NCAA REGIONAL TOURNAMENTS

Move to outfield steadies Hogs’ Anderson

Arkansas' Brian Anderson readies himself Sunday, March 31, 2013, during game three of the series against Mississippi State at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville. Anderson was the Razorbacks' top hitter in SEC play and overcame several errors after a mid-season switch to the outfield.
Arkansas' Brian Anderson readies himself Sunday, March 31, 2013, during game three of the series against Mississippi State at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville. Anderson was the Razorbacks' top hitter in SEC play and overcame several errors after a mid-season switch to the outfield.

FAYETTEVILLE - Now that Arkansas sophomore Brian Anderson is playing left field, his defensive problems have gone away.

His hitting never went anywhere.

As the throwing errors from third base and shortstop mounted for Anderson earlier this season, it didn’t negatively impact his offense. Anderson leads the Razorbacks with 20 errors, but also with a .338 batting average, 12 doubles, 5 triples and 4 home runs going into their NCAA regional opener at 7 tonight against Bryant University in Manhattan, Kan.

In 29 SEC games, Anderson batted .371 with 3 home runs and 16 RBI.

FRIDAY'S TICKET

Arkansas (37-20) vs. Bryant (44-16-1)

WHEN: 7 p.m.

WHERE: Tointon Family Stadium in Manhattan, Kan.

INTERNET: ESPN3.com

“Brian is a great athlete, so you can really put him anywhere in the field and he can play,” center fielder Matt Vinson said. “You have to have him in the lineup. We wouldn’t be where we are without him.”

The Razorbacks have a .260 team batting average to rank 214th nationally.

“Brian is an unbelievable hitter, and he hasn’t had much protection this year,” catcher Jake Wise said. “We’ve been very inconsistent around him, but he always seems to get some big hits.”

Anderson credits Arkansas’ coaching staff and Matt Reynolds - the team’s third baseman last season who now plays in the New York Mets organization - with helping him separate defense and offense.

“I was Matt’s backup third baseman at the beginning of last year, and he helped me understand you can’t take your defense up to the plate with you because it will just cloud you up,” Anderson said. “He helped me understand it’s two different worlds.

“If you make a good play on defense, you’ve still got to go up there and hit. If something bad happens on defense, just clear your mind and go up there and get after the next pitch and try and help the team.”

All of Anderson’s errors have come during his 35 starts at third base or shortstop, most on wild throws to first base. His last two errors came against Missouri State on April 30 in his last start on the infield. He doesn’t have any errors in 20 starts as an outfielder, including the past 12 games in left field.

Anderson said he’s not sure what would have happened if had continued to play on the infield, but he said he believes the errors were more the result of his footwork and arm slot on throws, issues he’s continued to work on in practice.

“The few times I’ve taken ground balls over there lately, I’ve thrown well,” Anderson said. “But it seems like right now me being in the outfield is the best thing for the team.

“I guess you can say I’m pretty comfortable out there. I’m feeling like an outfielder now.”

Anderson is batting .419 (18for 43) with 7 RBI and 11 runs in his past 12 games, all in the outfield. His season total of 33 RBI ranks second on the team behind Tyler Spoon’s 45.

“I think Brian’s had a great season,” Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said. “You take away the throwing errors in the infield, he’s fielded the ball extremely well with his glove. He’s played great defense in the outfield.”

Van Horn said he isn’t sure whether Anderson will stay in the outfield next season or return to the infield. It will depend on which recruits end up coming to Arkansas rather than signing to play professionally.

Anderson said he plans to play on the infield in the Cape Cod League this summer. Van Horn said there is also a possibility Anderson could pitch next season, noting he can throw 95 mph.

“I wouldn’t want to hit off of him,” Van Horn said. “He might not know where it’s going.”

Anderson said he’ll be glad to play wherever the Razorbacks need him.

“As long as I’m in the lineup and helping the team win, it really doesn’t matter to me where I play,” he said.

Anderson started 33 games last season, including all 10 in right field during the postseason. He went 2 for 5 to help Arkansas beat Sam Houston State 5-1 in the regional final, scored the only run in the Razorbacks’ 1-0 victory in 10 innings at Baylor in the super regional’s third game and went 2 for 3 in the Razorbacks’ 8-1 victory over Kent State at the College World Series. He finished the season batting .283 with 2 home runs and 11 RBI in 47 games.

“It’s definitely going to help out, just knowing what to expect,” Anderson said of his postseason experience as a freshman. “Not letting any little things get to you, and just really playing the game the way you know how. I think that’s going to be night and day from what it was last year.”

Van Horn said there were times in the past when Anderson showed his frustration in the dugout by talking to himself or banging a bat, conduct Van Horn does not endorse.

“We don’t like guys doing that because it doesn’t help anything, but I think he’s grown up a lot in the two years we’ve had him,” Van Horn said. “I’ve seen him get better as the year has gone on. I think the players around him have helped him to calm him down, and I think the coaches have handled him pretty well.”

Anderson said maturity has helped keep his temper in check.

“I really just had to get over myself and realize it’s not about me,” he said. “Just realizing it’s bigger than myself and if I make an error, the other guys are going to try and pick me up.”

Sports, Pages 19 on 05/31/2013

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