Diamond Hogs searching, but likely won't add replacement game
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FAYETTEVILLE — In the span of about 25 hours, Arkansas had two of its remaining three midweek games canceled.
After being forced to cancel Tuesday’s matchup with Grambling State because of freezing temperatures, the Razorbacks announced Wednesday morning that they also won’t host Missouri State next Tuesday. That game was canceled because of positive COVID-19 tests within the Bears’ program.
Head coach Dave Van Horn told reporters he was not very optimistic that Arkansas would be able to find a replacement opponent for next week - between road trips to South Carolina and LSU.
“We are looking for some teams, but a lot of teams, they don’t want to travel this time of year,” Van Horn said. “They’ve already done their traveling, so I would say as of now, we’re probably not going to play anybody next week before we head to LSU.”
Instead, the Razorbacks will use that time to rest up and practice ahead of their annual showdown with the Tigers.
Losing the two games likely cost Arkansas an opportunity to give its younger players some at bats or innings on the mound, but the benefits of not playing might outweigh those potential gains.
“You never really know this time of year how it affects you,” Van Horn said. “I know one thing - that we’ll be a lot more rested. Our arms should be fresher on the weekends, playing two really offensive teams the next two weekends on the road.”
It will actually be a four-week game between midweek games for the Razorbacks, as they aren’t schedule to play anyone the week of the Georgia series either because of final exams. Van Horn said he always gives his players off Monday, Tuesday and most of Wednesday to focus on school before getting in a few light practices leading up to the SEC series.
The only midweek game left on the schedule is the historic matchup with Arkansas State on May 11. It will be the first time the two in-state programs have ever met on the baseball diamond.
With the two midweek cancellations, Arkansas will now play only 52 games this season, assuming no more are canceled, as it had only 54 on the original schedule. That is now four below the 56-game limit allowed by the NCAA, which Arkansas usually attempts to reach.
Although he said earlier in the season that he’d be open to adding a game or two, Van Horn sounded content with the schedule as it stands Wednesday afternoon because the Razorbacks are 30-6, the unanimous No. 1 team in college baseball and No. 2 in the RPI - behind only a Fairfield team that is 20-0 against an all-MAAC schedule.
“I think it would be an issue if we had a different record, maybe, overall or we hadn’t done very well outside of conference, where we needed to get some wins,” Van Horn said. “You want to win those games, but it’s not like we have to build a resume too much. We just need to do well in league.”