FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas would like its bats to revive the next couple of days against Gonzaga before the Razorbacks take on defending College World Series champion Vanderbilt on the road this weekend.
The Razorbacks (9-3) take on Gonzaga tonight at 6:35 and Wednesday at 3:05 p.m. at Baum Stadium as the final lead-up to SEC play.
UA baseball
vs. Gonzaga
WHEN 6:35 p.m. today
WHERE Baum Stadium, Fayetteville
RECORDS Gonzaga 7-8, Arkansas 9-3
RANKINGS Neither team is ranked
SERIES Arkansas leads 3-2
LAST MEETING Gonzaga 3, Arkansas 0 on March 1, 2013, in Surprise, Ariz.
RADIO Razorback Sports Network. Not all games will be carried by affiliates. Check local listings.
INTERNET www.arkansasrazorba…
PITCHING MATCHUP Gonzaga: Calvin LeBrun (LHP 1-2, 4.66 ERA); Arkansas: James Teague (RHP, 0-0, 8.44)
SHORT HOPS Arkansas is 2-0 at home against Gonzaga, beating the Bulldogs 1-0 and 5-3 at Baum Stadium on March 13-14, 2012. … Arkansas RF Tyler Spoon had his 12-game hitting streak snapped on Sunday. … Arkansas’ .332 average is its highest through 12 games since hitting .335 at this point in 2005. … The Razorbacks announced Monday they will play in the 2016 Houston College Classic Feb. 26-28 at Minute Maid Park in a field also featuring Texas Tech, Rice, Louisiana-Lafayette, Houston and TCU.
THE WEEK AHEAD
TODAY Gonzaga, 6:35 p.m. (SECN+)
WEDNESDAY Gonzaga, 3:05 p.m. (SECN+)
THURSDAY Off
FRIDAY Vanderbilt, 6:30 p.m. (SECN+)
SATURDAY Vanderbilt, 2 p.m. (SECN+)
SUNDAY Vanderbilt, noon (SECN+)
MONDAY Off
Gonzaga (7-8), which follows West Coast Conference mate Loyola-Marymount into Fayetteville, downed Arkansas 3-0 in an Arizona tournament two seasons ago.
The Hogs won their series against Loyola-Marymount last weekend, but they were outscored 13-0 by the Lions in the final 10 innings.
After averaging eight runs per game through their first 11 games, the Razorbacks were limited to three hits in their 9-0 loss on Sunday.
Arkansas has a .332 team batting average with 10 players with 8 or more at-bats hitting .308 or better. Versatile Carson Shaddy of Fayetteville is hitting .500 while starting half the team's games, while infielders Michael Bernal (.471), Bobby Wernes (.395), Rick Nomura (.395) and Brett McAfee (.313) have given Coach Dave Van Horn good options at second and third base and shortstop.
Van Horn and Arkansas pitching coach Dave Jorn have decisions to make regarding starters and playing time out of the bullpen in the coming days. Sophomore James Teague (0-0, 8.44 ERA), who has not started since the season opener, will get the ball today against Gonzaga's Calvin LeBrun (1-2, 4.66), while neither team has announced a starter for Wednesday's game.
"We'll do everything we can to try to win Tuesday and then kind of piece Wednesday together," Van Horn said on Sunday. "I'm sure that's what Gonzaga will do as well.
"Obviously we can't burn ourselves up as far as the pitching and the arms. We've got to get ready for Vanderbilt which is very offensive with incredible talent."
The Razorbacks, who were leading the nation with a .350 batting average going into last weekend, lost 18 points from that average over the weekend. Arkansas still leads the SEC with its .332 team average, but because the NCAA could not update its statistics on Monday, it is not known where the average ranks nationally.
Gonzaga, coming off a 2-1 series victory at Tulane, is hitting .287 and has a staff ERA of 3.09 compared to Arkansas' 3.50 ERA.
Bulldogs third baseman and leadoff hitter Mitchell Gunsolus is hitting .419 with seven extra-base hits and an on-base percentage of .486.
Sports on 03/10/2015