PREVIEW: No. 1 Hogs hosting in-state foe UAPB for midweek series

Not a subscriber? Subscribe for free for 30 days w/code HAWGS30
NEW USERS | RETURNING USERS

HawgBeat's coverage of the Diamond Hogs' Road to Omaha is brought to you by CJ's Butcher Boy Burgers, which has locations in Fayetteville and Russellville.

Tuesday, April 13

First pitch: 6:30 p.m. CT

Stream: SEC Network-Plus (link)

Listen: Razorback Sports Network (click here)

Wednesday, April 14

First pitch: 4 p.m. CT

Stream: SEC Network-Plus (link)

Listen: Razorback Sports Network (click here)

Tuesday

Arkansas: R-Jr. RHP Caleb Bolden (8 games/4 starts, 1-0, 5.19 ERA, 17 K/11 BB, 17 1/3 IP)

UAPB: Jr. RHP Joel Barker (7 games/4 starts, 0-5, 14.40 ERA, 10 K/8 BB, 20 IP)

Wednesday

Arkansas: TBA

UAPB: TBA

After not pitching over the weekend, Bolden will get the nod in the first game against UAPB. Although Game 2 is officially listed as a TBA, head coach Dave Van Horn said Sunday that senior right-hander Kole Ramage (1-1, 8.47 ERA) would likely start.

UAPB will give Barker, an Arkansas native, the start in Game 1. The right-hander is originally from Russellville, but began his collegiate career at Minnesota West C.C. He has allowed a team-high five home runs and opponents are slashing .410/.479/.724 against him. Much like the Razorbacks, the Golden Lions have not named a starter for Wednesday yet.

UAPB

Record: 2-19 (2-8 SWAC)

Head coach: Carlos James (11th season)

Series history: Razorbacks lead 1-0

Top Hitters

~Kacy Higgins: .324/.378/.441, 1 HR, 5 RBI

~Karsten Vasquez: .291/.435/.418, 7 2B, 0 HR, 7 RBI

~Nick Kreutzer: .286/.406/.625, 5 HR, 17 RBI

~UAPB is one of the worst teams in college baseball, as evidenced by its 2-19 record, minus-7.2 average run differential and No. 285 ranking - out of 292 teams - in the RPI.

~Five of the Golden Lions' losses have been against high-major opponents - two against Tennessee, one against TCU and two against Kansas State. They have lost those games by an average score of 15.8 to 2.2.

~Statistically, UAPB has one of the worst pitching staffs in the country. It ranks dead last in strikeout-to-walk ratio (0.66) in all of Division I, plus owns the third-worst ERA (11.27) and WHIP (2.48) and fifth-worst strikeouts per nine innings (6.19).

~On the flip side, Arkansas is 23-0 all-time against current members of the SWAC, winning those games by an average margin of 8.7 runs.

~This will be the second time Arkansas has ever faced UAPB in baseball. The first time was two years ago and the Razorbacks won 16-4 in seven innings.

~As an in-state school, UAPB's roster features 15 players from the Natural State - that is way more than Little Rock (6) and about the same as UCA (16). One of them is starting right fielder Braelin Hence, the older brother of former Arkansas signee Tink Hence - who was drafted by the Cardinals last summer and never made it to campus.

~After three straight weeks at No. 2, Arkansas has taken over the top spot in the Rivals Composite Poll once again thanks to winning a series at Ole Miss and Vanderbilt losing a series against Georgia.

College Students, get a year of HawgBeat coverage for just $11.95. Request details via email from your school account (.edu) to nchavanelle@yahoo.com.