Kopps' struggles continue, role likely to change

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Kevin Kopps has been the first pitcher out of Arkansas’ bullpen this season, but that will be changing soon.

A team captain and fifth-year junior, the right-hander saw his ERA balloon to 6.75 with another bad outing in the Razorbacks’ 13-6 loss to South Alabama on Friday.

In just 2/3 of an inning, Kopps was charged with three earned runs on two hits and two walks. He also allowed both runners he inherited to score by giving up a three-run home run to the first batter he faced - a hot Ethan Wilson who already had one homer on the day.

While he was on the mound, the Jaguars extended their lead from 5-3 to 10-3. It was just the latest example of his season-long slump and he’s begun to lose the trust of head coach Dave Van Horn, who said he’s not sure what it will take to get him turned around.

“He’s going to have to wait a while to get back on the mound,” Van Horn said. “He’s going to have to go into a different role. His role may be we start him in the midweek game.”

Those are concerning comments about a pitcher the Razorbacks considered making their third weekend starter at the beginning of the season and were counting on to be a key arm out of the bullpen.

Last season, his first since returning from Tommy John surgery, Kopps was used more than any other Arkansas pitcher. He made 30 appearances and posted a 3.89 ERA over 41 2/3 innings.

With sophomores Jacob Burton, Elijah Trest and Caden Monke off to much better starts than last year and even freshmen Zack Morris and Peyton Pallette showing glimpses of their potential, Van Horn has some other options to go to while Kopps gets things figured out.

“I don’t have a lot of confidence right now to put him out there if we’re struggling early in a game or maybe in the eighth inning, it’s tight and we need an out,” Van Horn said. “We’ve got other guys we’re going to have to go to until he can get it together and show us in games he can get people out right now.”

Kopps wasn’t the only pitcher who struggled in the blowout loss, though.

With usual Friday starter Connor Noland out with an injury, Patrick Wicklander got the nod to open the series. However, his time on the mound didn’t last long.

The sophomore left-hander gave up seven earned runs on four hits and a career-high five walks in just 3 2/3 innings.

“In, whew, 3 2/3 (innings) he walked five and gave up four hits and obviously a couple of them left the yard,” Van Horn said. “They did damage. Whenever he walked people, they got him.”

It was the second straight short start for Wicklander, a Freshman All-SEC selection last season. He failed to record an out in the second inning against Texas last week, giving up four earned runs on five hits and a walk.

After giving up five runs in the first two innings, he actually worked a perfect third inning on only eight pitches and got a double play to erase a leadoff single in the fourth, but then he walked back-to-back hitters.

That led to Van Horn relieving the left-hander with Kopps, a right-hander, to face Wilson before his aforementioned second home run of the game.

“If you know the matchups, (Wilson) was hitting .444 going into the game against lefties and he was hitting .206 against right-handers, which is backwards kind of,” Van Horn said. “A 2-0 count and Kevin throws one right there and the balls hit over the scoreboard. Just when we were kind of getting back off the canvas we just got blasted again.”

The Razorbacks are in the midst of a five-game losing streak, their longest since ending the 2016 season with 13 straight losses, so fans are understandably upset.

However, Van Horn said he has still seen some bright spots during the tough stretch. Because of the poor performances on the mound - both Friday and in other games - he has had a chance to see some younger pitchers get some work.

In the loss to South Alabama, Pallette gave up two unearned runs in 1 2/3 innings and then Mark Adamiak - another freshman - made his collegiate debut. He actually retired the first four batters he faced before giving up back-to-back hits that allowed a run.

Sophomore Evan Taylor, who struggled with a 6.43 ERA in seven innings last season, made his first appearance of the year and threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings.

“I guess, again, the positive thing is we’ve put some of these younger guys out there who have good arms,” Van Horn said. “Let’s see what they can do and they’ve done okay, so maybe we can get an out or two with those guys in a big situation down the road.”

Arkansas will try to end its five-game skid in Game 2 of the series, which is scheduled for 2 p.m. CT Saturday. It will be streamed on SEC Network-Plus, meaning it can be watched online on ESPN3.com or on the WatchESPN app.