Hogs hope to create history today against hated Longhorns

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas' baseball program will celebrate history prior to today's 2 p.m. game and will try to write another historic chapter in the series finale against the Texas Longhorns.

The Razorbacks' 1985 College World Series team will be honored at 1:20 p.m. as approximately 20 players and coaches will be introduced to what will hopefully be an early-arriving crowd.

Last night's attendance was a season-high 11,045 and helped propel the Hogs to their second straight win over No. 1-ranked Texas.

Arkansas will attempt to earn its first-ever three-game sweep of the hated Longhorns this afternoon.

Texas' first-year coach Jim Schlossnagle, who coached Texas A&M a year ago and previously led the TCU program, is impressed by the Hogs and coach Dave Van Horn's staff.

Pitching performances by Thursday starter Zach Root and the combo effort Friday, especially starter Gage Wood and reliever Gabe Gaeckle were terrific," Schlossnagle said. ""Thought (Wood) was outstanding. Good fastball, great fastball actually. Then he starts breaking off two different breaking balls, really competitive.

"Arkansas is such a great program they just keep running great arms out there. I know they’ve had some injuries like we’ve had. But they’ve had the same head coach for 20-plus years, the same pitching coach. That’s hopefully what our program is going to look like in 3-4 years."

The Hogs lost their last three SEC series by failing to triumph in the decisive third game. They took care of business early against Texas, jumping to big leads in the first few innings en route to victories of 9-0 and 6-1.

"Coming out this weekend, everybody was excited," Wood said. "Nobody was pouting about the three series losses. Ever since I’ve been here, that’s never happened.

"It kind of shocks you, but the guys show up to practice, lift every day. Nobody wanted it more than us."

Van Horn said he has challenged pitchers on occasion, but pitching coach Matt Hobbs is the usual communicator to the staff.

"I’d have to say there’s a little bit of that going on," Van Horn said. "It’s not like in front of the whole team. It’s probably more individually. Sometimes it’s, ‘Hey, why don’t you come meet with me for a minute?’ And sometimes it’s I’m going to make sure I run into him and have a little conversation.

"I think the pitchers appreciate it. If I have something to say to them and I call them in and talk to them a little bit, I think they appreciate that, too, and I’ve done that a couple times in the last couple weeks. But Coach Hobbs handles most of that when it comes to the pitchers."

The history-making Hogs of 1985 thoroughly enjoyed seeing today's roster of stars dominate the Longhorns. The group from 40 years ago was 4-2 against Texas during that season.

The '85 team had a great turnout for its two-day gathering that included a tour of the Hunt Family Baseball Development Center, the $30 million addition to Baum-Walker Stadium from several years ago beyond the right-field fence.

Legendary Arkansas baseball coach Norm DeBriyn, who led the Hogs to four appearances in the College World Series, led his former players, coaches and trainer on the tour.

Many Razorback stars from '85, and some other years adjacent to that season, are in town. A surprise attendee was Jeff King, the No. 1 pick in the '86 draft.

He was the Hogs' most dynamic hitter in '85 while playing superb defense at third base.

King was introduced on the field between innings Friday night. He was inducted in recent years into the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame and the College Baseball Hall of Fame.

Van Horn was a graduate assistant coach for the 1985 and 1987 College World Series teams.