Hogs look to mix up first base
RAZORBACKS look to mix up first base.
FAYETTEVILLE — Who’s on first for the Arkansas Razorbacks?
Likely not Jordan McFarland or Jared Gates for the next game Friday night against Texas A&M, according to University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Coach Dave Van Horn.
“It’s pretty safe to say I’m going to make a change,” Van Horn said Monday.
McFarland and Gates have combined to start at first base in 45 of No. 6 Arkansas’ 48 games this season — including the previous 43 — but Van Horn said they’re not producing enough offensively and aren’t strong enough defensively to justify keeping either of them in the lineup.
“We’ve got to get a little bit better production over there and a little better defense,” Van Horn said. “You look at the numbers. There’s not a lot of RBIs there, and that’s a position that needs to produce and make plays. It just hasn’t happened.”
McFarland is batting .307, including .290 in SEC play, but in conference games he has 4 RBI. He’s batting .212 on the season with runners in scoring position (7 for 33), including 2 for his last 18. He also has three errors in his past three games.
Gates is batting .208 on the season and .250 in SEC play, with 5 RBI in conference games.
“You just figured between one of those two first basemen somebody was going to take that job and run with it,” Van Horn said. “Competition usually drives you. It hasn’t happened.”
Van Horn said if he decides to go with stronger defenders at first base, Jack Kenley and Hunter Wilson are options. If he decides to go for more offense, Heston Kjerstad could move from left field to first, Luke Bonfield starting in left and Evan Lee taking over for Bonfield at DH.
Lee started three of the first five games at first base, but he hasn’t played there since Feb. 23.
“Evan Lee’s not a defender — whatsoever,” Van Horn said. “He’s a pitcher and a hitter.”
Cronin update
Closer Matt Cronin is recovering from mononucleosis and might be ready to pitch in a limited role in the Texas A&M series finale, Coach Dave Van Horn said.
Cronin, who hasn’t pitched since April 20 at Mississippi State, could be medically cleared to return Sunday.
“It’s protocol,” Van Horn said of Cronin’s possible return date. “A certain number of days from when he showed symptoms.”
Van Horn said Cronin, who is 2-1 with a 2.76 ERA and 9 saves, is working to regain weight that he’s lost and doing some throwing on his own.
Van Horn said he won’t hesitate to put Cronin in Sunday’s game if he’s available.
“If he’s our best option, I’ll use him,” Van Horn said. “If the other guys have already thrown — and they probably will by then — he’s the best guy.”
Van Horn said the Razorbacks can’t expect Cronin to throw many pitches after being off for three weeks.
“Can he give you an inning?” Van Horn said. “Can he give you a hitter?”
Shaddy back
Senior second baseman Carson Shaddy was back in the lineup at LSU on Sunday after missing seven games because of a left hand injury. He suffered the injury April 21 at Mississippi State when he was hit by a pitch.
The Razorbacks lost to LSU 7-5 in Shaddy’s comeback game, but he went 2 for 4, including a double, and scored a run.
“I thought he did a great job,” Coach Dave Van Horn said. “Thursday in batting practice he was really hurting. We headed down to Baton Rouge, and Friday he hit a round or two and kind of pulled himself out.
“Saturday he was a lot better and he even said, ‘If you need me off the bench or to pinch hit … there were a couple of times we were looking at him, but it wasn’t the right situation. Obviously, he was good to go Sunday. BP was really good. He didn’t show us anything like he was in pain, and we felt good about him being in the lineup.”
Shaddy is batting a teamleading .361 with 9 home runs and 29 RBI.
Congrats, sort of
After Arkansas beat Alabama 9-7 despite setting a school record by issuing 15
walks, Dave Van Horn heard from his predecessor as the Razorbacks’ coach.
“Norm DeBriyn called me after the game and said, ‘Thanks, you now have the walk record at the University of Arkansas,’ ” Van Horn said. “So I looked it up and they walked 14 against Oklahoma State back in 1989, and the crazy thing is they won as well, which is amazing.”
DeBriyn’s Razorbacks beat Oklahoma State 10-4 while issuing 14 walks.
“To win walking 14 or 15 in a game, it’s unheard of,” Van Horn said. “In about 15 years, I’m going to call the next guy hopefully and congratulate him [on another walks record].”
Bouncing back
Arkansas freshman Heston Kjerstad went 2 for 4 — including his 10th home run — and had 3 RBI at LSU on Sunday after striking out 5 times in Saturday night’s 6-4 loss.
“Even after the loss, I went up to him and said, ‘Hey, great bounce back game, man,’ ” Van Horn said. “He said, ‘Yeah, I learned a lot yesterday.’ “