FAYETTEVILLE - Colby Suggs has become the first Arkansas pitcher to have 12 saves in a season since the 1980s.
Suggs, a junior right hander from Sulpher Springs, Texas, pitched a perfect ninth inning in the Razorbacks’ 4-1 victory over LSU last week at the SEC Tournament for his 12th save. He shares the school season record for saves with Tim Deitz, who had 12 in 1985, and Phillip Stidham, who tied that mark in 1989.
“That’s pretty cool,” Suggs said. “It’s great to be in the company of the great Arkansas players before me. Hopefully, I can break it, and hopefully they’ll respect that and be happy for me.”
Suggs, who has a 1.93 ERA in 18 2/3 innings, hopes to get some saves this weekend when Arkansas plays in the NCAA regional hosted by Kansas State. The Razorbacks open against Bryant (R.I.) University at 7 p.m. Friday.
“If the team keeps rolling the way we’re rolling right now, then I feel like I will have that opportunity,” Suggs said. “I’m going to give it my best shot.”
An oblique injury sidelined Suggs at the start of this season, then he tried returning too quickly and pitched ineffectively in a few games. Suggs figured any chance to get the saves record was over, but then had a streak in six consecutive games against Texas A&M, Georgia, Missouri State and Kentucky to put himself in record setting position.
“He started a little slow with his side problem, but he’s gotten over that,” Arkansas catcher Jake Wise said. “The stuff he has is hard to hit. I know guys are going up there, and they know what he has, and they still don’t stand a chance.”
Farris wheel
Freshman Jordan Farris was the odd man out in the Razorbacks’ infield shuffle for most of the SEC Tournament last week, but the second baseman looks destined to return to the starting lineup Friday at the regional.
Farris went 0 for 3 in a 2-1 victory over Ole Miss in his lone start in Hoover, Ala., dropping his batting average to .229. But the freshman’s speed, particularly on defense, is an asset to the Razorbacks, who are 16-8 with Farris in the starting lineup.
Coach Dave Van Horn, who mentioned Farris’ recent hitting slump, said his lack of playing time in Hoover was to give him a brief rest before the NCAAs.
“He’ll be playing second base this weekend, at least the first game,” Van Horn said. “Try to get his speed and be as strong as we can.”
Arkansas’ best defensive lineup in the infield, utilized mostly in the second half of the season, has been Jacob Mahan at third, Brett McAfee at shortstop, Farris at second and Dominic Ficociello at first.
Fast track
Kansas State’s Tointon Family Stadium has AstroTurf Game Day synthetic grass installed throughout the playing surface other than the base paths, the pitcher’s mound, batting circle and the warning track, making it a faster surface than most teams are used to seeing.
“It’s a different feel, big time,” Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said.
Arkansas sophomore Brian Anderson, who has been an outfielder and infielder this season, played at Kansas State’s stadium during some summer tournaments when he was in high school.
“Really for the infielders, it’s about finding the hops,” Anderson said of playing on artificial turf as opposed to grass. “The ball slows down a little bit, but it hops higher.
“In the outfield, it really won’t affect us much, except the ball is going to bounce when it hits. So when you go to cut off a ball, it might bounce a little higher than you’d expect.”
Owens knows UA
Bryant University will be playing Arkansas for the first time Friday night, but Bulldogs Coach Steve Owens has previous NCAA Tournament experience against the Razorbacks.
Owens coached at Le Moyne College in 2004 when his team was sent to an NCAA regional in Fayetteville and lost to Arkansas 4-1. The Razorbacks won the regional by beating Wichita State, which also is at Kansas State this weekend.
Home on the road
Arkansas won an NCAA regional at Rice and super regional at Baylor last season. This season the Razorbacks won four of five SEC road series.
In order to win this weekend’s regional, the Razorbacks likely will have to beat host Kansas State.
“It’s great going into someone else’s park and taking the hope from them, we take pride in that,” Arkansas closer Colby Suggs said. “We enjoy beating them in front of their fans and making them be quiet.”
Sports, Pages 21 on 05/30/2013