By Nate Allen
Special to News-Times
FAYETTEVILLE - The Arkansas Razorbacks didn’t just lose three games in Starkville, Miss., swept last SEC weekend by then SEC West last-place Mississippi State.
They lost their second baseman and third baseman, too.
Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said because of injuries they suffered last Saturday in Starkville that neither starting senior second baseman Carson Shaddy of Fayetteville nor starting freshman third baseman Casey Martin of Lonoke will start tonight at Baum Stadium when the now No. 7 nationally ranked Razorbacks start a 2-game nonconference series with the nationally No. 4 Texas Tech Red Raiders.
Arkansas, 28-13 overall and tied for 10-8 best in the SEC West with Ole Miss, and Coach Tim Tadlock’s Red Raiders, 32-9 overall and 10-5 at third in the Big 12, clash at 6:30 tonight and 6 p.m. Wednesday.
Tonight’s game is internet video available on SEC+. Wednesday’s game will be televised by the SEC Network.
Shaddy, hitting .356 with 9 home runs and 29 RBI, suffered a “bad bruise” on his right hand when hit by a pitch during last Saturday’s 5-3 loss in the first game of a doubleheader. He did not play in Saturday’s nightcap that Mississippi State won 7-5.
Martin, .333 with 8 home runs and 33 RBI, played both games Saturday but injured his hip during that first game.
“He hurt it diving for a ball on Game One Saturday,” Van Horn said before the Razorbacks practiced Monday. I didn’t really know about it until after the day was over. He’s sore. I definitely won’t start him tomorrow. He’s trying to tell me he can play but he won’t start, I know that.”
Shaddy couldn’t grip a bat between games Saturday and also is out of tonight’s lineup, Van Horn, and Shaddy, media available Monday, both said.
Hunter Wilson of Spiro, Okla. replaced Shaddy at second base in last Saturday’s second game, and went 1 for 3.
Van Horn said he’ll likely start either junior Wilson or sophomore Jack Kenley at second tonight and either senior Jared Gates or Kenley at third.
“You lose two of your top starter for one or maybe both games with both kids it makes it more difficult,” Van Horn said. “But it also lets us show we have a little bit of depth and can move some guys around and get some guys that haven’t played as much a chance to get in the lineup.”
These final two midweek nonconference games with Texas Tech are big for RPI and NCAA Regional seedings so of course Van Horn would like Shaddy and Martin starting ,but this weekend’s SEC West series with Alabama Friday night, Saturday night and Sunday afternoon is Arkansas’ biggest fish to fry.
Likewise as much as the Red Raiders want to beat their nationally ranked rival from old Southwest Conference days, their Big 12 series at TCU this weekend is their foremost concern.
So right-hander Ryan Sublet, 0-1 with an 8.62 earned run average, starts for Tech tonight against Arkansas freshman Jackson Rutledge, 3-0, 2.08 but not used in Starkville.
Van Horn said he’ll wait on tonight’s game before announcing Wednesday’s pitching plans.
For Tech it wouldn’t be surprising if junior right-hander and Fort Smith Southside alum Ty Harpenau pitches at some point against Arkansas.
Batting .318 as a team collectively clouting 58 home runs, the Red Raiders are led by two .400 hitters. Left fielder Grant Little, 9 home runs and 51 RBI, and third baseman Josh June, 8 home runs and 57 RBI, both bat .404 while three other starting regulars are batting .345, .321 and .297 with 20 home runs between them.
“I mean, that’s pretty amazing,” Van Horn said of Little and June both batting .404. “That just means they’re probably pushing each other. As a team they’ve done it against both left-hand, right-handed pitchers. If you look at the matchup, it doesn’t really matter to them. Pretty solid offensive team.”
But so is his own team, Van Horn said, even if they did strand 27 runners for three games in Starkville.
“We have a good team,” Van Horn asserted. “We had a bad weekend obviously but it’s good to play competition like Texas Tech. I think the mindset is learn and move on."