By Otis Kirk
FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas is fresh off another appearance in the College World Series and Dave Van Horn reloaded his 2023 squad for another run in the SEC.
Arkansas has completed its fall ball and is awaiting the beginning of the season in February. The Hogs will participate in the College Baseball Showdown at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Obviously that is the home of the Texas Rangers.
The Hogs will open the 2023 season there against Texas on Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. They will also face TCU the following day at 7 p.m. and then finish up on Feb. 19 against Oklahoma State at 2:30 p.m.
Arkansas posted a 46-21 overall record and made its 11th trip to the College World Series last season. Texas, TCU and Oklahoma State each made NCAA Tournament appearances last season, with the Longhorns advancing to the College World Series. The Razorbacks and Cowboys will meet again after Arkansas eliminated Oklahoma State from last year’s NCAA Stillwater Regional. Van Horn feels the players like opening the season against such tough competition.
"I think the players are all excited," Van Horn said. "I know that the fans are probably going to really like it. As a coaching staff, it's a little nerve-racking honestly to go right out of the shoot. We don't know if we're going to come out of the snow or what the weather is going to be like. You know, playing some teams that maybe have played and prepared in a little nicer weather. Bottom line, it's the beginning of the season."
Van Horn knows facing teams such as Texas, TCU and Oklahoma State will be an early gauge on where his team opening the season.
"You get to kind of find out where you're at," Van Horn said. "You kind of look back on things. I remember two different times we played at Minute Maid Park and played a bunch of really good schools, mostly Big 12 schools. I remember one year we went 3-0 and felt pretty good leaving there and didn't have a great season. I remember one year going down there and going 0-3, thinking 'Wow. This isn't good,' and we went to Omaha that year. It's nice to go down there. I want to play well, obviously. I'd like to win them all, a couple for sure. But so do the other teams we're playing.
"It'll be great competition to start the season. The good thing is we know we're going to play in comfortable weather. If it's nice, they can open that roof. If not, close it up. We know we're going to play. I think we're going to play in front of some huge crowds for College Baseball, even though basketball season is coming down to the wire in mid-late February. I think we play Texas on Friday night at seven. I think you could see 20-25 thousand. You may see more. I think it'll be exciting."
Van Horn was asked what he learned from fall ball after losing so many key players off the 2022 squad?
"A lot of stuff," Van Horn said. "Learned a lot. First off, I thought that fall went really well. No major injuries, just a few things here and there. So that was smooth. I thought the competition was outstanding. Made for some really good practices and some very good scrimmages. Guys were getting after it. This is a hard-working team. What I saw is that the position players know that there’s a lot of spots open and they were fighting for them. I saw a lot of guys get better.
"Obviously with the returning pitchers that we have, we lost Connor Noland, but besides that we have a lot of guys back. And then we brought in some really good young pitchers, some really good transfer pitchers, junior college, four-year school. I feel like our pitching is going to be really solid. That’s one of the takes. A lot of competition to get on the field position player wise, which is really healthy. I feel like we just continue to get better. And it hasn’t stopped. Guys are working extremely hard right now in the offseason. Doing a lot of group work, some team work, a lot of strength and conditioning. It’s been good."
Arkansas' home opener will be against Grambling on Tuesday, Feb. 21.