PREVIEW: Top-5 showdown, battle for SEC on tap for Diamond Hogs

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Arkansas hits the road for a massive series in Knoxville, Tenn., in the penultimate weekend of the regular season. Here’s everything you need to know about the matchup with Tennessee…

Schedule (TV)

Friday, May 14 - 5:30 p.m. CT (SECN+)

Saturday, May 15 - 11 a.m. CT (SEC Network)

Sunday, May 16 - noon CT (SECN+)

The second game between Arkansas and Tennessee will be nationally televised on the SEC Network. It is sandwiched between a pair of games that will be streamed on SEC Network-Plus, meaning they can be watched online on ESPN3.com or the ESPN app with a cable provider’s log-in credentials.

Weather Report

Unlike the last several weekends, weather doesn't look like it'll be a factor in this series.

According to the Weather Channel, temperatures will be in the 60s - and possibly dropping into the upper-50s - with no wind for Game 1. It'll be even nicer Saturday afternoon, with temperatures rising into the 70s.

There is a slight chance - 19 percent - of some rain Sunday, but it would only be showers and not thunderstorms. Plus, there is a high of 75 degrees that day, even though it's expected to be cloudy and more of a breeze than the first two games.

Arkansas’ Starting Rotation (2021 stats)

Friday - Jr. LHP Patrick Wicklander (12 G/8 GS, 4-1, 1.69 ERA, 58 K/14 BB, 53 1/3 IP)

Saturday - So. RHP Peyton Pallette (13 G/10 GS, 1-2, 4.01 ERA, 65 K/19 BB, 51 2/3 IP)

Sunday - TBA

Much like he has the last few weeks, head coach Dave Van Horn is leaving the third game open as a “TBA” and won’t name a starting pitcher until after the first two games.

Freshman right-hander Jaxon Wiggins made his first career start Tuesday against Arkansas State, but was limited to only 31 pitches in two innings to keep him as an option for that spot.

However, senior left-hander Lael Lockhart, senior right-hander Zebulon Vermillion and junior right-hander Connor Noland each pitched well in their appearances out of the bullpen Tuesday and could also be options - if they aren’t used in Game 1 or 2.

“We’re going to do what we have to do to win Game 2,” Van Horn said. “If we need Wiggins to close a game or Lockhart, Noland, Vermillion, we’re just going to take it one game at a time. We’ve only got six games left against two really good teams and every win is precious and we’ll try and get them.”

In the Polls

For the fifth straight week, Arkansas is the unanimous No. 1 team in college baseball. As the top-ranked team in all six major polls, it is also No. 1 in the Rivals Composite Poll.

The various polls have Tennessee anywhere from No. 4 to No. 6, helping it check in at No. 5 in the Composite Poll.

Scouting the Opponent

Record: 38-11 (17-7 SEC)

RPI: No. 8

Head coach: Tony Vitello (4th season)

Series history: Razorbacks lead 36-27

Tennessee’s starting rotation (2021 stats)

Friday - Jr. RHP Chad Dallas (11 G/11 GS, 8-1, 3.86 ERA, 87 K/12 BB, 67 2/3 IP)

Saturday - Sr. LHP Will Heflin (13 G/11 GS, 2-2, 4.17 ERA, 51 K/9 BB, 54 IP)

Sunday - Fr. RHP Blade Tidwell (12 G/12 GS, 6-2, 3.71 ERA, 58 K/21 BB, 63 IP)

Tennessee’s top hitters (2021 stats)

~Liam Spence: .389/.530/.503, 2 HR, 26 RBI

~Jake Rucker: .342/.422/.549, 7 HR, 46 RBI

~Drew Gilbert: .283/.361/.435, 6 HR, 47 RBI

~Jordan Beck: .269/.340/.500, 9 HR, 45 RBI

~Evan Russell: .244/.363/.578, 12 HR, 35 RBI

Notes and Tidbits

~This weekend’s series is a battle between the SEC’s two division leaders and the teams tied atop the overall standings, as Arkansas and Tennessee are both 17-7 in conference play.

~Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello previously worked at Arkansas as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator from 2014-17. The Volunteers’ staff also includes Josh Elander as an assistant coach and the recruiting coordinator and Luke Bonfield as a graduate student manager. Elander spent one season - 2017 - at Arkansas as a volunteer assistant, while Bonfield played for the Razorbacks from 2015-18.

~It was announced earlier this week that Tennessee has opened up Lindsey Nelson Stadium to 100 percent capacity for this series. LSU made a similar decision just before welcoming Arkansas to town, plus South Carolina increased its capacity to 50 percent before hosting Arkansas. Mississippi State and Ole Miss had already opened up their stadiums by the time the Razorbacks visited.

~Although their ERAs don’t jump off the page, the Volunteers’ first two starting pitchers - Dallas and Heflin - have issued only 21 walks in a combined 121 2/3 innings, an average of just 1.55 per nine innings. As a team, Tennessee leads the SEC and ranks sixth nationally in allowing only 2.54 walks per nine innings. On the flip side, Arkansas’ offense draws 5.89 walks per game - which leads the SEC and ranks third nationally.

~About a month ago, before hosting Vanderbilt, Tennessee was tied for 35th nationally with 36 home runs through its first 34 games. The Volunteers have experienced a power surge since then, hitting 29 long balls in their last 14 games. They’re now 11th in the country with 65 home runs. (Arkansas ranks second, behind only Old Dominion.)

Quotable

Van Horn, on his scouting report of Tennessee:

“They have an older team. Very athletic. They like to steal bags. They’ll put some pressure on you if they can, but they’ve started hitting the ball out of the park the last few weeks and that’s been a big part of their offense, the home run. … Their pitchers throw a lot of strikes, they don’t put you on, they compete hard. They’ve been really good at home. They’ve been good everywhere, obviously, so they’re well-coached, they’re hard-nosed, they’re on a mission. It looks like a fun bunch to be around.”

Vitello, on the importance of this series in the SEC race:

“There’s another week to go in the SEC. If you’re in any major conference, it’s crazy what can happen down the stretch or how one weekend can kind of turn things upside-down a little bit. But in this weekend in particular, I don’t even want to say best-case scenario or worst-case scenario. … I think the best time to kind of look up and see where you’re at is on the bus to Hoover. … Until then, I think it’s best to kind of keep our nose down and keep on going.”

Vitello, on the excitement surrounding this series:

“The more people can talk about and build it up, the more exciting it makes it. There’s a lot of stuff that you can write about or talk about going into this series, but once somebody yells, ‘Play ball!’…all that - for the most part - goes to the wayside and you’ve got to line up against the opponent and find out who’s better on that particular occasion.”

Vitello, on Friday night starter Chad Dallas:

“Chad is a guy who pitches with a lot of energy. Kind of has Jalen Beeks-type toughness, where he doesn’t mind a little adversity when it comes. But he’s ultra-competitive and on Friday night, you want someone to lead you into that series battle with that attitude and the guys seem to follow him a little bit.”

Stat of the Week

What makes Arkansas’ 37-9 overall record even more impressive is that it’s come against one of the toughest schedules in the country. In fact, it is currently ranked fifth in that category, which a chance to go up with series against Tennessee and Florida looming.

Using their current rankings in the Rivals Composite Poll, the Razorbacks have swept No. 3 Mississippi State, won two of three games against No. 15 Ole Miss, No. 17 Louisiana Tech and No. 21 South Carolina, plus won single games against No. 4 Texas, No. 6 TCU and t-No. 7 Texas Tech.

Their overall record in those games is 12-3. That is a phenomenal record, but even more so when you consider that none of them have been at Baum-Walker Stadium. The trio of Big 12 games were played at a neutral site - Arlington, Texas - while each of the series were on the road.

HR Tracker

In its midweek matchup with Arkansas State, Arkansas did not break the scoreless tie until a fifth-inning grand slam by Cayden Wallace. It was his 10th long ball of the season - making him the Razorbacks’ fifth player to reach double digits - and the team’s 79th overall through 46 games.

That already ranks eighth on the UA’s single-season list and is still on track to break the record set in 2018, when Arkansas hit 98 on its way to a runner-up finish in the College World Series. The Razorbacks had only 72 home runs at this point that season and didn’t hit their 79th home run until the 55th game.