From @RStew32
arkansas.rivals.com
STARKVILLE, Miss. — Tattered and bruised, the Arkansas Razorbacks rolled into Dudy Noble Field and left with three wins for their first road sweep since their last visit there in March 2021.
It was an all-around mismatch in every facet of the game. They were able to get through the whole series using just eight arms, holding Mississippi State to 12 total runs when it entered the weekend averaging nearly eight per game over its past five league contests. They lit Bulldog pitching up for 31 runs without three key bats, and they capitalized on mistakes while limiting their own.
“The team’s kind of unreal to be honest with you,” Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn said. “They just believe they can win and they just show up…They show up every day to play and they think they can win. If you don’t think you can win, you’re not going to win as many as you should. They did it this weekend.”
With three more wins in the books and a first-place standing at the end of eight weeks, here are five key takeaways from the weekend's action at Dudy Noble Field:
Fans have had plenty to gripe about when it comes to the production of the shortstop and catcher positions throughout the season.
John Bolton and Parker Rowland have played their positions admirably, but neither has excelled at the plate, and the subtractions of Jared Wegner and Tavian Josenberger appeared to only complicate things further.
Throw in Peyton Stovall and his shoulder tendonitis, and the result is Mason Neville, who entered the weekend without an SEC hit, batting sixth and Peyton Holt seventh.
“We've got to have some guys pick it up,” Van Horn said Thursday, and pick it up those four did.
Aside from a pair of two-run homers Friday, the Razorbacks did not have much going in the way of offense, but six through nine came through in the ninth to put what was a 4-2 game out of reach for the Bulldogs.
Neville sacrificed a runner to third, allowing him to score on a wild pitch, and walks to Rowland and Bolton set Kendall Diggs up for the first of his 10 RBIs on the weekend.
The same four hitters went 4-11 in Saturday’s run-rule victory, drawing five free passes and scoring six times. Neville came within feet of his first collegiate home run, instead settling for a double and, before too long, his second run of the night.
Sunday was not as productive when it came to hitting, but two hit batsmen, two walks and an error accounted for five of the Hogs’ 11 runs.
“Everybody chipped in up and down the lineup,” Van Horn said. “It was a really good effort up and down the lineup, all nine guys.”
Neville, Holt. Rowland and Bolton accounted for eight of the runs Diggs drove in, which brings me to my next point:
The Razorback right fielder had a monster weekend out of the leadoff spot, something that had been eluding him ever since he assumed the duties.
In the first five games after April 22, when Josenberger suffered a hamstring strain, Diggs went just 2-19, and he beat out two throws from Texas A&M infielders to earn both hits.
His first trip to Starkville went much smoother, going 6-11 with his ninth and 10th home runs of the campaign.
A two-run jack Saturday made it possible to wrap things up after seven innings, and his grand slam Sunday produced the eventual winning run.
Before either of those left the yard, Diggs scorched two more balls that made it to the warning track, one of which went uncaught and scored three runs instead of one on a sacrifice fly.
“I don’t think it really correlates to where I’m hitting in the order,” Diggs said Saturday, “but yeah, it’s been good to get it going these last couple games.”
If not for Ole Miss catcher Calvin Harris and his four-homer game against Missouri on Saturday, Diggs would have a strong case for SEC Player of the Week, as would Brady Slavens.
The senior first baseman went deep in every game, tying him with Caleb Cali at eight on the year, and he tacked on a double Sunday for his fourth knock of the weekend to go with 5 RBIs and four runs.
In doing all of that, Slavens raised his average against league opponents 16 points.
“Putting him in the four hole, I was just trying to show him a little bit of confidence, especially with a couple of guys out,” Van Horn said. “I don’t know if he’ll stick there when we get our two other outfielders back, but he had some really good at-bats and some big swings and helped us get the lead. Just really happy for him that he had such a good weekend.”
CONTINUE READING HERE
HawgBeat - Five takeaways from Arkansas’ series win at Mississippi State
HawgBeat provides key takeaways from the Diamond Hogs' road series win against Mississippi State.
arkansas.rivals.com
STARKVILLE, Miss. — Tattered and bruised, the Arkansas Razorbacks rolled into Dudy Noble Field and left with three wins for their first road sweep since their last visit there in March 2021.
It was an all-around mismatch in every facet of the game. They were able to get through the whole series using just eight arms, holding Mississippi State to 12 total runs when it entered the weekend averaging nearly eight per game over its past five league contests. They lit Bulldog pitching up for 31 runs without three key bats, and they capitalized on mistakes while limiting their own.
“The team’s kind of unreal to be honest with you,” Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn said. “They just believe they can win and they just show up…They show up every day to play and they think they can win. If you don’t think you can win, you’re not going to win as many as you should. They did it this weekend.”
With three more wins in the books and a first-place standing at the end of eight weeks, here are five key takeaways from the weekend's action at Dudy Noble Field:
Bottom of the order does the job
Fans have had plenty to gripe about when it comes to the production of the shortstop and catcher positions throughout the season.
John Bolton and Parker Rowland have played their positions admirably, but neither has excelled at the plate, and the subtractions of Jared Wegner and Tavian Josenberger appeared to only complicate things further.
Throw in Peyton Stovall and his shoulder tendonitis, and the result is Mason Neville, who entered the weekend without an SEC hit, batting sixth and Peyton Holt seventh.
“We've got to have some guys pick it up,” Van Horn said Thursday, and pick it up those four did.
Aside from a pair of two-run homers Friday, the Razorbacks did not have much going in the way of offense, but six through nine came through in the ninth to put what was a 4-2 game out of reach for the Bulldogs.
Neville sacrificed a runner to third, allowing him to score on a wild pitch, and walks to Rowland and Bolton set Kendall Diggs up for the first of his 10 RBIs on the weekend.
The same four hitters went 4-11 in Saturday’s run-rule victory, drawing five free passes and scoring six times. Neville came within feet of his first collegiate home run, instead settling for a double and, before too long, his second run of the night.
Sunday was not as productive when it came to hitting, but two hit batsmen, two walks and an error accounted for five of the Hogs’ 11 runs.
“Everybody chipped in up and down the lineup,” Van Horn said. “It was a really good effort up and down the lineup, all nine guys.”
Neville, Holt. Rowland and Bolton accounted for eight of the runs Diggs drove in, which brings me to my next point:
Kendall Diggs, Brady Slavens bust slumps
The Razorback right fielder had a monster weekend out of the leadoff spot, something that had been eluding him ever since he assumed the duties.
In the first five games after April 22, when Josenberger suffered a hamstring strain, Diggs went just 2-19, and he beat out two throws from Texas A&M infielders to earn both hits.
His first trip to Starkville went much smoother, going 6-11 with his ninth and 10th home runs of the campaign.
A two-run jack Saturday made it possible to wrap things up after seven innings, and his grand slam Sunday produced the eventual winning run.
Before either of those left the yard, Diggs scorched two more balls that made it to the warning track, one of which went uncaught and scored three runs instead of one on a sacrifice fly.
“I don’t think it really correlates to where I’m hitting in the order,” Diggs said Saturday, “but yeah, it’s been good to get it going these last couple games.”
If not for Ole Miss catcher Calvin Harris and his four-homer game against Missouri on Saturday, Diggs would have a strong case for SEC Player of the Week, as would Brady Slavens.
The senior first baseman went deep in every game, tying him with Caleb Cali at eight on the year, and he tacked on a double Sunday for his fourth knock of the weekend to go with 5 RBIs and four runs.
In doing all of that, Slavens raised his average against league opponents 16 points.
“Putting him in the four hole, I was just trying to show him a little bit of confidence, especially with a couple of guys out,” Van Horn said. “I don’t know if he’ll stick there when we get our two other outfielders back, but he had some really good at-bats and some big swings and helped us get the lead. Just really happy for him that he had such a good weekend.”
CONTINUE READING HERE
