By Otis Kirk
FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas' baseball season has been full of more twists and turns than a soap opera, but it will end where last year's squad couldn't get to and that is the College World Series.
When Arkansas defeated Auburn 7-4 on Sunday, May 8, it appeared the Razorbacks were headed for a national seed (top eight). However, they then went on to lose to two of three to Vanderbilt at home the next weekend. Lost two of three at Alabama including an 18-5 beating on May 21. The SEC Tournament saw the Hogs lose two in a row and even the most positive Arkansas fan found it hard to believe this team would end up in Omaha. But following a 4-3 walk-off victory over North Carolina on Sunday that is exactly where they are going for the seventh time under Dave Van Horn and 11th trip in program history.
Former Bryant standout Will McEntire, who was Sunday's starter, may have summed up the season the best.
"It's been a crazy year," McEntire said. "It's hard to describe it. It's kind of like the last two weekends, just insane, up and down, ups and downs."
That also fits McEntire's season. He went from really not being on the radar to pitch to mid-week starter then relief pitcher on weekends to the second pitcher on the mound for the Razorbacks in the super regionals. McEntire responded on Sunday to pitching 5.2 innings, allowing three hits, walking two and striking out four. McEntire has worked out well for Van Horn. He is 1-2 on the season in 11 appearances, including seven starts, with an ERA of 2.81.
McEntire was pitching for the Hogs on Sunday when lightning was within eight miles of the stadium. That resulted in an hour, 36-minute delay. However, when play resumed McEntire returned to the mound.
"I don't know," McEntire said. "I’ve honestly had experience before. I've done it two times I remember in high school. I’ve had experience doing it before, and I just knew exactly how to keep myself ready in that situation."
McEntire said it was a text from Matt Hobbs, Arkansas' pitching coach, on Sunday morning that informed him he was the Game 2 starter.
"I got a text this morning and I just knew I needed to do the job to get my team to Omaha," McEntire said.
One move by Van Horn that has made it easier to start McEntire is making Hagen Smith the closer in postseason. He closed out the final game of the Stillwater Regional and then did the same thing on Saturday in Chapel Hill. He also worked 1.1 innings on Sunday. Smith was the Saturday starter on the weekend rotation much of the season.
"It feels good to be a closer," Smith said Sunday. "I mean, I like it. I just like pitching in general. So any time I get in the game and again and finally finished."
It was designated hitter Brady Slavens who delivered the final blow to North Carolina on Sunday when he hit a walk-off single to score Peyton Stovall advancing the Hogs to the College World Series. Slavens also talked about the 2022 season.
"We've known all year how good we can be and the potential of the team," Slavens said. "You know, it's not going to click all year for us, and we knew that, but I think this team likes feeling like their back's up against the wall. I think that for some reason, that really gets us more confident and makes us hit more, and I guess we like playing with the pressure. So, it's just been a crazy year and we're clicking at the right time. I'm just so happy that we can go to Omaha."
If anything this proves how crazy baseball can be. Last year's Razorbacks were No. 1 all season and then failed to get to Omaha. This team written off by many following the SEC Tournament is headed to where last year's team couldn't get to. Tennessee knows how Arkansas felt last season. They have dominated college baseball this season and Notre Dame ended the Vols' season on Sunday in Knoxville with a 7-3 win.
No. 2 Stanford defeated UConn 8-2 on Sunday. UConn defeated Stanford 13-12 on Saturday. Stanford (46-16) and UConn (50-15) will play today at 3 p.m. CT on ESPN2 with the winner advancing to face Arkansas in the first round of the College World series.
Regardless of who they face, Van Horn is pleased to be heading back and admits this is special.
"This is special because of the way it went down last year honestly," Van Horn said. "It was tough last year at this time. This is awesome. It never gets old. Never. It's so hard."
Van Horn said Sunday he figured in fall ball this team had a chance to get to Omaha.
"Well, I know in fall practice that I thought we had a good team if we stayed healthy," Van Horn said. "We didn't have like a real deep position player team, and we weren't sure exactly the roles of the pitching. But we felt like we had enough arms to get it done. Who knew the league was going to be so tough? I mean, especially our division. I think there's already two or three other teams from our division that are going to the World Series, and we had to play those guys. It was just a tough year. We beat each other around, and it prepared us for the end of the season."
Arkansas (43-19) is pleased to be in Omaha and will be ready to give Stanford or UConn its best shot.