FAYETTEVILLE — The deans of SEC baseball coaches, who have both assembled powerhouses programs, meet this weekend in Oxford, Miss.
No. 2 Arkansas (24-4, 7-2 SEC), under 19th year coach Dave Van Horn, has been to the last two College World Series after sharing SEC West crowns in 2018 (with Ole Miss) and 2019 (Mississippi State). No. 3 Ole Miss (23-6, 7-2) has risen toward the top of the West in recent seasons under Mike Bianco, the dean of SEC coaches in his 21st year.
The co-leaders of the SEC West begin a three-game set tonight at 6 at Swayze Field in Oxford, Miss., with first place in the division at stake.
Arkansas was in the Magnolia State two weekends ago for another top 5 clash and pulled off a rare road sweep of No. 4 Mississippi State.
Van Horn understands his team must play sound to have a chance at another series win.
“You have to play extremely well to beat them,” he said. “When you play them down there, they’re so good at home, we kind of know what we’re getting into. We feel good about our team. We know what’s ahead of us and what kind of challenge we have.”
The Rebels, who went 3-0 like Arkansas in the season-opening College Baseball Showdown in Arlington, Texas, are coming off their first series loss, 2-1, at Florida.
Bianco hyped up the series with the Hogs.
“It’s what it’s all about,” Bianco said. “It’s what these kids come here for. Everybody’s excited about it. It sounds boring, but everybody looks at it as a very good team coming in, and we’re ready to play.
“We know this is a tough place to play. We usually have big crowds. We probably had 27,000 here (for a three-game series) against Auburn. That was a pretty good crowd. Probably it will be even better than that.”
Ole Miss was dealt a big blow on Monday when first baseman Tim Elko, the SEC RBI leader with 36, suffered a torn knee ligament that will keep him out for at least a couple of weeks. Elko has nine home runs and a .660 slugging percentage that ranks sixth in the SEC.
“He’s been around and is a big, strong kid that was an experienced hitter,” Van Horn said. “He was having his best year by far. Honestly, I feel terrible for the kid.”
Elko is giving consideration to putting off surgery until the season’s end, but he is waiting until his swelling subsides to make a decision.
Bianco said Elko’s is the first torn ACL he’s had in 30 seasons as a coach.
“It’s a weird injury for a baseball player,” he said. “He’s on some anti-inflammatories. He’ll start some rehab.”
In the mean time, Ole Miss will likely turn to Cael Baker, Trey LaFleur and possibly left fielder Kevin Graham, to man first base.
The Rebels have five players other than Elko hitting .300 or better, led by Graham (.355, 5 HR, 26 RBI), TJ McCants (.339, 2, 12) and Peyton Chatagnier (.313), and four players are tied for the team lead with 27 runs scored.
Charlie Welch (.444, 3 HR, 7 RBI) has the Razorbacks’ top batting average, though the only regulars above .300 are Brady Slavens (.308, 7, 31), Cayden Wallace (.307, 7, 13) and Christian Franklin (.301, 7, 22). Arkansas has 50 home runs, tied for the NCAA lead with Old Dominion.
The series will feature two of the better pitching staffs in the SEC.
Arkansas lefty Patrick Wicklander (1-1, 2.33 ERA) will start tonight for the third consecutive conference opener, and he’ll be opposed by Ole Miss right-hander Gunnar Hoglund (3-1, 2.47), who leads the SEC in innings (43 2/3) and is second with 70 strikeouts to Vanderbilt’s Jack Leiter (71).
The series, tied 51-51 according to Arkansas records, is one of the best in Razorback annals.
Arkansas won the last meeting, a high-scoring NCAA Super Regional at Baum-Walker Stadium, from June 8-10, 2019. The teams split eight games that season, with the Rebels scoring a 2 to 1 series win in Fayetteville, and the teams notching a win each at the SEC Tournament.
Bianco said the Razorbacks’ home win in the 2019 super regional by a 14-1 count in Game 3, started by Hoglund, isn’t really motivation.
“I’m just not built that way,” he said. “It’s a different team. They had a different team. At the end of the day they won that series and moved on. We finished and had to move on as well. The answer is no.”
Van Horn said the current Rebels don’t have weaknesses.
“They have really good starting pitching number one,” he said. “Those pitchers are going to give you five plus [innings] every time just about. They’ve got some guys at the back of the bullpen that can get you out. They have a variety of arms out there.
“They have a good lineup even losing Elko. … They play good defense, they can run, they steal bases.”
The pitching matchup for Saturday’s 4 p.m. game will have Arkansas RHP Peyton Pallette (1-1, 3.25 ERA), back in the rotation after two weeks in the bullpen, against Ole Miss LHP Doug Nikhazy (2-1, 2.25). Sunday’s 1:30 p.m. pitching matchup is Arkansas LHP Lael Lockhart (1-1, 3.41) vs. Ole Miss RHP Derek Diamond (3-3, 4.89).