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Published Mar 4, 2022
Series Preview: Hogs continue homestand vs. SELA
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Andrew Hutchinson  •  HawgBeat
Managing Editor
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@NWAHutch
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Arkansas continues its 13-game homestand with a weekend series against Southeastern Louisiana. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the games…

Schedule (TV/streaming)

Friday, March 4 - 3 p.m. CT (SECN+)

Saturday, March 5 - noon CT (SECN+)

Saturday, March 5 - 45 minutes after first game (SECN+)

UPDATE: Arkansas will play a doubleheader Saturday because of expected bad weather Sunday.

All three games this weekend will be streamed on SEC Network-Plus, meaning they can be watched online on ESPN3.com or the ESPN app using a cable provider's log-in credentials.

College students, get a year of HawgBeat coverage for just $11.95! Request details via email from your school account (.edu) to andrewhutchinson413 (at) gmail (dot) com.

Weather Report

Weather Report
Forecast via The Weather Channel
DayWeather

FRI

Cloudy / 71 degrees / 0% chance of precipitation / winds S 14 mph

SAT

Scattered thunderstorms/wind / high of 69 degrees / 55% chance of precipitation / winds SSW 20 mph

SUN

Thunderstorms / high of 66 degrees / 88% chance of precipitation / winds SSE 11 mph

Weekend Rotation

Starting Rotations
Arkansas (2022 stats)SELA (2022 stats)

Sr. RHP Connor Noland (2 G/2 GS, 2.45 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 15 K/4 BB, 11 IP)

So. RHP Will Kinzeler (2 G/2 GS, 2.45 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 9 K/6 BB, 11 IP)

Fr. LHP Hagen Smith (2 G/2 GS, 3.24 ERA, 1.68 WHIP, 8 K/3 BB, 8.1 IP)

R-Jr. RHP Hayden Robb (2 G/2 GS, 4.50 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 9 K/5 BB, 10 IP)

So. RHP Jaxon Wiggins (2 G/2 GS, 3.27 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 9 K/4 BB, 11 IP)

Sr. RHP Hunter O'Toole (2 G/2 GS, 7.20 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, 16 K/3 BB, 10 IP)

For the third weekend in a row, Arkansas is using the same starting rotation. Noland and Wiggins each went 6 innings at the Round Rock Classic, while Smith failed to get through the third inning.

Even with the talented freshman struggling in his second career outing, the trio of starters have a combined 2.97 ERA and 1.32 WHIP in 30 1/3 innings so far this year.

Their counterparts at Southeastern Louisiana have also started each of the first two weekends of the season, albeit with much more varying levels of success.

The Lions' three starters have combined for a 4.65 ERA and 1.45 WHIP in 31 innings.

However, it's worth mentioning that Southeastern Louisiana has been without arguably its best pitcher because of offseason Tommy John surgery. Brennan Stuprich was a Freshman All-American and the Southland Conference last season, when he went 6-3 with a 2.31 ERA and 1.08 WHIP.

Projected Starting Lineups

Projected Starting Lineups
POSSELA (B/T): 2022 stats

C

Jr. Bryce Grizzaffi (R/R): .296/.387/.370, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 3-4 SB

1B

S-Sr. Preston Faulkner (R/R): .290/.463/.387, 3 2B, 5 RBI, 2-2 SB

2B

So. Rhett Rosevear (L/R): .321/.513/.571, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 4-6 SB

3B

Jr. Shea Thomas (R/R): .167/.429/.167, 1 RBI, 10 BB, 2-4 SB

SS

Gr. Evan Keller (R/R): .294/.429/.294, 5 RBI, 7-8 SB

LF

Jr. Jake Johnson (L/L): .056/.190/.111, 1 2B, 1-1 SB

CF

Sr. Tyler Finke (R/R): .167/.342/.333, 3 2B, 1 3B, 4 RBI, 3-3 SB

RF

Jr. Christian Garcia (R/R): .138/.286/.345, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2-3 SB

DH

R-Jr. Champ Artigues (L/R): .167/.375/.167, 1 RBI, 3 BB

Know the Foe

2021 record: 32-24 (22-17 Southland)
2022 record: 4-5
Head coach: Matt Riser (9th season, 269-173)
Conference projection: 1st out of 8 teams in the Southland

~Southeastern Louisiana has finished first or second in the Southland Conference five times under Riser. One of the other three years was the pandemic-shortened season and in another, SELA won the conference tournament. In the other year, it finished third.

~The Lions reached the NCAA Tournament in 2014, 2016 and 2017.

~Four of Southeastern's position players were named preseason first-team All-Southland: first baseman Preston Faulkner, shortstop Evan Keller, catcher Bryce Grizzaffi and center fielder Tyler Finke.

Quotable

"As far as Southeastern, they’re a team, they play a little bit like Louisiana-Lafayette. They like to run, hit-and-run, create a little havoc. ... That’s their style a little bit. They’ve been at the top of the Southland conference most every year the last few years. They do a really good job down there." -- Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn, on Southeastern Louisiana

Stat Comparison

Stat Comparison
StatArkansasSELA

AVG

.242

.206

OBP

.357

.370

SLG

.419

.303

R/game

5.3

3.8

HR

7

3

ERA

2.57

5.86

WHIP

1.30

1.60

K/9IP

9.86

9.30

BB/9IP

3.86

4.65

K/BB

2.56

2.00

FLD%

.982

.974

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