Arkansas Business

This story is from the archives of ArkansasSports360.com.

After playing six of its last seven games away from home, the No. 18 Arkansas baseball team opens an eight-game homestand on Tuesday as it faces future Southeastern Conference foe Missouri in a two-game midweek series. The series begins at 6:35 p.m. on Tuesday and concludes Wednesday with a 3:05 p.m. game.

Both games will be available on RazorVision through ArkansasRazorbacks.com and on the Razorback Baseball Radio Network from IMG. Three-time Arkansas Sportscaster of the Year Chuck Barrett (play-by-play) and former Arkansas sports information director Rick Schaeffer (analyst) will call the action.

Arkansas (31-13, 11-10) is coming off its biggest series victory of the season, taking two of three games at then-No. 5 Florida last weekend. After dropping a one-run game in the opener against the Gators, the Razorbacks responded by winning the next two, including a 3-1 victory in 10 innings in the series finale. Bo Bigham led Arkansas at the plate, hitting .417 with two RBI and a run scored. Dominic Ficociello batted .364 in with two RBI and two runs scored. The Razorback pitching staff was stellar, posting a 1.33 ERA over the three games.

Arkansas is hitting .277, seventh in the SEC. Ficociello is Arkansas’ top performer offensively with a .348 average to go with four homers and 31 RBI. Tim Carver is hitting .331 with two homers, 22 RBI and a team-leading 12 stolen bases. Matt Reynolds, who has reached base safely in 27 consecutive games, has a .309 batting average with four home runs and 27 RBI.

The Arkansas pitching staff has put together a team ERA of 2.68, which leads the SEC and ranks fourth nationally. The Razorbacks will start sophomore right hander Nolan Sanburn in the series opener. Sanburn has pitched in 14 games, including two starts, this season and is 2-1 with a 2.45 ERA. His last appearance came April 24 against Oral Roberts when he threw two hitless innings with a pair of strikeouts. Arkansas has not announced a starter for Wednesday’s game.

Colby Suggs has pitched in a team-high 21 games, all out of the bullpen, and is 4-0 with a 1.19 ERA. Barrett Astin has saved a team-high seven games and is 2-3 with a 1.33 ERA in 19 outings. Brandon Moore has seen time in 16 games this season and is 4-1 with two saves and a 1.94 ERA, which ranks second in the SEC. Cade Lynch is 2-1 with two saves and a 2.04 ERA in 18 appearances.

Missouri (23-19, 7-11 Big 12) has won five of its last seven but is coming off a series loss at Texas Tech last weekend.

The Tigers are hitting .276 and are led by Scott Sommerfeld, who is hitting .313 with 17 RBI. Dane Opel is hitting .306 with eight homers and 27 RBI. Conner Mach is batting .302 with a home run and 23 RBI. Blake Brown leads the team with 32 RBI and is tied with Opel for the team lead with eight home runs. Brown also has stolen a team-leading 14 bases.

The Missouri pitching staff has a 4.35 team ERA. The Tigers are scheduled to start junior left hander Blake Holovach on Tuesday. Holovach has pitched in 13 games, with nine starts, and is 5-3 with a 4.47 ERA. Missouri has not announced a starter for the series finale.

Missouri closer Jake Walsh (2-2 3.38 ERA) has appeared in a team-leading 24 games. Dusty Ross has made 21 appearances out of the Tiger bullpen and is 2-0 with two saves and a 2.87 ERA. Jeff Emens has pitched in 20 games, 17 in relief, and is 2-1 with two saves and a 2.45 ERA.

Arkansas and Missouri have met 21 times previously with the Tigers leading the series 11-10. The Razorbacks lead 5-2 in games played in Fayetteville. Arkansas has won the last four meetings against Missouri, including a 10-7 victory in the team’s last meeting in the 2004 NCAA Tournament.