Beginning today, this year’s Razorbacks strive to repeat last year and then some. Today at Baum-Walker Stadium, the Razorbacks launch their season commencing a 3-game series against the Illinois State University Redbirds from Normal, Ill. and the Missouri Valley Conference.
Baseball game times are 3 p.m. today, noon Saturday, accommodating the 3 p.m. Razorbacks vs. Tennessee men’s basketball game Saturday at Walton Arena, and 1 p.m. Sunday.
Illinois State may sound like one of those frostbitten northern schools come South to take a beating just to get in from the cold and get some games in, but these Redbirds have been no gimmes for Arkansas.
Since first meeting Arkansas beating the Razorbacks in 1950, the Redbirds are 3-7 against the Hogs last winning in 2020 at Baum-Walker.
Van Horn knows ISU Coach Steve Holm and knows ISU’s pitching coach, R.D. Spiehs, even better. Spiehs pitched from 1999-2001 for the University of Nebraska during Van Horn’s tenure head coaching the Cornhuskers before the former Razorbacks second baseman returned to coach his alma mater in Fayetteville.
“I know their coaching staff real well,” Van Horn said Thursday. “I just feel like that they’ll have them physically and mentally ready to play. Like I said, at times in the past, they’ve beaten us a couple of times over the last four, five years. I expect these to be some really good ball games.”
A couple of 2021 All-Missouri Valley Conference pitchers, right-hander Jordan Lussier, 6-3 last season, and lefty Seam Sinisko, 5-5 last season, are set to start today and Saturday for Illinois State.
Right-hander Derek Salata, last year’s Illinois State closer, debut starts Sunday for the Redbirds.
Van Horn opens with something old and something new for starting pitching.
Right-hander Connor Noland of Greenwood, on the UA campus since he was a 1-year Razorbacks football quarterback for former Arkansas Coach Chad Morris in 2018, and a Razorbacks baseball letterman since 2019 when he was a freshman breaking into the rotation of Arkansas’ most recent College World Series team, starts today.
Noland was sidelined by injuries during most of 2021 but from fall ball on has reasserted himself.
“I feel like Connor has pitched well since Day One in the fall,” Van Horn said. "I felt he definitely deserved to pitch this weekend and start this weekend. He’s got more experience and we’re going to let him go Game One.”
Apparently no less deserving but brand new to Arkansas freshman lefty Hagen Smith of Bullard, Texas, starts Saturday.
Sophomore Jaxon Wiggins, whose near 100 miles fastball made him the closer to start last season before supplanted by now in the pros 2021 Golden Spikes Award winner Kevin Kopps, will start Sunday.
“Hagen Smith has been outstanding,” Van Horn said. “Especially since we got back from the holidays. He deserves to start. And then the third one with Wiggins and maybe a couple of others, it could probably go either way. But Jaxon has got some experience. Been a little bit up and down but we decided to go with Jaxon. Like all of them, if it doesn’t go well we’ll just go to the next guy. We’ve got to figure some things out early anyway.”
All Arkansas pitchers used this first series will be on a pitch count.
For today’s starting lineup, Van Horn listed Kent State transfer Michael Turner as the starting catcher, touted true freshman Peyton Stovall at first base, junior Preseason All-American Robert Moore at second base, 2021 SEC Tournament MVP Jalen Battles at short, sophomore Cayden Wallace of Greenbrier at third, University of Oklahoma transfer Jace Bohrofen in left, and veterans Zack Gregory and Brady Slavens in center and right.
Via Wake Forest graduate transfer Chris Lanzilli “probably will DH,” Van Horn said.
Wallace, a freshman flash as an outfielder last season now playing third base spot where he starred at Greenbrier, once appeared destined to be a 3-year Razorback but no longer.
Division 1 college players aren’t draft eligible until after their third year unless they turn 21 during a draft window period.
Wallace falls in that category since the 2022 Major League draft has been moved to July, Van Horn said.
“We thought he was gonna be here for three years,” Van Horn said. “But we're just glad he's here. Happy for him that he's done so well.”
Van Horn said sophomore Dylan Leach, last year’s backup to turned pro catcher Casey Opitz, will catch one game this weekend and that veterans Zebulon Vermillion and Kole Ramage will be among the relief pitchers used this weekend.