Close calls in NLR
Annual trip to Dickey-Stephens Park typically perilous for Hogs.
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The University of Arkansas baseball team is on a roll going into its annual game in North Little Rock.
The Razorbacks (34-11) are up to No. 6 in this week’s USA Today coaches poll, and during a seven-game SEC winning streak they have outscored nationally ranked opponents Vanderbilt, Mississippi Sate and Tennessee by a combined 71-37 score.
But that doesn’t mean Arkansas will have an easy game against Grambling State (2320) when the Tigers take on the Razorbacks at 6:30 tonight at Dickey-Stephens Park, the home of the Class AA Arkansas Travelers.
The Razorbacks were ranked No. 2 nationally last season when they had to rally to beat Grambling State 7-6 in North Little Rock. Arkansas
scored four runs in the eighth inning to overcome a 6-3 deficit and used closer Matt Cronin to pitch the ninth.
The Razorbacks are 8-1 since they began playing at Dickey-Stephens Park in 2010, but seven of the games have been decided by two or fewer runs.
“Thanks,” Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said when informed of that stat. “I won’t be able to sleep very good now.”
The Razorbacks twice have needed to go 10 innings in North Little Rock to beat Louisiana Tech 5-4 in 2010 and 6-5 in 2012.
Arkansas’ lone loss at Dickey-Stephens Park was 5-4 to Memphis in 2015.
“We’ve been behind in those games a lot,” Van Horn said. “It seems like the teams that come in are excited to play in front of those crowds, and the longer we let them stay in the game, the more suspenseful it gets.
“Hopefully, we’ll go down there and play well. I’ll put a couple of guys in the lineup that maybe don’t play all the time, and hopefully they’ll bring some energy to the game and get some big hits for us and we’ll pitch well.”
Arkansas sophomore catcher Casey Opitz said the Razorbacks enjoy playing at Dickey-Stephens Park, where their games draw capacity crowds.
“It’s a great environment to play in,” Opitz said. “We love going down there because the fans are nuts. They love baseball, and they love being loud.”
Van Horn said it’s important for Arkansas to play in North Little Rock every season.
“I think it’s something that we should do for the fans in central Arkansas and the southern part of the state,” Van Horn said. “It makes it easier for them to get to a game.
“We have a lot of kids from that part of the state on our team. It’s kind of a nice deal for them. Plus, there are recruits in that area that can run over there and watch us play, or we can talk to them in the stands if they’re of age.
“It’s good for baseball in this state.”
Grambling State is 0-2 against SEC teams this season, losing at Mississippi State 18-1 and at LSU 9-0, but before the Tigers almost beat the Razorbacks last season they had lost 10-3 at LSU.
“They have good athletes. They have a good team,” Van Horn said. “It’s one of their better teams. Grambling is one of the teams that can beat you.”
Arkansas is 19-5 in nonconference games, but 3-2 in midweek home games between SEC series, including a 17-7 loss to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock on April 2 at Baum-Walker Stadium.
Other SEC teams with midweek losses since conference play started are LSU to McNeese State and Southern; Ole Miss to North Alabama; Auburn to Jacksonville (Ala.) State; Alabama to Troy; South Carolina to North Carolina A&T; and Texas A&M to Texas State.
“You’re trying to keep the kids focused on the Tuesday
game when really they’re thinking about the Friday game or the Thursday game,” Van Horn said after Arkansas beat Oral Roberts University 15-8 on April 9. “The Tuesday and Wednesday games have been a battle for a lot of teams, including us.”