By Nate Allen
Special to the News-Times
FAYETTEVILLE - The SEC’s two hottest baseball teams of East and West sizzle against each other in a three-game series starting tonight in Columbia, Mo.
The Arkansas Razorbacks, 18-4, and sharing the SEC West lead at 3-0 with LSU and Auburn after sweeping three from Mississippi State at Baum Stadium, and the Missouri Tigers, 20-1 and sharing a 3-0 SEC East lead with South Carolina and Kentucky after sweeping Alabama last weekend in Tuscaloosa, Ala., clash today at noon, 2 p.m. Saturday, and 1 p.m. Sunday at Mizzou’s Taylor Stadium.
Forecast for heavy rain tonight in Columbia rearranged the game time, it was announced Friday night. Today’s game still airs on the Razorbacks Radio Network and with SEC Plus on the Internet.
Saturday’s game, to be televised on the SEC Network, and Sunday’s game are set to start at 2 p.m. and 1 p.m. as scheduled.
Arkansas shortstop Jax Biggers, a man of few words, pithily set the this weekend’s scene after the Razorbacks completed winning 10 of an 11-game homestand by defeating New Orleans 5-2 Wednesday night at Baum.
“We’re hot, they’re hot,” Biggers said. “As we go in, I am excited for it.”
For veteran Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn’s Razorbacks, tonight’s game in Columbia against new Mizzou coach Steve Beiser’s Tigers marks the first venture out of Fayetteville since a Feb. 28 through March 5 road swing.
The Razorbacks split two games at Louisiana Tech and sandwiched a victory over Nebraska between losses to Arizona and Oklahoma State at the neutral site of Frisco, Texas.
“It’s time for us to go on the road again and see how we can do against a team that’s won 20 in a row,” Van Horn said.
Mizzou opened at the neutral site of Fort Myers, Fla., losing the first of a four-game series to Eastern Michigan.
They have won ever since.
So Mizzou’s sophomore preseason All-American ace, right-hander Tanner Houck, is the lone Tiger to have lost in 2017.
Now he’s 3-1 with a 2.27 earned run average. In 31 innings, he has struck out 37 against 10 walks.
“It starts with Houck,” Van Horn said. “He’s a projected first round pick and it’s been talked about if his season goes well he could be a top 10 player. He’s been getting them off to a great start every weekend. That will be our biggest challenge, see if we can score some runs on him and get him out of the game.”
It likely will be too late if the Hogs get Houck or Saturday and Sunday Mizzou starters Mike Plassmeyer and Andy Token out of the game trailing late.
“They have got a left-hander out of the bullpen …” Van Horn said. “His numbers are incredible right now that’s been coming in after him and finishing things up a couple of times on the weekend. Freshman lefty Mizzou closer TJ Sikkema’s numbers are incredible: 4-0, three saves, a 0.33 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 27 innings.
Batting .313 as a team, Mizzou starts seven batting between right fielder Trey Harris’ .318 leading Mizzou with 23 RBI, and second baseman Robbie Glendinning at .389.
“They are not just all about pitching, Van Horn said. “They can hit. The thing people tell you is that their defense has had some letdowns, but whose hasn’t? They are a well-rounded team that is very confident and they are playing in their ballpark. It’s definitely a big challenge.”
So is Arkansas to Mizzou starting with starting Razorbacks right-handed pitchers Blaine Knight of Bryant tonight and Trevor Stephan Saturday.
Knight, 2-1, 2.39 ERA in five starts, has struck out 34 against one walk in 26 1-3 innings, and through seven innings last Friday, limited Mississippi State to three hits and a run while striking out 11 and walking none.
Junior college transfer Stephan is 4-0 with a 1.19 ERA, striking out 40 against eight walks in 30 1-3 innings.
Josh Alberius and Dominic Taccolini, combining for last Sunday’s 6-1 victory over Mississippi State, likely will combo again Sunday unless either or both are needed tonight or Saturday in relief.
Closer Cannon Chadwick, 2-0, 1.12 ERA, saved last Friday’s and Saturday’s victories over Mississippi State.
Arkansas’ 32 home runs leads the SEC, while Missouri has hit 15.
Sophomore catcher Grant Koch of Fayetteville, .317, leads the Hogs power with seven home runs, nine doubles and 23 RBI.
“I can’t explain him,” Biggers said after Koch doubled and homered for three RBI and threw out a key wannabe base stealer against New Orleans. “He’s on another level right now. Probably the hottest kid in the SEC.”