By Otis Kirk

FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas' Kuhio Aloy was named the SEC Player of the Week after helping Arkansas win four of its five games last week.

The Razorback designated hitter slashed a team-leading .600/.625/1.267 with nine hits, including three home runs, and seven RBI on the week. Aloy swatted home runs in all three games against the Rebels, highlighted by his 469-foot solo shot in Sunday’s series-clinching win. He finished the weekend with a team-leading seven hits, including a double and his three homers, as well as with a team-high six RBI to power Arkansas to its sixth consecutive series win against Ole Miss.

Dave Van Horn said Monday at the Swatters Club that he feels Aloy is past his earlier struggles and getting his power back.

"What you saw when he finally started making more contact, he was just grounding to third or hitting it hard by them or bouncing it over their head a couple of times, but still pulling off," Van Horn said. "They’ve been working on it. When I say they, Coach (Nate) Thompson, Coach (Bobby) Wernes, Kuhio, players. Just really, if you come watch pregame BP, you’ll see that he’s hitting everything the other way. He’s not really trying to pull the ball at all until maybe just one or two towards the end, but it’s mostly through the middle, right-center. So, when he does pull the ball in the game like I mentioned, it stays fair. Like that ball yesterday, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a ball hit harder than that. It stayed as straight as it did, usually it’ll hook or slice. That thing was something else, but I think now that he’s getting his confidence going, he’s laid off some borderline pitches early. Not swinging as much at that high fastball. Just seems a lot more under control."

Arkansas' rotation beyond Hunter Dietz has been a revolving door this season. Sunday saw Gabe Gaeckle return to the rotation. Does that mean he will be back starting against Oklahoma this weekend?

"It could," Van Horn said. "But honestly, if you asked me right now on Monday what we’re going to do this weekend, I would tell you Dietz and then two TBAs. Because to us, we just have to go win a game. Let’s just win one and then we’ll move on to the next one. Maybe we can out-hit you that game. I just… I’m good with (Cole) Gibler pitching and starting, but if we need to use him before Game 2 or 3, we’re going to use him. Same with Gaeckle."

First baseman Reese Robinett missed this weekend's series with an injury. Van Horn provided an update on Robinett Monday.

"I’d say iffy for the weekend at best," Van Horn said. "You know, no way he was going to play this past weekend, but maybe he can just come in and play defense? I don’t know. We’re giving him today off, tomorrow off, we’ve been lifting some weight and doing some things. We’ll workout on Wednesday later in the afternoon, evening. We’ll probably know more then."

Recently it looked like Carson Wiggins might be nearing a chance to get on the mound this season. Now, that outlook isn't as certain.

"Oh yeah, we’re hoping," Van Horn said. "It’s, they’re going to have to pay him a lot of money. I’m sure he’ll go to the combine. He wasn’t happy. He’s not happy about it, believe me. He wants to pitch. So that’s probably about all I should say on it."

Who is they?

"Who do you think?," Van Horn said. "His doctor."

Could the situation change this season?

"Down there?," Van Horn said. "The mind of the doctor in Dallas? … I doubt it."

Van Horn also announced that DJ Baxendale will be the General Manager for Arkansas.

"We’ve been working on that," Van Horn said. "We were kind of told a while back, a year ago, that we would have somebody down in our office in a couple of years when they get Remy (Cofield) settled in he’s going to need some help doing some different things. We need somebody to handle a lot of things. Talking with the guys that are on our team already, to talk to them toward the end of the season. To talk to their advisors, and maybe even the kids that are coming in. The high school kids, the transfers, we have to talk to them. You just have to get some things straightened out and it’s the way it should be. It looks like it’s coming now."

Van Horn was asked if this takes a lot off of his plate?

"It takes a lot off it, honestly," Van Horn said. "Just the phone calls and all the things that are involved there. It’s so needed, now. Five years ago? No. Now, it’s different."

Arkansas (32-17, 13-11) will host Oklahoma for a three-game series this weekend. Friday's game starts at 6 p.m. then 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.