(Arkansas Communications)
If Razorbacks Don't Get Better Hitting, There May be Problems
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — It may be a good thing Arkansas will be at home for next week's NCAA Regionals. They seem to be able to find their bats easier when needed more consistently when they need them.
"If we don't get the offense going, it'll be a quick weekend for us (in the NCAA Tournament), Razorbacks coach Dave Van Horn said Saturday after getting knocked out of the SEC Tournament by Texas A&M. "It's the older guys. They've got to do it."
He's talking about the top of the Hogs' lineup that couldn't get hits late in the series-deciding game against the Aggies on Sunday. That's the spot with the most experience and where key hits are expected.
"Their pitchers did a great job against our top five hitters, and that ended up being the difference in the game,” Van Horn said. “You move down past that, and six through nine, they fought pretty well, and they got that rally going there in the top of the ninth. I'll tell you about the last two outs. We swung at some bad pitches. Had two of our best hitters up there, and that was probably the most disappointing part to me about that inning.
“I loved that inning. I loved the way we rallied. John Bolton's at-bat, fouling off pitches and smoking one opposite field down the line, just did a great job there fighting to get to the next pitch. Obviously, we needed another hit to tie it up and had the 3 and 4-hole hitter up and a guy throwing pretty much exclusively sliders, and they didn't find the barrel at all.”
Now all of the attention in what Van Horn starts building towards in February with an eye towards what happens in June. That will be here in a couple of days, but we'll find out Monday who the other teams are that will be coming to town, where the Hogs have usually found the bats for the big hits they needed.
The Hogs are currently projected to be the No. 3 overall seed by D1Baseball and Baseball America.
HOGS FEED:
HOW IT HAPPENED: RAZORBACKS FALL TO TEXAS A&M IN SEC TOURNAMENT, NOW LOOKING AT NCAA REGIONAL
BEING DECISIVE IN FACE OF ANGER SHOW WHY VAN HORN IS SEC COACH OF THE YEAR
WHETHER POTENTIAL PERMANENT OPPONENTS TRUE MOST LIKELY REVEALED NEXT WEEK
RAZORBACK FANS ALREADY LINED UP ON RAZORBACK ROAD FOR HOGPEN TICKETS TO NCAA REGIONAL
RAZORBACKS COACH DAVE VAN HORN STICKING WITH PITCHING PLAN THROUGH SEC TOURNAMENT
ACCUSATIONS ON INSTAGRAM LEAD TO ARKANSAS QUARTERBACK'S DISMISSAL
TOO MANY QUESTIONS HANG OVER RAZORBACKS TO PROJECT HOW THINGS MAY GO IN FALL
DO HOGS HAVE THE EDGE NEEDED TO MAKE A BIG POSTSEASON RUN?
LONGHORNS FINALLY RELEASE RON HOLLAND AND COULD HOGS BE THE NEXT DESTINATION FOR HIM?
TEXAS HOLDING HOLLAND HOSTAGE WORKS OUT IN RAZORBACKS' FAVOR NO MATTER HOW IT COMES OUT
HOW DID RAZORBACK BASEBALL DO IN SEC POSTSEASON AWARDS?
FILING MAY BRING END TO MUSSELMAN BEING KNOWN AS KING OF THE TRANSFER PORTAL
RAZORBACKS FALL AGAIN, BUT STILL CLAIM SHARE OF SEC CHAMPIONSHIP
HOG FANS CAN SIT BACK, GET SOME PERSPECTIVE AFTER FRIDAY NIGHT LOSS TO VANDERBILT
RAZORBACKS GIVE UP HUGE LEAD IN STINGING LOSS TO VANDERBILT
DERRIAN FORD MAKES SURPRISING CHOICE FOR TRANSFER DESTINATION, STAYING IN ARKANSAS
RAZORBACKS' JORDAN WALSH, RICKY COUNCIL IV MAKING NOISE AT NBA COMBINE IN CHICAGO
MCADOO RECOVERY EXPECTED TO BE VERY SLOW PROCESS
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