Razorback Loss to Vandy Provides Fans Chance to Exercise Bit of Perspective

Over-reaction is understandable, but don't let it cloud reality of Arkansas baseball

Author:
Kent Smith
Updated:
May 20, 2023 11:18 AM EDT
Original:
May 20, 2023

In this story:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas fans are a little bleary eyed and a tad "woe is me" this morning after a dreadful collapse last night in Nashville against Vanderbilt.

Maybe it's a history of being let down so many times when it felt like something was easily within grasp, but Friday night's 8-2 victory that turned into a 10-8 loss out of nowhere late had a familiar feel. With the outright SEC championship so close it felt like a formality only to have everything abruptly come crashing down, it evoked a bit of PTSD in Arkansas fans.

They know this feeling. They experienced it in 2018 with the infamous pop fly drop that cost the Razorbacks the national championship against Oregon State. They felt it in 2021 in Game 2 of the super regional against North Carolina State when the greatest team in Arkansas history followed up a 21-2 thrashing of the Wolf Pack with a pair of 1-run losses.

It happened again in 2021 when the Hogs faced an Ole Miss team that was one of the last to squeeze into a regional spot with a terrible record that included a series loss to Arkansas in the regular season. Yet, with a spot in the national championship series on the line, the Razorbacks couldn't get it done in Game 5 of the College World Series as the Rebels took the second of three games against the Hogs in Omaha last year and went on to win the national title.

That doesn't even include the oldest of Arkansas fans who were around for the Kevin McReynolds team that nearly got it done in 1979. There's a reason the Razorback faithful go overboard with their reactions when it comes to the baseball team and this is exactly it. Arkansas fans are the abused pet of the college baseball world. The slightest thing sends them scurrying for cover because of fear that it's going to happen again.

That's why the gross over-reaction to last night's loss can easily be forgiven this morning. Arkansas fans were boiling over from Todd Walker's statement Thursday night about the Razorbacks not being contenders for the national title and Friday night's game to possibly clinch the SEC championship was the first step to making the LSU baseball hero eat his words.

But that didn't happen. Instead, the bottom of the eighth inning became a bit of a nightmare and the game got away as Vanderbilt put up eight runs to take a 10-8 lead. Diggs got robbed of a monster shot to dead center field in the top of the ninth that would have been a home run if not for a great play, and would have been uncatchable in any other area of the ballpark. If that gets over, Cali's single that eventually landed him at third turns into the potential tying run with one out and Van Horn figures out a way to small ball his way to at least a tie.

But Arkansas fans won't be able to see how close things really were to getting turned around through the dark cloud of the eighth. They don't see Slavens mashing at an incredible level or the magic that is Peyton Holt as a replacement for Stovall. There's no joy in seeing Zach Morris find his pitch again. There's only angst that Morris didn't stay in and worry over the collision between Holt and Troy Bolton that left Holt hobbled and took Bolton out of the game.

See there Arkansas baseball fan. You're so frustrated and worried about how things went that you probably didn't even notice that I intentionally wrote Troy Bolton, a high school basketball player who's the main character in 'High School Musical', instead of John Bolton, the gifted infielder who is still trying to find his stride at the plate.

And that's the point. In the haze of what happened, Arkansas fans aren't seeing things clearly for what they actually are. It was one game of a regular season series that had a mountain of positives for Van Horn to build upon as the Razorbacks march toward the College World Series. It was a collapse that happened when there was no harm to be done. If anything, it might help them avoid the cursed No. 1 seed and provide the lessons needed to finally get over the hump.

Arkansas won the SEC championship last night and most Razorback fans don't even know it. Kentucky's win over Florida guaranteed the worst the Hogs can do is share the SEC title with Florida. The mission is already accomplished. Even without a win on Saturday, there's a chance Arkansas claims the crown solely for themselves by the sixth inning if Kentucky finds a way to do it again.

Either way, the Razorbacks need to keep the main thing the main thing. All effort and energy needs to be focused squarely on navigating a path through to the final day of the College World Series. Tygart giving up back-to-back homers and then mentally powering through the inning is a positive. He gets to watch it back to identify his mistakes and Van Horn got to see that he's not going to get rattled when things get a little wobbly in big moments.

With Slavens on fire at the right time of the season, if Arkansas can get Jared Wegner back into the rhythm of things following removal of pins in his hand, it could be another strong run. If Oregon State, NC State and Ole Miss taught Razorback fans anything, it's not to dwell in the past or lose hope.

It was just a regular season game. It's not a big deal. Put it behind you, spend some time with family and friends today, and show back up to watch Game 3 with Vandy with a clean slate. And no matter how it turns out, remember that it's only the regular season, Arkansas already has the championship, and the weeks following the SEC Tournament are all that matters.