Dave Van Horn hopes Arkansas offense can explode late in season
Coming off a series loss at Kentucky, Dave Van Horn and the 5th-ranked Razorbacks are hoping that a few days off will be just what the doctor ordered for a struggling offense.
The series at the Wildcats featured Arkansas' first SEC game of the season with double-digit runs scored in the 11-3 win Friday, but Saturday was also the first time this year a conference opponent plated double-digit runs against the Hogs, as Kentucky won 11-3 before also taking the Sunday game, 7-4, and the series.
Arkansas played five games per week in three of the last four weeks, with the other being a four-game week. While the Diamond Hogs are still sporting a healthy 40-9 overall record with a 17-7 mark in league play, the pitching has been a big reason why.
The Razorbacks rank first in the SEC in team earned run average (3.36), opposing batting average (.207), strikeouts (580), hits allowed (318), runs allowed (171) and home runs allowed (35).
Meanwhile, the Arkansas offense ranks 10th in the league in team batting average .(271), 13th in slugging percentage (.444), 9th in on base percentage (.390), 9th in runs scored (333) and 11th in home runs (64). The Hogs' 6.8 runs per game also ranks 146th nationally.
The Diamond Hogs have left 209 batters on base compared to 184 by opponents in conference play, so there's clearly been an issue at the plate. But it's also important to consider the level of competition in the SEC, plus the 19-game gauntlet the Hogs have played over the last four weeks.
"It’s not like we’ve had a bunch of opportunities to get some guys right against some average pitching," Van Horn said at Monday's Swatter's Club luncheon. "Midweek pitching has been good, except maybe one game. Other than that, it’s been guys that are really good coming at us for the most part.
"I just want them to swing the bat better. I want them to stay in the zone more. And then when they get a good pitch, you’ve got to square it up. You foul off pitches in the zone, you don’t get too many pitches to hit in an at bat."
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Across 24 conference games so far, the Razorbacks are hitting with just a .240 batting average as a team with Peyton Stovall and Hudson White being the only two hitters with averages above .300. Arkansas needs more production out of guys like Wehiwa Aloy and Kendall Diggs, who are hitting .234 and .208 in conference play, respectively.
"It hasn’t been easy," Van Horn said. "A lot of close games. A lot of different situations. Played a lot of different lineups. I would love to play the same lineup from here on out. Now that we play on the weekends only for the most part, that could happen.
"But guys have to do their job and contribute. It’s not always about offense, it’s about making a play here or there just getting a bunt down or whatever. We’ve done that for the most part this year. That’s why we’ve won 40 games already. But I feel like we can be better."
Van Horn spoke Monday about a conversation with Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco during the series between their teams at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville during early April, and Van Horn said Bianco basically told him the Razorbacks can't hit.
"I might throw that at the hitters every now and then," Van Horn said jokingly. "I think our offense, I just hope they explode. Because we feel like it's better than it is. It should be better, and we're hoping that it will be."
With no midweek matchups and finals in the classroom this week, Van Horn said he told his team to stay away from the team facilities Monday and Tuesday.
"We're in finals right now starting this week," Van Horn said. "I told them I wasn't going to let them in the building for two days. They can't come around. I won't see them. Unless you're a pitcher that has to stay on track and throw a bullpen because that's your schedule, I don't want them coming around.
"Just trying to get them a break from baseball and the stress. Go handle your academics and hopefully they'll do that. On Wednesday, we'll get back together and have a good workout. Thursday, the same and then be ready for Mississippi State this weekend."
The Razorbacks and No. 14 Bulldogs will open the series Friday at 6:30 p.m. CT at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville. Game 1 will be streamed live on SEC Network+.