FAYETTEVILLE — James Mahler’s first outing at Arkansas was forgettable to everyone but him. “That’s the thing about being a pitcher,” said Mahler, a 6-7 freshman right-hander. “You pitch bad one day and then you’ve got to sit there and worry about it for three or four days until your next outing.”

1 Mahler lasted just 1 / 3 innings Friday in Arkansas’ season opener, allowing 4 runs on 5 hits with 1 walk and no strikeouts. Wednesday he turned in an outing he can savor for a few 1 days, working 3 / 3 scoreless innings and allowing 1 hit and 2 walks while striking out 6 in the Razorbacks’ 2-1 victory over Kansas.

“Now he can go to bed tonight and relax and start thinking about how good he is instead of how he’s got to make a move to get back in the rotation,” Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said. “He did a good job. He came out and spotted his fastball and threw that good downer and had them swinging and missing at it.

“ I’m happy for him because he’s going to be valuable to us this season and down the road.”

Mahler used his knucklecurve effectively Wednesday after struggling with it during Friday’s frigid opener.

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“It makes a big difference when you have your off-speed stuff,” Mahler said. “I didn’t really feel like I had anything except a fastball my last outing. The conditions were a little tough, so it was hard to feel pitches. That’s not an excuse, but it’s hard to pitch without any off-speed stuff.

“[The knuckle-curve ] is a real good pitch with two strikes to get guys to fish after.”

Mahler’s effort Wednesday set the tone for an Arkansas staff that used six pitchers against Kansas. Stephen Richards, Mike Bolsinger, Cliff Springston and Travis Hill all were effective, while only Justin Wells struggled.

“I think we have one of the best bullpens around,” said Bolsinger, who added f ive strikeouts on a day when Arkansas finished with a seasonhigh 16. “Like we’ve said before, starting pitching only has to go four innings and the bullpen can come in and finish off the rest of the game.” Bolsinger also picked up the victory, giving Arkansas’ relievers all four of the team’s victories. Through those four games, the Razorbacks’ bullpen has a combined ERA of 0. 72 and is holding opponents to a batting average of just. 125. Hill picked up his second

2 save, working 1 / 3 innings and recording the final out on a strikeout with a runner in scoring position.

“At this time of year, it goes to those who are not intimidated or scared to close a game when a game is on the line,” Van Horn said. “Travis is that way right now, and we have other guys that can get it done, too. If he’s not ready to go on Friday, we’ll close it with someone else.

“ I have confidence with a lot of those guys.”