The No. 4 men’s track and field team won the Indoor National Championship in March and I expect the outdoor team to do the same.

With one week until the Southeastern Conference Championships, Arkansas owns 35 top 10 marks in 17 different events, including three No. 1 marks, amongst SEC schools

If they can out-perform No. 1 Florida and No. 2 Texas A&M, the Razorbacks will earn their seventh consecutive SEC Championship, including indoor track & field and cross country, May 12.

Whether they win the SEC or not, Arkansas will have a great chance to win the National Championship in Eugene, Ore., and as long as they perform like they did in the Indoor Championships, they’ll win their 42nd title in program history.

Women’s Outdoor Track & Field

Despite their No. 6 national ranking, I predict the women’s track and field team to finish second at the SEC Championships. With No. 1 Texas A&M, No. 3 Florida and No. 4 LSU in the same conference, it would be very difficult to jump all three teams to finish first.

However, with four SEC-leading marks, it is very possible. In all, the Razorbacks have 28 to- 10 marks in 17 different events amongst SEC schools.

While they have talent, I don’t think Arkansas will have enough firepower to score enough points at the NCAA Outdoor Championships to finish any higher than third.

Baseball

Arkansas’ final three series of the season are against opponents with a combined 22-41 SEC record, but they travel to No. 23 Kentucky this weekend.

If the Razorbacks can go 6-3 or better in the remaining games and win two or more games in the SEC tournament, they will have a good chance to host a Regional.

Once they win the Regional, I predict Arkansas will have to travel to Arizona State for their Super Regional. Riding their strong pitching staff, Arkansas will win a tight game three to advance to Omaha, Neb., where they’ll win the first College World Series in school history.

Razorback fans should be cautious though, as hitting and fielding have been weak points this season. If they can solidify their fielding and come through with a few timely hits, the College World Series is highly possible.

Softball

After earning their first national ranking in school history last week, the UA softball team moved up to No. 22 this week.

They are 9-10 in SEC play, which is third in the SEC West. Their last regular season games are this weekend against Auburn at Bogle Park. I think they will win two of three and finish the regular season with a .500 record in the SEC for the first time since 2000.

While the Razorbacks could host a Regional, I doubt they will. I do think they’ll go to another team’s home field and win their first Regional in school history.

Led by senior pitchers Hope McLemore and Chelsea Cohen, Arkansas has a chance to advance to the Women’s College World Series, but their season will most likely end in the Super Regionals.

Men’s Golf

Arkansas finished sixth in the SEC Men’s Golf Team Championship, but junior Sebastian Cappelen won the individual title by shooting 3-under-par. His 202 is a 54-hole record in the SEC.

The Razorbacks are No. 14 in the most recent poll, so I expect them to easily make the NCAA tournament with a three- or four-seed. The Razorbacks will host the NCAA Fayetteville Regional at Blessings Golf Course.

As a team, I think their season will end in the Regionals, but Cappelen could easily finish in the top 10 in the individual championship. If the Razorbacks want to advance out of the Regionals, they’ll need a strong performance from freshman Taylor Moore.

Moore earned Freshman All-SEC and co-Freshman of the Year honors this season and will have to continue this play into the postseason. However, I think Arkansas’ best chance at a National Championship run is still a year away, when Cappelen is a senior and Moore is an experienced sophomore.

Women’s Golf

The women’s golf team enters the NCAA tournament as the No. 2 seed in the East Regional. They are ranked No. 6 nationally.

Eight of the 24 teams in the East Regional will advance to the championship finals, so the Razorbacks should easily qualify, but I predict they’ll knock off No. 1 Alabama and win the Regional.

Like the men’s team, they will need a strong performance from their star junior and freshman. Junior Emily Tubert averages a 73.29 score per round, while freshman Gabriela Lopez averages a 73.64. They are also the only two Razorbacks to win a tournament this season.

If Tubert and Lopez have great scores and a few other Razorbacks chip in, I think Arkansas will finish in the top four in the National Championship.

Barrett Astin pitches at the Arkansas v. Mississippi State baseball game, Saturday, March 30. Astin was named SEC Pitcher of the Week Monday. (Photo by Addison Morgan)

The Arkansas Razorbacks travel to Lexington, Ky. this weekend for a three game series against the Kentucky Wildcats.

The Hogs have won five straight games and now sit at 7-1 on the road in conference play, good for best in the Southeastern Conference, giving the squad a sense of confidence and comfortability on the road.

“I don’t think playing on the road bothers us one bit,” head coach Dave Van Horn said.

This marks the second straight week the Diamond Hogs have faced a SEC foe on the road, after winning two games at Georgia last weekend.

Arkansas’ pitching staff continues to be the class of the SEC this season, and seems to grow stronger and more imposing by the week.

Barrett Astin pitched eight shutout innings last Friday against Georgia, earning him SEC Pitcher of the Week honors. Having a potent arm like Astin’s to start the weekend makes it hard for opposing batters to keep pace for the following games in a series.

The Hogs also beat a solid Missouri State team Tuesday, 6-3, and it took a collaborative effort from the pitching staff: eight pitchers combined for five hits and three runs allowed in the victory.

“They’re the engine that keeps this train moving,” first baseman Dominic Ficociello said.

The Hogs’ staff must remain under control against a Kentucky team that loves to get on base by way of a hit by pitch. The Wildcats rank first in the SEC with 71 batters hit by a pitch, as every player in the lineup is willing to take one for the team at any moment.

“They all wear an elbow guard, that’s part of their offense,” Van Horn said.

The Wildcats took a series victory last weekend at No. 16 Mississippi, the first time they have accomplished that feat since 2007. They start this series ranked No. 23 in the USA Today coaches poll, with a 26-17 record, 9-12 in SEC play.

Freshman outfielder Kyle Barrett gives the Wildcats a consistent bat at the plate, as he is batting .347 this season with a .400 on base percentage and 11 runs batted in.

Kentucky will most likely start a trio of left handed pitchers this weekend. A.J. Reed, Corey  Littrell and Jerad Grundy are the team’s weekend starters, though Van Horn said the Wildcats may be sitting one in favor of a right hander.

Reed will also play first base and has a .310 batting average and a team-leading 10 home runs, while posting a 2.88 ERA on the mound as well.

Friday’s first pitch against the Wildcats is set for 5:30 p.m. followed by a 6 p.m. start Saturday and a 12 p.m. start Sunday.

Barrett Astin pitches at the Arkansas v. Mississippi State baseball game, Saturday, March 30. Astin was named SEC Pitcher of the Week Monday. (Photo by Addison Morgan)

One Razorback pitcher earned weekly Southeastern Conference honors after the Hogs completed a sweep of the rain-shortened series against the Georgia Bulldogs this weekend.

Barrett Astin was named the SEC Pitcher of the Week for his eight shutout innings against the Bulldogs Friday night in Athens, Ga.

The eight innings is the most shutout innings Astin has pitched in his career as a Razorback. He also struck out a season-high eight batters in leading the Hogs to the 2-0 victory.

Astin struggled in the first inning when the Bulldogs loaded the bases on two hits to lead off the game and a walk with two outs, but the junior got a fly out to get out of the inning unscathed and settled in after that.

The Forrest City, Ark., native allowed only two more hits and did not allow a Bulldog to advance past first base the rest of the night.

After allowing hits to the first two batters he faced, Astin retired 24 of the next 28 batters he faced.

This season, the right hander has posted a 3-2 record, one save and 2.02 ERA, which is good for seventh best in the conference.

Astin is the fifth Razorback to earn weekly conference honors. Ryne Stanek was named SEC Pitcher of the Week earlier this season.

Trey Killian, Colin Poche and Tyler Spoon have each been named the SEC Freshman of the Week this season.

The Razorbacks return to Baum Stadium Tuesday when they host the Missouri State Bears. The Hogs then hit the road to take on the No. 23 Kentucky Wildcats.

Barrett Astin pitches at the Arkansas v. Georgia baseball game in Athens, Ga., Friday, April 26. Sunday’s game was cancelled because of rain at Foley Field in Georgia. (Photo Courtesy of Athletic Media Relations)

The Arkansas baseball team won a pair of low-scoring games in Athens, Ga., before the final game of the series was cancelled because of rain.

Arkansas won Friday’s game with a 2-0 pitcher’s duel between junior Barrett Astin and Georgia junior Patrick Boling.

Astin won the duel, lasting eight innings, allowing four hits and two walks while striking out eight batters on 100 pitches. Boling only threw six innings and gave up one earned run on three hits and a walk. He also collected four strikeouts.

After giving up a pair of hits and a walk in the first inning, Astin settled in and got out of the bases loaded jam on a fly out. From the second inning on, Georgia did not advance a runner past first base until junior Colby Suggs came in to close out the game in the ninth.

“I thought Barrett was outstanding,” head coach Dave Van Horn said. “Once he got through the (first) inning, he kind of came in and regrouped. We were worried that we’d have to take him out in the second inning, but we never had to talk to him again.”

Suggs picked up the save by getting Georgia freshman Jess Posey to strike out with runners on second and third.

The Razorbacks picked up their runs in the third and eighth innings.

Sophomore Brian Anderson had two of Arkansas’ three hits of the game, including an RBI-single in the third inning. Junior Jake Wise had their other hit, as well as an RBI in the eighth, when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

Game two of the series was another pitcher’s duel, featuring junior Ryne Stanek and Georgia freshman Sean McLaughlin. Arkansas won 2-1.

It was scoreless through six innings before the Bulldogs got on the scoreboard with a sacrifice fly by senior Kyle Farmer in the seventh.

The Razorbacks responded with a pair of runs in the eighth.

Senior Jacob Mahan led off the inning with a double and Wise followed him with an RBI-single. After a sacrifice bunt advanced Wise to second, sophomore Joe Serrano knocked him in with a single to center.

Stanek tossed 6.2 innings, allowing one earned run on seven hits, followed by 2.1 one-hit innings by three Razorback relievers. Suggs earned his seventh save of the season, while sophomore Jalen Beeks picked up his fifth win. Stanek received a no-decision.

“I can’t remember the last time we’ve come back and won a game after being behind in the sixth inning,” Van Horn said. “The pitching staff got us home from there.”

Georgia got their first complete game of the season, as McLaughlin went the distance, allowing two earned runs on five hits and striking out five.

These were the first Southeastern Conference games of the season in which Arkansas has not committed an error, as well.

“The defense was great,” Van Horn said. “The defense has really stepped it up. We made a lot of nice plays in the outfield.”

Sunday’s game was cancelled because of inclement weather.

“We’re disappointed that we didn’t get to play, but the positive from the weekend is that we won two games and helped ourselves in the standings,” Van Horn said.

The Razorbacks improved their record to 29-15 overall and 13-7 in the SEC, which is second in the SEC West, behind LSU.

The Hogs will return to action Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. against Missouri State.

Georgia enters the series with a 4-14 SEC record, and improved to 16-26 on the season after beating in-state rival Georgia Tech 17-0 Tuesday at the Atlanta Braves’ Turner Field.

The centerpiece of the Bulldogs’ offense is infielder Curt Powell, who is currently tied for ninth in the NCAA in hits.

Powell mostly bats leadoff and plays third base, and is hitting .378 with 65 hits this season. Georgia has also seen production from infielder Jess Posey, the younger brother of San Francisco Giants catcher and 2012 National League MVP Buster Posey.

Despite only 48 plate appearances, Posey is batting .313 this season.

Georgia played less than perfect baseball last weekend as they dropped two of three to Vanderbilt, the No. 2 team in the country. The last game of the series, a 5-1 Vanderbilt win, saw the Bulldogs commit five errors.

The expected starting pitching for the bulldogs should be Jared Walsh Friday, Patrick Boling Saturday and Sean McLaughlin Sunday. As a team, Georgia boasts a 4.52 team ERA, and are allowing opponents to hit .277 against them.

Walsh only pitched 3.2 innings in the front end of a double header last Saturday, walking four to earn the no decision. Boling allowed 11 Hits and seven earned runs against Vanderbilt in only four innings pitched, resulting in a 15-4 loss.

Coach Dave Van Horn made a great coaching change last week by inserting freshman Jordan Farris at second base.

With Farris at second, Brett McAfee at shortstop, Dominic Ficociello at first and Jacob Mahan at third, the Hogs post a much improved defensive infield that has also been hot at the plate.

The Georgia pitching staff has allowed over 100 runs more than the Razorbacks have, so expect them to manufacture runs at the plate methodically.

The Razorbacks’ starting pitching has been almost unstoppable the past few weeks, and should continue to attack the Georgia batters at the plate.

Barrett Astin, Ryne Stanek and Randall Fant are once again the scheduled weekend starters, and for good reason.

Last weekend against Texas A&M, the trio combined for 20 strikeouts, including a season high eight for Fant.

It appears that Stanek is hitting his stride as well, striking out nine and allowing only one run in a 12-2 victory over the Aggies.

Arkansas’ recent successes on the mound do not bode well for the Bulldogs, who lead the SEC in strikeouts at the plate. Expect a Georgia team who ranks near the bottom of the SEC in team on-base percentage to have trouble getting runners on base against a very dominant Arkansas staff.

First pitch for the series against the Bulldogs is scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday followed by 11 a.m. Saturday and the series finale at 1 p.m. Sunday.

In his first season in the minors, left fielder Sam Bates played in five games for the Idaho Falls Chukars, the Rookie ball affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. He batted .222 with one home run and three RBIs. The Chukars’ season does not start this year until June 20.

DJ Baxendale – RHP – Fort Myers Miracle (A, Minnesota Twins)

After dominating Rookie and Class A, the Minnesota Twins promoted pitcher DJ Baxendale to the Class A Advanced Fort Myers Miracle. In 17 appearances last year, he collected two saves in 18.2 innings pitched, allowing just two earned runs on 13 hits for a 0.96 ERA.

He also had 31 strikeouts and only two walks. So far this season, Baxendale is 2-0 in three starts with a 1.04 ERA. He has three walks and 15 strikeouts in 17.1 innings and opponents are batting .164 against him.

Michael Bolsinger – RHP – Mobile BayBears (AA, Arizona Diamondbacks)

Entering his fourth season in the minors, pitcher Michael Bolsinger was 14-11 with a 2.95 ERA, 79 walks and 210 strikeouts. This season, his second in Class AA, Bolsinger has a 1.93 ERA, two walks and six strikeouts in one appearance.

Zack Cox – 3B – Jacksonville Suns (AA, Miami Marlins)

Third baseman Zack Cox was traded from the St. Louis Cardinals organization to the Miami Marlins organization for relief pitcher Edward Mujica at last season’s trade deadline.

Most of his first three seasons were spent in Class AA and AAA. In those three seasons, he

batted .285 with

23 home runs and 112 RBIs in 247 games. This season, he owns a .340 batting average and has four doubles, a triple, five RBIs and 11 walks.

Geoffrey Davenport – LHP – Mahoning Valley Scrappers (A, Cleveland Indians)

Left-handed pitcher Geoffrey Davenport began his minor league career last year with the Class A Short-Season Mahoning Valley Scrappers, posting a 2-3 record and 3.41 ERA. He also had 20 walks and 33 strikeouts. The Scrappers’ 2013 season doesn’t start until June 17.

Brett Eibner – CF – NWA Naturals (AA, Kansas City Royals)

Since being drafted in the second round by the Kansas City Royals in 2010, center fielder Brett Eibner has risen from Class A to Class AA. However, he continues to struggle with striking out.

As of April 22, Eibner has struck out 277 times in 211 career games. Entering the season, he was batting .203 with 27 home runs and 84 RBIs, which was good enough for the Royals to send him to their AA affiliate Northwest Arkansas Naturals in Springdale, Ark. to start the season.

After starting the season 0-for-20, Eibner has turned it around, earning Texas League Player of the Week honors April 22 for his 11-for-26 performance the previous week. He is now batting .200 with two doubles, two home runs and three RBIs for the Naturals.

Dallas Keuchel – LHP – Oklahoma City RedHawks (AAA, Houston Astros)

Left-handed pitcher Dallas Keuchel got a taste of the major leagues last year, starting 16 games and going 3-8 with a 5.27 ERA, and is on the Astros’ 40-man roster this year, but he started the season at Class AAA Oklahoma City.

Entering this season with a 25-29 record and 3.79 ERA in four seasons, Keuchel has appeared in four games for the RedHawks this season, allowing four earned runs in 10.2 innings.

Daryl Maday – RHP – Richmond Flying Squirrels (AA, San Francisco Giants)

Entering this season with a 41-43 record and 16 saves with a 3.78 ERA, pitcher Daryl Maday has moved into a bullpen role for Class AA Richmond.

He has appeared in seven games this season and allowed three earned runs on seven hits and four walks, while striking out eight in 7.2 innings of work.

James McCann – C – Erie SeaWolves (AA, Detroit Tigers)

After being named a midseason All-Star in the Florida State League at Class A Advanced Lakeland last season, the Detroit Tigers promoted catcher James McCann to Class AA Erie, where he begins this season.

Entering this season, he was batting .226 with three home runs and 46 RBIs in 123 games. This season, he is batting .339 with five doubles and eight RBIs.

Blake Parker – RHP – Iowa Cubs (AAA, Chicago Cubs)

Right-handed pitcher Blake Parker appeared in seven games for the Chicago Cubs last season, but posted a 6.00 ERA, so he began this season at Class AAA Iowa.

Now in his seventh minor league season, Parker owns a 3.02 career ERA and 61 saves. This season, he has only allowed two earned runs and three hits in seven innings.

Matt Reynolds – SS – St. Lucie Mets (A, New York Mets)

MLB.com ranked shortstop Matt Reynolds as the New York Mets’ No. 18 minor league prospect before this season and he has shown improvement from his first season.

He is batting .278, compared to .259 in 2012, and has two doubles, a triple, a home run and 11 RBIs. Last season, he hit three home runs and collected 13 RBI in 42 games.

Kyle Robinson – RF – Great Falls Voyagers (R, Chicago White Sox)

Right fielder Kyle Robinson has spent the previous two seasons in Rookie ball and Class A, posting a .255 batting average, hitting seven home runs and collecting 68 RBIs in 110 games.

He will begin this season in Rookie ball with the Great Falls Voyagers, whose season starts June 20.

Nolan Sanburn – RHP – Vermont Lake Monsters (A, Oakland Athletics)

In his first year in the minors, pitcher Nolan Sanburn was 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA for the Class A Short-Season Vermont Lake Monsters.

He walked eight batters and struck out 19 in 18.2 innings. Sanburn will be with Vermont again this season. The Lake Monsters’ season starts June 17.

Nick Schmidt – LHP – Colorado Springs Sky Sox (AAA, Colorado Rockies)

Since being drafted in the first round in 2007, pitcher Nick Schmidt has struggled to live up to expectations.

Entering this season, Schmidt was 28-30 with a 4.52 ERA, 171 walks and 366 strikeouts. However, he showed some promise last season, going 5-3 with a 3.29 ERA for the Class AA Tulsa Drillers and earning Texas League All-Star honors.

This season, he is 1-1 with a 3.07 ERA, eight walks and 14 strikeouts in 14.2 innings of work.

Jess Todd – RHP – Toledo Mud Hens (AAA, Detroit Tigers)

Right-handed pitcher Jess Todd has had success in six minor league seasons and has appeared in two major league seasons.

However, he is 0-1 with a 7.62 ERA in MLB games, so the Detroit Tigers started him at Class AAA Toledo this season. Todd has allowed five hits, two earned runs and struck out six in 7.1 innings this year.

Duke Welker – RHP – Indianapolis Indians (AAA, Pittsburgh Pirates)

Entering the season on the Pittsburgh Pirates 40-man roster, pitcher Duke Welker is 2-0 and has yet to allow an earned run in 10 innings at Class AAA Indianapolis.

He has struck out 12 batters and only walked three, while giving up two hits. In his first five seasons in the minors, he was 13-35 with a 4.29 ERA and 18 saves.

Andy Wilkins – 1B – Birmingham Barons (AA, Chicago White Sox)

After being named an All-Star in Rookie ball in 2010 and Class A Advanced in 2011, first baseman Andy Wilkins has struggled in Class AA.

Last season, he batted .239 for Class AA Birmingham and he is batting .254 this season. In 320 career minor league games, Wilkins has 46 home runs and 204 RBI.

Dave Van Horn (right)

Razorback baseball head coach Dave Van Horn was selected by USA baseball to manage the 2014 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team.

“I couldn’t be more excited and honored to be selected as manager for the 2014 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team,” Van Horn said. “Anytime you have the opportunity to wear the Team USA jersey, it’s an honor and a privilege.”

Van Horn served as an assistant coach for Team USA in 2011 when they earned an 11-2-1 record, including three wins against the Japanese Collegiate All-Stars.

In 10 seasons at Arkansas, Van Horn has led the Razorbacks to three College World Series appearances, 10 NCAA Tournament selections, three Southeastern Conference Western Division championships and one overall SEC title.

Under Van Horn, Arkansas has averaged more than 40 wins per season. Van Horn is one of only 11 coaches to lead multiple programs to the College World Series.

“Dave’s success at the University of Arkansas speaks for itself, and we are thrilled to have him in place as we prepare for next summer,” said Eric Campbell, USA Baseball General Manager, National Teams.

“Dave’s selection to lead Team USA is a credit not only to his coaching accomplishments, but also is a reflection of the respect he has earned throughout the baseball community,” said Jeff Long, vice chancellor and director of athletics.

“It is a tribute to Coach Van Horn, our program and the University of Arkansas that he has been chosen to represent our country in such a meaningful role,” Long said.

Ryne Stanek pitches at the Arkansas vs. Texas A&M baseball game, Saturday, April 20. Stanek was credited with the win in the 12-2 Razorback victory. (Photo by Addison Morgan)

Arkansas clinched a pivotal series by winning the last two games of the three-game series against Texas A&M. The series win puts the Hogs firmly in second place in the Southeastern Conference west division with an 11-7 conference record.

The Hogs got off to a good start in the series behind Barrett Astin’s 5.1 shutout innings that allowed Arkansas to build a 3-0 lead, but the bullpen struggled.

After Jalen Beeks loaded the bases in the eighth inning, Chris Oliver came on and gave up a pinch-hit grand slam to left fielder Jonathan Moroney.

Oliver went on to strike out the next two batters in the inning, but the damage was already done. A&M closer Jason Jester retired the last six batters to end game one, 5-3.

“Our bullpen just didn’t get it done,” head coach Dave Van Horn said. “What I saw after the home run and before the home run were two different pitchers,” he added of Oliver.

Game two of the series took place in front of a season high crowd of 11,145 at Baum Stadium, and the Diamond Hogs didn’t disappoint.

Arkansas displayed an offensive onslaught against A&M’s first time starter Matt Kent. Kent surrendered four earned runs off six hits in only two innings pitched. Texas A&M’s bullpen didn’t fare any better en route to a 12-2 Arkansas victory.

The Hogs had 15 hits as a team, their best hitting effort in SEC play this season. Freshman infielder Jordan Farris was a triple shy of hitting for the cycle, with a two run home run and five RBIs. Farris has been on fire at the plate recently, and is tied for the team lead in home runs despite only having 12 starts and 50 plate appearances.

“He brings energy to the team everyday, I like his mentality. He’s tough,” Van Horn said.

Ryne Stanek struck out a season high nine batters in six solid innings of pitching, only giving up one run and five hits in the process. Stanek has continued to grow more comfortably on the mound as the season has progressed, and showed why he is such a highly touted pro prospect.

The rubber match Sunday was a closer game than game two, but once again saw dominant starting pitching from the Razorbacks. Senior Randall Fant reached his career high in strikeouts with eight by only the fourth inning, and only gave up one run off a Troy Stein home run in six innings pitched.

Infielder Brian Anderson had two RBIs for the Razorbacks, and finished the series an impressive 5-9 from the plate with four runs scored.

The Arkansas Razorbacks  take on the No. 13 Oklahoma Sooners 6:35 p.m. Tuesday at Baum Stadium.

Ryan Stanek pitches at the Arkansas v. LSU baseball game, Saturday, April 13, at Baum Stadium. (Photo by Logan Webster)

1. Hit the Ball

The most basic aspect of the game isn’t always simple. In the first game of the LSU series, Arkansas only had four hits and lost 3-1. A few more hits would have led to more runs, and in a two-run game, that could have been the difference between winning and losing the series.

In the first game of the Nebraska doubleheader Tuesday, Arkansas was no-hit for the first time in school history and lost 3-0. Also, they have been shutout in three of their last eight games.

It is very rare for a team to win without getting a hit and impossible to win without scoring a run, so hitting coach Todd Butler must get batters hitting again and knocking in runs.

2. Forget Last Eight Games

Arkansas is 2-6 over the last eight games, dating back to the April 6 loss at Alabama. Along with the three shutouts, their ERA has risen from 1.57 to 1.77 during the stretch.

The Razorbacks need to put these games behind them and move forward with the rest of the season. In 2009, Arkansas had a similar stretch, going 2-8 to end the regular season. This stretch also included losing two out of three games to LSU at Baum Stadium.

However, that year, the Razorbacks rebounded, won two games in the Southeastern Conference tournament and then made it to the College World Series.

If they dwell on these past eight games, they will continue to struggle and could lose to a Texas A&M team that is only 6-9 in SEC play. If they put these games behind them, as they did in 2009, the Razorbacks could get right back on track.

3. Cut Down On Errors

Also during this eight-game stretch, Arkansas has committed 19 errors, an average of 2.38 per game. Of those 19 errors, 15 of them have come in losses.

On the season, Arkansas is 17-2 when committing one or less errors in a game. However, when they commit two or more, their record is 8-12. Clearly, there is a correlation between how well they play defensively and whether or not they win.

Also, Arkansas’ fielding percentage coming into the week was .957, which was 234th out of 296 Division I teams. Their overall team ERA was 1.77 entering the week, the best in the NCAA, but these errors have led to 35 unearned runs.

If these runs were factored into their ERA, it would only be 2.67. It is important for Arkansas not to give Texas A&M any extra runs this week because they are already scoring over four earned runs per game. Those extra runs could be the difference in a one or two-run game.

4. Strong Starting Pitching

How well Arkansas’ starting pitcher performs has been a good indicator of whether they won or lost in their 15 SEC games so far this season. In the Razorbacks’ six losses, the starting pitcher has lasted five innings or more only once and they have a combined ERA of 6.65.

In their nine wins, the starting pitcher threw less than five innings only one time and they have a combined ERA of 1.25. They also average twice as many strikeouts in wins (5.6) than in losses (2.8).

The starters will also be aided by Texas A&M senior Mikey Reynolds missing the series because of an injury. Reynolds is the Aggies’ leading hitter, with a .394 batting average.

If Arkansas’ pitchers throw at least five innings before turning the game over to the bullpen, they will have a much better chance of winning.

5. Jump on A&M’s Starters

Texas A&M has only one pitcher that has started a game in all five of their SEC series, sophomore Daniel Mengden. Outside of him, five other pitchers have combined to start the other 10 games, and understandably so.

While Mengden has a 1.87 ERA against SEC opponents, the other starters have a 6.93 ERA. Twice this season, the Aggies’ starter has failed to make it out of the first inning and seven times they have given up three or more runs.

Senior Kyle Martin has the second most SEC starts for Texas A&M, with three, but has a 7.71 ERA and given up 26 hits in 16.1 innings of work against SEC opponents. The Razorbacks need to jump on these pitchers early and get their bats going, after being no-hit by Nebraska Tuesday.

Once they knock out the starters, they should be able to continue hitting off of Texas A&M’s bullpen, which has an ERA of 5.31 in SEC play.

Despite being one of the newest sports clubs at the University of Arkansas, the club baseball team has already made significant strides towards being a competitive group of players.

The club was founded by current president and vice president Jonathan Benson and Casey Wilt, and has now blossomed to 15 team members.

“I played in high school and loved it, and I was just looking for a way to keep playing in college. I saw there wasn’t a club baseball team so I figured I’d get one started,” Benson said.

The team competes under the National Club Baseball Association Division II banner. They play in the South VI conference that features club teams from Missouri and Arkansas such as Southeast Missouri, Central Missouri, Pulaski Technical College and Missouri State.

The team has seen moderate successes in its first full year as a program. They are 3-3 in conference play and 4-12 overall in the spring 2013 season according to the NCBA’s website.

Because of three forfeited games from Pulaski Tech, the Razorbacks only other victory came in a big 8-6 win over Division I Missouri.

“We beat Missouri, but other than that we’ve had some pretty heartbreaking losses,” Benson said.

The team is still in the early stages of what believes to be a promising future. The more the word of the club spreads to high schoolers who look to continue their baseball careers, the more the team will continue to strengthen.

Almost all of the team members played baseball in high school and pass the word onto prospective Arkansas students about the perks of the club baseball team.

“We are helping to talk to guys at orientation and checking out guys at local high schools,” Benson said.

Word of mouth is the main way the team has fielded new members, but they have also said that Club Sports has been a tremendous help in the developmental stages of the program.

“We are working to grow to where we can field a competitive team and host tryouts,” Benson said. “We would like to see enough players to where we could have two teams compete in the NCBA.”

The Razorbacks practice Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the White River baseball complex in Fayetteville, where they also play home games as well.

Dues are $250 for the year to help cover travel expenses. Bats, balls and helmets are provided so only a glove is needed to participate.

The season wraps up after the next couple weekends, so check the team’s Facebook group or get in touch with Benson or Wilt if interested in joining the team for next season.