lot of distractions and whatnot, so just going to try to go out and play our best ball.”
A questioner persisted.
“I know it was a heated rivalry,” Shaddy said. “But like I said earlier, we’re just trying to make this a baseball game. I don’t want to bring in any other distractions.”
One all-in-the-family moment Shaddy willingly shared is knowing he and his dad will spend Father’s Day together. His dad was a Toronto Blue Jays draftee and an eight-year Minor League infielder, reaching Triple-A his last two pro seasons, and is now getting to watch his son play for the Hogs at the College World Series.
“I was talking to my dad last night, and I said, ‘Dad, you want anything for Father’s Day? Carson said. “You haven’t told me anything yet,’ and he usually does. He said, ‘You’ve done enough. Just buy me a box of Crackerjacks, and I’ll watch you, and that will be my Father’s Day present.’ So, it means a lot to me. My dad has a lot do with why I’m here and who I am.”
Shaddy will get his own pro shot after Omaha as the 10th round draft choice of the Washington Nationals. He and fellow senior designated hitter Luke Bonfield both played for the 2015 Razorbacks that last made it to Omaha.
Junior right-hander Blaine Knight (12-0, 2.84 ERA) was named First-Team All-American this week by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. Junior left-hander Kacey Murphy (8-5, 3.12) and thirdyear sophomore right-hander Isaiah Campbell (4-6, 4.19) redshirted last year because of injuries. All three debuted as freshmen in 2016.
Junior catcher Greg Koch, of Fayetteville, and junior right fielder and red-hot leadoff hitter Eric Cole, of Southlake, Texas, also labored throughout that 2016 season of lost causes.
“Yeah, the guys on that team that were in my class,” Campbell said, “we kind of joke about that year. That we were the laughingstock of Arkansas baseball. But it’s been awesome seeing the turnaround. And now going to Omaha, it’s a dream come true.”
Van Horn says it’s always a dream ascending to Omaha. He should know, making his seventh CWS trip, twice with Nebraska and now five times with Arkansas. He says that first ought to be as thrilling for his assistant coaches Nate Thompson, a Super Regional runner-up at Missouri State in 2016 and 2017, and Wes Johnson, with a past Super Regional final loss at Mississippi State, as it is a thrilling first for all the players except 2015 veterans Bonfield and Shaddy.
Van Horn said he has not forgotten his former hitting coach, Tony Vitello, Tennessee’s head coach since the summer of 2017, and retired pitching coach Dave Jorn, and their impact in the recruiting and development of all but the true freshmen on this Arkansas team. He communicated thanks to both once Arkansas cinched its super regional Monday night.
This afternoon, the Razorbacks get a 50-minute workout introduction to Ameritrade Park before they attend a fireworks show tonight in Omaha.