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Several Arkansas players are spread out across the country - and world - playing baseball this summer. Here’s a comprehensive update on how they’re going…

Heston Kjerstad

Stats: 14 games, .395/.426/.651, 3 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 8 R, 3 BB/10 K

Last week: 5 games, .211/.250/.474, 1 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB/7 K

Notable: Went just 4 for 19 against Japan, but showed off his wheels with a leadoff triple in the seventh inning of Game 1 (next three batters struck out, so he was stranded) and a stand-up, inside-the-park home run in the fourth inning of Game 3 (broke a scoreless tie in a game Team USA eventually won 2-0)… Also had the game-tying RBI single in the eighth inning of Game 2… Played both corner outfield spots and was the designated hitter in series against Japan… Finished the summer with the highest batting average for Team USA since 2013 (.396 by Taylor Sparks) and highest slugging percentage since 2010 (.694 by Peter O’Brien)… Second time in three years that an Arkansas player has lead Team USA in batting average, as Grant Koch did it in 2017

Casey Opitz

Stats: 6 games, .056/.292/.056, 1 RBI, 2 R, 6 BB/1 K

Last week: 2 games, .143/.143/.143, 0 BB/1 K

Notable: Collected his first and only hit in the third inning of Game 4 against Japan, notching a two-out single with a full count… Japan attempted three steals against him in Game 2, but was successful just once and then didn’t try to steal in Game 4… Threw out five of eight would-be base stealers over the summer and didn’t commit a single error (for a comparison, North Carolina State’s Patrick Bailey threw out just one of six and committed an error in the same amount of chances)

(The most prestigious collegiate wood bat summer league with all of its teams in Massachusetts.)

Matt Goodheart - Orleans Firebirds