Arkansas fans need to take win over Tennessee with grain of salt

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Arkansas Razorbacks' 4-3 win over Tennessee in Game 1 of the Fayetteville Super Regional feels a bit contradictory.

There's little doubt Hogs fans came away feeling confident following the game. After all, Arkansas dominated the game from beginning to end.

The Razorbacks hit the ball all over the field, the fielding was superb and the pitching was utterly dominant. Despite all that in the Hogs' favor, Arkansas came away having to cling to a 4-3 win in the ninth.

Razorbacks Zach Root throws to the plate against Tennessee — Arkansas Razorbacks Zach Root throws to the plate against the Tennessee Volunteers in Super Regional game at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. | Andy Hodges-Hogs on SI Images

PItchers Zach Root and Gabe Gackle combined to only give up two total hits. Meanwhile, the Razorbacks put up 10 hits and had Tennessee pitchers against the ropes multiple times.

It was as close to perfection as Arkansas is going to get against a team like Tennessee and they barely won. To make things more concerning is the big ball of emotion, Vols ace pitcher Liam Doyle, will take the mound in Game 2.

It's nice to feel good for a bit after a great win, but there will be no room for going into Sunday overconfident. The Hogs are in for the fight of their lives to put this one away whether it goes one more game or two.

The one consolation Hogs fans can take away is the last time Dave Van Horn's Razorbacks played in a tightly contested super regional, Arkansas took down North Carolina in two games to advance to the College World Series.

It was when the Hogs won Game 1 21-2 over North Carolina State the year before that the Razorbacks lost focus, dropping the next two games by a run each.

It's hard to imagine Arkansas getting cocky against Tennessee despite winning 13 of the past 16 over the Vols. However, that doesn't mean the locals haven't been doing a lot of takling on their behalf.

Northwest Arkansas media members, even one directly associated with Razorbacks Athletics, have been proudly proclaiming the Hogs will make short work of the Volunteers.

In addition, ESPN Arkansas' Derek Ruscin and Zach Arns went so far as to say on their show that not only would the Razorbacks sweep the Volunteers, but Tony Vitello's Tennessee line-up wouldn't even produce a single run.

Volunteers coach Tony Vitello in the dugout against Arkansas — Tennessee Volunteers coach Tony Vitello in the dugout against the Arkansas Razorbacks in the NCAA Super Regional at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. | Andy Hodges-Hogs on SI Images

Of course, the second part of this drive time prediction has already failed to come true.

Now, it should be noted that the pair haven't exactly had the best relationship with the baseball program over the years, so it's possible it was all a work aimed at irritating superstitious Razorbacks fans who think such a prediction guarantees failure, but if sarcasm and jest was intended, it wasn't entirely clear over the air.

That doesn't mean there's not plenty of everyday fans who agree no matter how Ruscin and Zach intended their claims. Should Arkansas fall short Sunday afternoon, these will be the people who will line up proclaiming gloom and doom while extolling no hope of winning Game 3 Monday.

The fact of the matter is these two teams are so closely aligned as far as talent that either team can win an any given night, so nothing is hopeless for either side. Just like Arkansas fans shouldn't get too high over this win, Tennessee fans shouldn't get too low.

Both programs are loaded with elite talent and both are capable of winning the whole thing. That will require taking out a Coastal Carolina team that looks borderline unstoppable, but both Hogs fans and Vols fans should feel like the odds of their program being the one to try are still quite high.

Just don't become super confident. This isn't that type of series and that's one way for fans to get really hurt.

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