Hogs say 2017 won't be repeat of 2016

Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn watches practice Monday, Oct. 17, 2016, in Fayetteville.
Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn watches practice Monday, Oct. 17, 2016, in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Feb. 17 can't get here fast enough for the Arkansas baseball program.

The sooner the Razorbacks can throw their first pitch against Miami (Ohio), the quicker they can flush memories of 2016, when they lost their final 13 games, finished 26-29 and failed to qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2001.

Arkansas had gone to the NCAA Tournament every year since Coach Dave Van Horn arrived in 2003, including College World Series appearances in 2004, 2009, 2012 and 2015.

"Obviously we didn't finish very well last year," Van Horn said at media day Friday. "I know this staff and the team is just ready to play somebody else."

Arkansas followed its 2015 CWS appearance with an 8-0 start last year before going 18-29 in its final 47 games.

"We had a bad year last year," junior infielder Carson Shaddy said. "It was embarrassing and we need to get back to where we need to be.

"I was really embarrassed about how we played and I was embarrassed about everything wrong that I did. ... It was just a bad and ugly year."

Arkansas was an SEC-worst 7-23, something the Razorbacks say will serve as motivation.

"I think we're hungry," junior outfielder Luke Bonfield said. "I think there might have been a little bit of entitlement [last year]. You know we went to Omaha the year before and the guys were ... it was a different feel than it is right now. Everyone's really, really hungry from last year."

Senior pitcher Josh Alberius said the references from coaches to last year are done mostly as learning moments.

"Every time it's brought up, Coach Van Horn is like, 'This is a teaching point,'" Alberius said. "It's good because now we know what we need to do in order to better ourselves this year. I don't think last year is something to be just totally depressed about.

"We can just build up with these new guys and take the experience from last year and put it into this year."

The Razorbacks were 3-3 in the SEC before losing a home series to Missouri to start their slide. Arkansas was swept in SEC series by South Carolina, Ole Miss, Florida, LSU, Alabama and Mississippi State.

"It's definitely motivation, because we want to show everyone that was a fluke last year and that's not the team we are," sophomore pitcher Isaiah Campbell said. "We know the talent we have on this team. We're just ready to get out there on Feb. 17th and show everyone."

Arkansas was close to the middle of the SEC, hitting .275, but it was last with a 5.02 ERA.

First-year pitching coach Wes Johnson has instituted new lower-body workouts and circuit training that he hopes will give the Arkansas pitchers more stamina, velocity and confidence.

"I want our guys to be able to recover, and not only recover but feel good about themselves," Johnson said. "Confidence is your own perception of your potential. I want them to think their potential is really high."

The Razorbacks lost junior right-hander Keaton McKinney to Tommy John surgery Thursday, diminishing the pool of potential starters, but the Razorbacks think they can put together a quality staff.

Campbell and sophomore right-hander Blaine Knight should start on the opening weekend. Junior right-hander Trevor Stephan, Alberius, freshman lefty Evan Lee, who started Friday's scrimmage opposite Campbell, sophomore right-hander Barrett Loseke and senior righty Dominic Taccolini also are in the mix.

Finding a closer, which could come from a group including Knight, Taccolini, Stephan and Loseke, is also a consideration.

An improved and rejuvenated pitching staff would take Arkansas much closer to contenders in the SEC West.

Shaddy vowed there won't be a repeat of 2016.

"Right when we got done, we told ourselves it's not going to be like this again next year," he said. "You'll see a team with a different mentality. You'll see a tougher team and I think we'll be right up there again where we need to be."

Sports on 02/04/2017

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