FAYETTEVILLE - Drew Smyly has not pitched since carrying a no-hitter into the ninth inning of Arkansas’ two-hit, 11-0 victory over Oklahoma in the May 31 championship game of the Norman Regional.
Is that interim too long to expect the freshman lefty from Little Rock Central to be effective starting tonight’s College World Series loser’s bracket game against the Virginia Cavaliers?
“I hope not,” Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn told the Northwest Arkansas Times’ Brandon Marcello Tuesday in Omaha, where the Razorbacks and Virginia meet at 6 tonight.
“When he threw the outstanding ball game, he hadn't thrown for a while. he had some good rest. If he can just feed off the experience there and the confidence he had by throwing in the Regional, he should be all right.”
With the Hogs’ backs to the wall at Rosenblatt Stadium, Van Horn may go quickly to middle reliever/closer Mike Bolsinger and or quicker than usual to closer Stephen Richards though he obviously would like both ready if Arkansas fights out of the loser’s bracket to meet LSU Friday night.
“We've got some other guys,” Van Horn said, “that are healthy and ready to roll, but I really believe Drew will give us a good outing. He's been wanting the ball. We even told him yesterday (before Monday’s 9-1 winner’s bracket loss to LSU) that if we got into the third or fourth inning, score tied... might go with him.”
LSU’s first-inning three-run home run by Mikie Mahtook off losing Arkansas starter Brett Eibner quickly turned Smyly from would-be Monday night reliever to Wednesday night loser’s bracket starter.
Arkansas’ center fielder when not pitching, Eibner crushed a batting practice home run Tuesday that shattered a window of a van driving by the high school where the Hogs practiced.
“It did liven it up a little bit out here, “ Van Horn said. “The guy (owner of the van) wasn't very happy, I can tell you that. He was mad. That’s the third one that’s happened at this ballpark already.”
Arkansas and Virginia have two things in common since arriving in Omaha. Both have lost to LSU and both have beaten the now eliminated Cal State Fullerton Titans.
“They're solid,” Van Horn said of the Cavaliers. “They pitch well, throw a lot of strikes. Their hitters are pesty guys. They use the whole field to go the other way, well. They don't strike out a whole lot. They put a lot of pressure on you. They're going to run and do some stuff. We've just got to go out and swing the bats well.”
Tonight’s Arkansas-Virginia winner plays LSU Friday night.
A LSU victory sends the Tigers into the best 2 of 3 series for the national championship next Monday through Wednesday versus the winner of the bracket that now includes Texas, Arizona State and North Carolina since North Carolina eliminated Southern Miss in Tuesday afternoon’s loser’s bracket game.
Texas met Arizona State in Tuesday night’s winner’s bracket.
If the Arkansas-Virginia winner can prevail Friday night, it would again meet LSU Saturday winner-take-all to advance to the national championship series.
If the Razorbacks win tonight, then Van Horn wants Dallas Keuchel, the pitcher with Arkansas’ lone victory in four meetings with SEC champion LSU this season, starting Friday’s game.
Then again, if the Hogs need Keuchel out of the bullpen to beat Virginia, Van Horn and pitching coach Dave Jorn would use him.
“ We know we have to get through tomorrow.” Van Horn said Tuesday of tonight’s game with Virginia. “We really want to get a chance to play LSU again. If we can get through tomorrow without having to use Keuchel, we'll start Keuchel on Friday. If we can win, hey, anything can happen on Saturday.”
The Razorbacks held a light practice Tuesday morning.
“I felt like it was good to get them up,” Van Horn told media in Omaha, “and out of the hotel and try to get over it and move on. We didn't do a lot today. We just stretch and hit. We didn't really run the bases at the end. Let them get their legs underneath them, enjoy the rest of the day.”
|
|
|
FAYETTEVILLE - Drew Smyly has not pitched since carrying a no-hitter into the ninth inning of Arkansas’ two-hit, 11-0 victory over Oklahoma in the May 31 championship game of the Norman Regional.
Is that interim too long to expect the freshman lefty from Little Rock Central to be effective starting tonight’s College World Series loser’s bracket game against the Virginia Cavaliers?
“I hope not,” Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn told the Northwest Arkansas Times’ Brandon Marcello Tuesday in Omaha, where the Razorbacks and Virginia meet at 6 tonight.
“When he threw the outstanding ball game, he hadn't thrown for a while. he had some good rest. If he can just feed off the experience there and the confidence he had by throwing in the Regional, he should be all right.”
With the Hogs’ backs to the wall at Rosenblatt Stadium, Van Horn may go quickly to middle reliever/closer Mike Bolsinger and or quicker than usual to closer Stephen Richards though he obviously would like both ready if Arkansas fights out of the loser’s bracket to meet LSU Friday night.
“We've got some other guys,” Van Horn said, “that are healthy and ready to roll, but I really believe Drew will give us a good outing. He's been wanting the ball. We even told him yesterday (before Monday’s 9-1 winner’s bracket loss to LSU) that if we got into the third or fourth inning, score tied... might go with him.”
LSU’s first-inning three-run home run by Mikie Mahtook off losing Arkansas starter Brett Eibner quickly turned Smyly from would-be Monday night reliever to Wednesday night loser’s bracket starter.
Arkansas’ center fielder when not pitching, Eibner crushed a batting practice home run Tuesday that shattered a window of a van driving by the high school where the Hogs practiced.
“It did liven it up a little bit out here, “ Van Horn said. “The guy (owner of the van) wasn't very happy, I can tell you that. He was mad. That’s the third one that’s happened at this ballpark already.”
Arkansas and Virginia have two things in common since arriving in Omaha. Both have lost to LSU and both have beaten the now eliminated Cal State Fullerton Titans.
“They're solid,” Van Horn said of the Cavaliers. “They pitch well, throw a lot of strikes. Their hitters are pesty guys. They use the whole field to go the other way, well. They don't strike out a whole lot. They put a lot of pressure on you. They're going to run and do some stuff. We've just got to go out and swing the bats well.”
Tonight’s Arkansas-Virginia winner plays LSU Friday night.
A LSU victory sends the Tigers into the best 2 of 3 series for the national championship next Monday through Wednesday versus the winner of the bracket that now includes Texas, Arizona State and North Carolina since North Carolina eliminated Southern Miss in Tuesday afternoon’s loser’s bracket game.
Texas met Arizona State in Tuesday night’s winner’s bracket.
If the Arkansas-Virginia winner can prevail Friday night, it would again meet LSU Saturday winner-take-all to advance to the national championship series.
If the Razorbacks win tonight, then Van Horn wants Dallas Keuchel, the pitcher with Arkansas’ lone victory in four meetings with SEC champion LSU this season, starting Friday’s game.
Then again, if the Hogs need Keuchel out of the bullpen to beat Virginia, Van Horn and pitching coach Dave Jorn would use him.
“ We know we have to get through tomorrow.” Van Horn said Tuesday of tonight’s game with Virginia. “We really want to get a chance to play LSU again. If we can get through tomorrow without having to use Keuchel, we'll start Keuchel on Friday. If we can win, hey, anything can happen on Saturday.”
The Razorbacks held a light practice Tuesday morning.
“I felt like it was good to get them up,” Van Horn told media in Omaha, “and out of the hotel and try to get over it and move on. We didn't do a lot today. We just stretch and hit. We didn't really run the bases at the end. Let them get their legs underneath them, enjoy the rest of the day.”
