By Otis Kirk

FAYETTEVILLE -- Senior pitcher Connor Noland will be on the mound for Arkansas on Friday when they take the field against Grand Canyon.

Noland was the Friday night starter until the last series of the regular season against Alabama. He was replaced by redshirt sophomore Will McEntire. Noland then pitched the second game of the series.

For the season, Noland has a record of 5-5 with an ERA of 4.07. He has appeared in 15 games with all of them starts. He has worked 86.1 innings, allowed 82 hits, walked 27, struck out 95 and allowed five home runs.

In his last start against Alabama in the regular season, Noland worked 4.1 innings, allowed eight hits, five runs, all earned, two walks, struck out four and threw 81 pitches. He then started the final game of the SEC Tournament against Florida. In that game, Noland worked 4.2 innings, allowed six hits, five runs, all earned, walked on, struck out five and threw 71 pitches.

Dave Van Horn is obviously hoping that Noland will regain the form he showed earlier in the season.