Razorbacks set to take on Crimson Tide
FAYETTEVILLE - The Arkansas Razorbacks arrive in Tuscaloosa, Ala., tied with Auburn atop the SEC West at 5-1 while the Alabama Crimson Tide hosting them this weekend share the 1-5 SEC West basement with Texas A&M.
Don’t focus long on those opposite numbers, Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn warns.
Because other key numbers read the same going into their three-game SEC series at 6 tonight and 7 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at Alabama’s new Sewell-Thomas Stadium with all games on the Razorbacks Radio Network and the Saturday and Sunday games televised by the SEC Network.
“Alabama is obviously not off to the start that they wanted,” Van Horn said. “But if you look at their numbers, they are almost exactly the same as ours as far as batting average, ERA, stolen bases, doubles … I mean I could go on and on.”
Other than SEC and overall records, 20-5 for Arkansas and 12-13 for Alabama, and home runs, Arkansas has hit 36 to
Alabama’s 22, some numbers are identical.
Both teams hit .283 with three triples each, and others very close, Alabama has hit 40 doubles to Arkansas’ 37 and stolen 15 bases to Arkansas’ 14 while the Tide’s pitchers have an aggregate 3.28 earned run average to Arkansas’ 3.30.
“They just don’t have the wins in league,” Van Horn said. “But I know we are going to be going into a pretty hostile environment as far as the team in that other dugout. They are going to be hungry to get some wins and we are going to have to play really well.”
New Alabama coach Greg Goff coached a Louisiana Tech team that beat Arkansas last season in Fayetteville before last year’s Tide swept three, 8-6, 10-4 and 7-4 from the Razorbacks in Fayetteville.
“When they came in, on paper they weren’t a very good hitting team, but they hit really well against us,” Arkansas junior first baseman Chad Spanberger recalled. “They got most of their people back.”
Taking the Tide for granted seems the last thing that the Razorbacks would do given they finished last in the SEC last year and are out to repeat history made last year in Starkville, Miss.
“Mississippi State was first last year and the year prior they were last,” Arkansas junior shortstop Jax Biggers said. “Hope that’s what we can do. If you don’t try to win each inning and each pitch, it can go sideways quick.”
Junior right-hander Jake Waters, 4-2, 2.14 ERA with 33 strikeouts but also 18 walks in 33 2-3 innings, sophomore lefty Dylan Duarte, 1-1, 2.89 ERA and senior righthander Nick Eicholtz, 1-0, 5.64 ERA are Alabama’s likely starters.
Arkansas counters tonight with sophomore right-hander and Bryant native Blaine Knight, 3-1, 2.51 ERA and an incredible 41 strikeouts against two walks in 32 1-3 innings and right-hander Trevor Stephan 4-1, 2.02 ERA with 50 strikeouts against nine walks in 35 2-3 innings Saturday night.
Unless needed in relief, seniors Josh Alberius and Dominic Taccolini likely will combo Sunday’s game, though Taccolini didn’t pitch last Sunday because last Friday he finished the final three innings for Knight following the long rain delay in Knight’s victory over Missouri.
Arkansas won two of three at Missouri after sweeping Mississippi State in the SEC opening series at Baum Stadium.
Alabama opened the SEC swept at home by Missouri, but last week played SEC East power South Carolina three times to the wire, winning 4-2 before losing 6-5 in 10 innings and 4-2.