The No. 6 Arkansas Razorbacks baseball squad hopes to halt a two-game losing streak in its tracks tonight at 6 p.m. when the Hogs host the Omaha Mavericks (7-10) at Baum-Walker Stadium.
The Hogs had been on a 15-game winning streak after defeating top-ranked LSU, 9-3, in 10 innings last Friday, but the Razorbacks felt the wrath of the Tigers last Saturday at Baton Rouge, La.
LSU swept a double header, 12-2 in the seven-inning run-ruled opener and 14-5 in the nightcap. Hog pitchers saw seven home runs exit Alex Box Stadium in the two games with the wind blowing out, way out.
No doubt the back-to-back, double-digit thumpings will have coach Dave Van Horn’s Razorbacks on edge this evening, looking to bounce back to their winning ways.
The Razorback pitching staff held up well this season with three of it top arms on the shelf — Jaxon Wiggins, Koty Frank, and Brady Tygart — until Saturday.
The Hogs will seek to regroup with Ben Bybee on the mound for his fourth start of the season. He is 2-0 on the season with a 1.98 ERA in 13 innings pitched.
Razorback Baseball
Opponent: Omaha
When: 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 28
Where: Baum-Walker Stadium
TV: SEC+
Up next:
Friday — Alabama 6:30 p.m. (SEC Network +)
Saturday — Alabama 2 p.m. (SEC Network +)
Bybee threw two shutout innings against LSU on Saturday after starting a midweek game last week. Another similar appearance could be possible for him in the Hogs’ weekend series against Alabama on Saturday or Sunday.
Despite the double-digit loses at LSU, the Razorbacks are on a 14-game winning streak at Baum-Walker Stadium. A victory over Omaha would break previous winning-streak records of 14 games in 2018 and 2022.
The Razorbacks can’t play with their food in this mid-week outing, though. The game is important to build back some semblance of momentum before SEC play resumes this weekend against the Crimson Tide who are tied with Auburn for second place in the Western Division with 2-4 marks. LSU and Arkansas are tied at the top of division with 4-2 records as the only two Western Division squads with winning records.
South Carolina and Vanderbilt lead the Eastern Division at 6-0 with Kentucky and Florida a game behind at 5-1. Tennessee and Missouri are 3-3 after two SEC series. The rest of the league are below .500
Currently the Razorbacks have four batters hitting over .300 in Jace Bohrofen at .403, Jared Wenger at .384, Kendall Diggs at .343, Tavian Josenberger at .330. Peyton Stovall is just under .300 mark at .299.
Wenger leads the team with 11 home runs and 38 RBI. Diggs is next with 7 home runs and 28 RBI.
Football Hogs back to work
Sam Pittman’s football Razorbacks are schedule to be back on the field today after a week off from spring break for the sixth of 15 workouts that will conclude on April 15 with a Red-White scrimmage/practice, which fans will be able to attend.
I’m guessing, it’s not exactly ideal to have spring break in the middle of spring practice with Arkansas installing new offensive and defensive principles under first-year coordinators Dan Enos and Travis Williams, but with the transfer portal opening on April 15, it is almost necessity for the Hogs to have the hay in the barn by then.
In all likelihood, there will be Razorbacks who opt to transfer after spring football this year just like they have in the recent years. Some do so just because the opportunity is out there.
New coordinators mean every Hog has to prove himself to some degree. New schemes and coaches are a breath of fresh air for some players, but for others, it could mean changes that they don’t believe benefits them personally.
It’s similar in the workplace. A new manager — even if the boss at the top is the same — means working conditions and relationships are going to change. Hopefully for the better, but in some cases, it is for the worse.
And to be fair, Pittman and his staff will be looking for additional players who can plug gaps for them as well. Arkansas has at least eight scholarships it can use on portal talent, and that’s before any Razorbacks go seeking greener pastures elsewhere.
As an old guy, I personally don’t like that transferring is that easy, but then again, if a player is that unhappy, do you really want him around pulling at the strings of the winning atmosphere and culture the coaches and the players who are on board are trying to build?
Sometimes its better for all parties to part ways, but I’m not going to lie, it’s going to be tough watching Jalen Catalon playing for Texas, Jordan Domenick for Colorado, Isaiah Nichols for Purdue, and Myles Slusher for Louisville this fall after getting to “know” them as Razorbacks.
Pro Day
Arkansas is having its Pro Day on Wednesday when a gaggle of NFL scouts convene on campus to further evaluate former Razorbacks who are seeking to make the leap into the NFL.
At least 14 former Hogs are expected to participate including offensive linemen Dalton Wagner and Ricky Stromburg; wide receivers Matt Landers, Tyson Morris, and Jadon Haselwood; linebackers Drew Sanders, Bumper Pool, Martrell Spaight; specialists Jake Bates and Jordan Silver; defensive back Latavious Brini; and defensive linemen Dorian Gerald, Terry Hampton, Bijhon Jackson.
