Freshman filling in nicely for Hogs

Brian Anderson has played in 40 games this season for the Arkansas Razorbacks and has made 26 starts while contributing in right field, left field and at third base.

— Arkansas’ regular baseball lineup includes two senior middle infielders, a third baseman who was selected in the second round of the major league draft Tuesday and a switch hitting first baseman with a career .317 batting average.

Yet the Razorbacks are counting on a freshman who played little during the first half of the season to provide big hits and to drive in runs as their cleanup hitter in the postseason.

Brian Anderson will be in the middle of the order again this weekend when Arkansas (42-19) faces Baylor (48-15) in a best-of-3 NCAA super regional at Baylor Ballpark in Waco, Texas. The teams will play at 4 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday, with a deciding game scheduled for 3 p.m. Monday if needed.

Arkansas had played 14 games when Anderson made his first start at third base after Matt Reynolds was given a rest against Binghamton on March 11. Anderson didn’t make his first SEC start until the Razorbacks’ third series, against Georgia, and he was on the bench again April 27 when Arkansas opened a three-game series at Florida.

It all changed in the final two games of that series.

Anderson started in right field in both of those games, contributing two doubles as the Razorbacks pulled out a surprising series victory over the Gators, who went on to become the top seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Since then, Anderson has been either the No. 4 or No. 5 hitter in an Arkansas lineup that is led by Tim Carver (.307), Dominic Ficociello (.300) and Reynolds (.343), who was selected Tuesday by the New York Mets with the 71st overall pick in the major league amateur draft.

Anderson has played in 40 games and has made 26 starts while contributing in right field, left field and at third base.

“He is a good talent, obviously,” Razorbacks Coach Dave Van Horn said of Anderson, who is hitting .296with 2 home runs and 10 RBI this season. “He is very versatile and can play infield and outfield. He can also pitch. If you watch him take pregame infield, it’s pretty impressive to watch him throw.

“He is going to be a main cog in our lineup next year and the year after.”

Anderson, 6-3, 185 pounds, decided on Arkansas after being selected in the 20th round by the Minnesota Twins last June. Although Anderson arrived with glowing credentials after being named all-state following his senior year at Deer Park High School in Edmond, Okla., he was just another freshman struggling to make the transition to college baseball early this season. He had only two hits in 11 games before making his first SEC start April 17 against Georgia.

“There are very few of those freshmen that come in and are just on a mission like Zack Cox was,” Van Horn said, referring to the former Razorbacks infielder who was the 25th overall pick in the 2010 draft by the St. Louis Cardinals. “That guy wanted to play from Day 1. A lot of times it takes freshmen a little time to get serious. They are just happy to be here and be on the team.

“Sometimes, it takes these guys half a year or a year and a half. You never know.”

Anderson began to receive more playing time after he reached base five times in two games against Georgia. He became a regular in the lineup and finished with a flurry when he went 6 for 12 with 2 home runs and 4 RBI while starting 3 games at Tennessee to close out the regular season.

“He has been phenomenal,” Reynolds said of Anderson, who likely will replace Reynolds at third base next season if Reynolds turns pro as expected. “Asking a freshman to step in and hit in the No. 4 and 5 hole ... it was a piece we needed in the lineup, and he has done a great job.”

Although Anderson has made progress, he isn’t immune from freshman mistakes. He went 0 for 3 and made mistakes in the field and on the base paths when the Razorbacks lost 9-1 to Mississippi State in the opening game of the SEC Tournament in Hoover, Ala.

Anderson made a throwing at third base after Reynolds had to leave the game because of an injury, and he hit into a double play after failing to run fully past the bag at first base.

Still, Arkansas stuck with Anderson as a starter and he responded with two hits and played solid defensively when the Razorbacks lost 2-0 to Ole Miss in their next game.

“Brian has tools that are off the charts,” said Todd Butler, Arkansas’ hitting coach and recruiting coordinator. “He can play about anywhere but catcher, and he throws well enough that he could pitch for us next year if needed.

“Brian was a little intimidated early by the Southeastern Conference, but we believed in him, and he knows now he can be a player who is very successful in this league.”

Anderson glance SCHOOL Arkansas CLASS Freshman POSITION Infielder/outfielder BATS/THROWS Right/Right NOTEWORTHY Anderson is batting .296 with 2 home runs and 10 RBI. ... Has started 26 games and played in 40. ... Had his first multihit game against Stephen F. Austin on April 17, when he went 2 for 5 with 1 RBI. ... Hit his first two home runs of his career when Arkansas swept its series at Tennessee to end the regular season. ... Batted .509 his senior season at Deer Creek High School in Edmond, Okla. ... Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 20th round (628th overall) last June.

Sports, Pages 17 on 06/08/2012