ARKANSAS’ COLE

Cole tops sluggers for honor

FAYETTEVILLE — Sophomore outfielder Eric Cole earned the weekly wearing of the “Hulkmania!” T-shirt as bestowed by Arkansas Razorbacks hitting coach Tony Vitello for the player with the most quality at-bats from the previous week.

Batting leadoff for the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville in five SEC Tournament games last week, Cole went 9 for 22 (.409) with 5 RBI, 6 runs, a double, 2 home runs, 3 walks and 4 strikeouts.

Cole beat out tough competition from his teammates. First baseman Chad Spanberger, the SEC Tournament MVP, batted .421 (8 for 19) with 5 home runs, 3 doubles, 10 RBI and 8 runs scored. Spanberger had seven walks and five strikeouts in Hoover.

Shortstop Jax Biggers led the SEC Tournament with 10 hits, going 10 for 20 (.500) with a double, 3 triples, 2 walks and 5 runs scored and 1 strikeout. Biggers will take an eight-game hitting streak into the NCAA regional, which begins today.

“It’s a good competition between everyone,” Cole said. “I like to rub it in everyone’s face a little bit, especially Chad when he hit five home runs. It’s fun to wear it around practice.”

Cole and Spanberger hit in the first two spots in the order throughout the SEC Tournament.

“Eric hit in front of Chad and Eric led our team in quality at-bats, which is why he won the shirt,” Vittelllo said. “I don’t think there’s any way that’s a coincidence, that Chad does the damage he does with a guy in front of him who is wearing out the pitcher.

“It’s one of those things we’ve tried to put into them as a mentality, it’s a group kind of wolf pack mentality, nine guys against one pitcher.”

Keep it in the yard

Oral Roberts junior lefthanded

pitcher Miguel Ausua (11-2, 1.67 ERA) will start against Arkansas tonight in the NCAA Fayetteville Regional after throwing a shutout in the Golden Eagles’ 7-0 victory over North Dakota State last Saturday in the Summit League Tournament championship game.

“It gives me and my team a lot of confidence coming into this big stage,” Ausua said. “For me personally, it means a lot coming off my best outing so far in my entire life pretty much.

“I was really pumped when they told me I’d be pitching against Arkansas. They’re a really good team. I realize that. But I’ve always and a thing where I say, ‘It’s just one pitch at a time.’ ”

The Razorbacks have hit 80 home runs this season.

“I think the biggest thing for us is going to be to try to keep the ball in the yard, obviously,” Ausua said. “Pitch down.”

Ausua ranks ninth in the country in ERA and tied for second in victories with three other pitchers behind Oregon State’s Jake Thompson, who has 12.

“Just a crafty lefty with a good arm, at 87 to 90 [mph] for the most part,” Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said. “He keeps the ball down, moves it around a lot. Obviously, he’s awful good. … He’s pitched very consistently all year for them.”

Ausua has decisions in

13 of his 14 starts, including victories in his past nine decisions. Ausua’s only losses came in back-to-back starts,

6-4 to Hawaii on March 5 and 13-5 to Dallas Baptist on March 15.

Draft prospects

The regional will include three of the top 110 prospects for next month’s major league amateur draft, according to Baseball America.

Missouri State third baseman Jake Burger is the No. 19 overall draft prospect and predicted to be a firstround pick.

Arkansas right-handed pitcher Blaine Knight is ranked the No. 88 prospect as a sophomore. Oral Roberts catcher Matt Whatley is ranked No. 110 overall and ninth-best at his position.

Familiar foes

All three visitors at the regional are located within 180 miles of Fayetteville.

The proximity breeds familiarity among the four teams. Not only do the teams compete for some of the same recruits, they also are frequent nonconference opponents.

All of the teams in the regional have played at least two other teams from the regional this season, and Oklahoma State and Missouri State have played all three.

Arkansas is 1-1 against the regional field this season. Oral Roberts is 3-2, Missouri State 1-3 and Oklahoma State 3-2.

“We’re all familiar with each other and we’ve all played each other this year,” Missouri State third baseman Jake Burger said. “It’ll be

interesting. It’s good because all the fan bases are close; Springfield is two hours away, Stillwater is three hours. There will be a lot of fans here and a lot of pride in the stands.

“We have a lot of guys from Oklahoma and the Kansas City area, and that’s where Arkansas and OSU recruit. We know each other.”

Burger said he has known Arkansas first baseman Chad Spanberger for several years. The two grew up in the St. Louis area and played against each other in summer baseball and high school baseball.

“We’re cordial,” Burger said. “We’re not texting every day by any means, but when we see each other we’ll chat it up five or 10 minutes.”

Tickets left

About 1,500 tickets remain available for this weekend’s regional, according to officials.

Based on availability, $15 single-game tickets will go on sale at 9 a.m. today on ArkansasRazorbacks.com and at noon at the Razorback Ticket Office, located adjacent to Baum Stadium. All-session passes, valued at $75, have been on sale since Sunday.

Online single-game ticket sales will begin at 9 a.m. each day of the regional. The ticket office will open at noon Saturday, 1 p.m. Sunday and 4 p.m. Monday, if necessary.

Baum Stadium seating capacity is listed as 10,737, but a record 12,167 were in attendance for Game 2 of the 2015 super regional against Missouri State.