Arkansas Business

This story is from the archives of ArkansasSports360.com.

Close.

That would be an accurate way to describe the Arkansas Razorbacks' baseball season. Close ballgames. The Hogs have played 30 games decided by two runs or fewer and have won 19. Close to being eliminated. A double play groundball could have/should have ended game two of the Waco Regional. Now Coach Dave Van Horn’s bunch is very, very close to playing for the national championship.

With last night’s flawless 2-1 victory, the Hogs (46-20) did the previously unachievable job of stopping the South Carolina Gamecocks. The Gamecocks are defending back-to-back national champions and were on an incredible 22 game winning streak in NCAA play. The last time South Carolina lost a postseason game was the opener of the 2010 College World Series which they lost to the University of Oklahoma. Coach Ray Tanner’s bunch proceeded to battle back through the loser’s bracket and win the national championship and haven’t looked back since.

Until last night. 

Behind the right arms of sophomores Ryne Stanek (8-4, 2.82 ERA) and Barrett Astin (3-5, 11 saves, 2.04 ERA) and a stellar defensive effort, the Razorbacks have put themselves in the driver’s seat for a berth in the national championship series. The pitchers made big pitch after big pitch and there were a handful of clutch defensive plays that kept the Hogs’ slim, 2-1 lead seem much more comfortable than it really was. Seniors Bo Bigham and Tim Carver made several crucial plays during the course of that game and infielder turned outfielder Brian Anderson made a clutch sliding grab of a sinking liner after the Gamecocks scored their only run.

Safe to say last night’s victory was the biggest in the tradition rich program’s history since it put itself in the national championship game against Cal State-Fullerton in 1979. Now Thursday night’s game becomes the biggest game in Razorback baseball history as chances to play for the national championship obviously don’t come around every day. This is a big deal.

There is still some work to be done as I don’t believe South Carolina (46-18) or Kent State (47-19) are just going to hand it over to the Hogs. Kent State inexplicably held on against No. 1 Florida in an elimination game despite loading the bases with one out via walks and a hit batter. KSU got within one pitch of walking in the tying run but survived. With that victory, they believe they belong and still have Virginia transfer Tyler Skulina (11-2, 3.63 ERA) available to start in the elimination game against the Gamecocks. South Carolina has plenty of pitching left as well. The Hogs need those two to duke it out on Wednesday night and show up depleted of pitching to face a rested, focused Razorback team.

A Little Unlikely Production

The much maligned Razorback offense once again did just enough. Last night’s performance is just how it’s going to be when facing good pitching. And South Carolina’s was very good on the hill. Starter Colby Holmes (7-2, 2.90 ERA) had not given up an earned run in 13 NCAA tournament innings and lefty reliever Tyler Webb (6-1, 1.70 ERA) was outstanding in slowing down the Razorbacks enough to give the Gamecocks a chance late.

The dugout and fan base had to feel a little better after seeing Dominic Ficociello (.297, six home runs, 41 RBI) lace a double in the gap to put the Hogs on top in the first.  Ficociello had a couple of good at bats and hopefully is coming out of the slump he has experienced for about a month now. When Ficociello stays on the pitch and tries go gap to gap he is a very good hitter. Seems he got into a habit of trying to be something he’s not, a power hitter, and has been pulling off the ball. Kudos to hitting coach Todd Butler for getting him back on track because the Razorbacks are going to need him productive.

Amazingly the Razorbacks are doing this with star Matt Reynolds (.329, seven home runs, 43 RBI) in a tailspin. Reynolds was 0-4 last night with two strikeouts and has really struggled since the Houston regional. Reynolds isn’t having quality at-bats as his outs have been on meager ground balls, lazy fly balls and strikeouts. Teams are pitching him away, away, away. If Reynolds can make the adjustment to make solid contact up the middle to the opposite field and quit trying to hit the big fly, other guys are producing now so he doesn’t have to carry the load. If Reynolds can take that approach to Thursday’s game, he should become more productive in the middle of the lineup.

Unlikely contributions from Matt Vinson (.212, 13 RBI) and the emergence of freshman Joe Serrano (.349) have provided some timely hitting as of late and with the way the Hogs are pitching, that is all that has been needed. I am pretty sure Van Horn would sleep a little better if Reynolds would heat back up and become a tough out once again. Despite his struggles at the plate he has been awesome at third base. The hitting will come, he just needs that one quality at bat to turn the corner.

Arkansas has already announced lefty Randall Fant (2-2, 3.00 ERA) will get the ball Thursday night. Fant was very effective against the Baylor Bears in the Super Regional championship game. The Hogs will once again look to Fant to give them four to five quality innings and turn it over to what will be a fully rested and ready bullpen. Fant started and lasted 2 1/3 innings while surrendering one earned run and no hits in the Razorbacks lone regular season victory over the Gamecocks. South Carolina is 14-7 versus lefties while Kent State is 14-4.