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Kole Ramage started the series finale against South Alabama, but it’s uncertain how long he’ll remain in the weekend rotation after Sunday’s performance.
With the junior right-hander lasting only three innings, the Razorbacks had to lean on their bullpen in their 5-3 rubber-match victory over the Jaguars.
Even though it failed to do more damage with the bases loaded in the first inning and another runner in scoring position in the second, South Alabama still hit Ramage hard. It tagged him for three earned runs on six hits and two free passes - one walk and one hit by pitch.
“We just felt like we were living on the edge with him.” Van Horn said. “He did get out of the third inning with a nice strikeout on three pitches, but to us we just needed to change it up.
“We had some guys (ready) and we’d just rather be early than late, and that’s kind of what went on today.”
Luckily for the Razorbacks, they managed to get three scoreless innings apiece from sophomore Elijah Trest and junior Zebulon Vermillion to finish off the series.
Trest, a hard-throwing right-hander, was first out of the pen and gave up just one hit and notched four strikeouts.
It didn’t start out great, though, as he gave up a single to the 9-hole - Richard Sorrenti, who had been hitless in his first 10 at bats of the season - and then walked leadoff man Santi Montiel.
In a 3-3 tie game, Trest struck out preseason All-American outfielder Ethan Wilson, who hit two home runs over the scoreboard Friday and was 5 for 12 on the weekend before that at bat, and then retired the next two batters in order.
“Trest kind of worked himself into a jam his first inning - I think he had runners at first and second with nobody out - and he got out of it,” Van Horn said. “That was big for his confidence and the team’s confidence, and then he came back and gave us two quick innings after that.”
The final inning Trest pitched was similar, but this time he struck out Wilson and Reid Powers to strand runners on first and second. Three free passes - two walks and a hit by pitch - were the main blemishes on his outing.
Vermillion’s three scoreless innings were much smoother. The right-hander didn’t allow a hit and struck out six of the 10 batters he faced.
A throwing error by Casey Martin allowed the leadoff man to reach in Vermillion’s first inning, the seventh, and a sacrifice bunt moved him into scoring position, but that’s where he was stranded because the next two batters struck out.
Over the final two innings, Vermillion induced two groundouts and had four strikeouts - capped by a strikeout of Michael Sandle in the ninth.
“The only hitter that faced him twice was their last hitter, and that’s always concerning because it was their clean-up hitter,” Van Horn said. “I’m just glad he got him out.”
The performances by Trest and Vermillion in the finale of Arkansas’ last non-conference weekend series is a good sign moving forward.
Their success is even more important with experienced veterans Kevin Kopps and Ramage struggling over the first four weeks of the season. It’s likely the Razorbacks will need some other younger pitchers to step up, as well.
Freshman Will McEntire, who threw two perfect innings in his debut Saturday, will get a chance to showcase his arm in an expected start during the midweek series against Grand Canyon.
Tuesday’s game is set for 6:30 p.m. CT on the SEC Network-Plus, meaning it can be watched online on ESPN3.com or on the WatchESPN app.
