By the Numbers: Arkansas Razorbacks
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – When it comes to numbers it's often possible to twist them in whichever direction suits a need. However, when it comes to the Arkansas Razorbacks, looking at the numbers that might determine how things will go in Chapel Hill against No. 10 seed North Carolina are maddeningly indeterminate.
Arkansas is essentially .500 when it comes to stats that correlate to hints of potential success this weekend no matter how you slice things. With the overarching numbers indicating a crap shoot against the Tar Heels on only the most addicted gambler would dare bet, let's take a deeper five into the stats that make up this team.
Record by the numbers:
Overall: 41-19
Conference: 18-12
Home: 28-7
Road: 7-8
Neutral: 6-4
While the neutral site games are formally listed at 6-4, Arkansas is really 4-3 in true neutral site games and 9-9 on the road. Counting three games against Oklahoma State in Stillwater as neutral site games is stretching it a bit.
With this weekend being a neutral site game on the road, you're looking at an Arkansas team that posts a 13-12 record in those categories.
In the super regionals this century:
2021: L vs. North Carolina State (Fayetteville)
2019: W vs. Ole Miss (Fayetteville)
2018: W vs. South Carolina (Fayetteville)
2015: W vs. Missouri St. (Fayetteville)
2012: W vs. Baylor (Waco)
2010: L vs. Arizona St. (Tempe)
2009: W vs. Florida St. (Tallahassee)
2004: W vs. Florida St. (Fayetteville)
2002: L vs. Clemson (Clemson)
Year-to-year history doesn't mean a whole lot other than to indicate a particular coach has experience under the pressure of the moment. Unless a team was in the super regional the year before, which is the case for Arkansas, there's not a lot of value in this as a stat.
Winning or losing the year before doesn't provide much indication on the current year either. The experience of being there and facing the moment is what's important. Win, and a team knows it can do it in the big moment. Lose, and that team is determined to not let that happen again.
Taking a difficult series win in Stillwater will have more effect on this series than suffering a massive upset to North Carolina State in the supers last year. Being a favorite at home one year and an underdog on the road the next provides little correlation to the situation.
Overall 2022 postseason record:
Arkansas is currently 3-3 in the postseason. The Razorbacks went 0-2 in the SEC tournament, losing to Alabama 4-3 and Florida 7-5. The losses in Hoover may have been a blessing in disguise. Arkansas not only got a full five days rest to regroup, but the losses allowed the Razorbacks to get out of Fayetteville in the midst of a lot of turmoil with the fan base while remaining close enough to not only avoid travel fatigue, but have the most loyal members of the fan base still come and support the team against a daunting opponent in No. 7 Oklahoma State.
Last time they won a regular season series:
May 6-8 vs. Auburn
Razorbacks designated hitter Kendall Diggs slides headfirst across home plate during Saturday afternoon's game with Auburn. (Auburn Athletics)
Arkansas went on the road and took down No. 19 Auburn by bookending a pair of wins, 11-8 and 7-4. Robert Moore, Jace Bohorfen, Kendall Diggs and Brayden Webb each had home runs in the series while Jaxon Wiggins and Evan Taylor picked up wins on the mound.
Against teams still left in the tournament:
The Razorbacks are an even 5-5 against teams still in the tournament. However, in series that took place in May, Arkansas is 4-1, indicating that while this is a team that fell apart by going 5-8 in the final month of the season, the Hogs were technically ramping up against the nation’s best.
Auburn: 2-1
Ole Miss: 2-1
Texas A&M: 1-2
Stanford: 0-1
Home run leaders:
A grand-slam homer by Cayden Wallace in the fourth inning launched the Razorbacks back into the lead over Vanderbilt on Saturday night. (Michael Morrison / allHOGS Images)
Cayden Wallace – 15
Brady Slavens – 15
Braydon Webb – 14
Jalen Battles – 10
Hits leaders:
(Walt Beazley / Arkansas Communications)
Cayden Wallace – 73
Michael Turner – 70
Jalen Battles – 65
Chris Lanzilli – 63
Walks leaders:
Michael Morrison / allHOGS Images
Braydon Webb – 38
Robert Moore – 37
Cayden Wallace – 36
Zach Gregory – 32
Batting Average leaders:
Arkansas' Chris Lanzilli reacts after getting hit by a pitch before Jalen Battles' grand slam in the eighth inning of the Razorbacks' big rally late to down Oklahoma State on Saturday night in the NCAA Regional. (Walt Beazley / Arkansas Communications)
Chris Lanzilli – .323
Michael Turner – .310
Cayden Wallace – .299
Jalen Battles – .293
ERA leaders (Min. 15 appearances):
Michael Morrison / allHOGS Images
Zach Morris – 1.91
Zebulon Vermillion – 2.59
Evan Taylor – 3.38
Brady Tygart – 3.93
Fielding percentage (Min. 100 catches)
Arkansas Communications
Peyton Stovall – .995
Michael Turner – .994
Robert Moore – .991
Brayden Webb – .991