OMAHA, Neb. — Arkansas will start right-hander Keaton McKinney in its elimination game against Miami on Monday at the College World Series.
McKinney threw only 38 pitches in a 1 1/3-inning start last Saturday against Missouri State. He has been bothered by a hip injury suffered prior to the SEC Tournament last month.
Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said last week the hip injury wasn’t an issue in McKinney’s start in the super regional, but McKinney was given a cortisone shot two days later to relieve discomfort in his right hip.
“I think he’s good. He’s so hard to read because he’s a quiet guy anyway,” Van Horn said. “You ask him and he says, ‘I’m fine, I’m fine.’ That kind of what we get. I’ve got three or four different guys talking to him for me so I can get some information.
“I think he’s doing well. If he goes out and throws the ball well early tomorrow – because our plan right now is to pitch him – we’ll leave him out there. But if it doesn’t go good or he doesn’t have command of the ball, we’ll go to the next guy pretty quick.”
Arkansas is hopeful it will get the McKinney of before the injury and not the one who has struggled during the postseason. Including the SEC Tournament, McKinney has only pitched 6 1/3 innings, allowing six runs on 10 hits and walking eight batters.
He pitched just one-plus inning against Florida at the SEC Tournament. He best outing of the postseason came in a regional win at Oklahoma State in which he pitched into the fifth inning.
McKinney was one of the SEC’s top freshmen during the regular season, recording a 2.83 ERA in 76 1/3 innings. He was the only SEC freshman to record a complete game, which he did twice against Kentucky and Alabama.
He became the first Arkansas pitcher in six years to record a shutout in the win at Alabama. The Razorbacks won seven of the final eight games McKinney started during the regular season.
“I still have confidence in my ability,” McKinney said. “I know I can do it. I just have to go out there with the stuff. I have to compete and help my team stay in the game.”
McKinney will be pitching close to home. He grew up in Ankeny, Iowa, about two hours east of Omaha. He estimated he has attended the College World Series 10 times before coming this season with the Razorbacks.
“Coming here every year, I always wanted to play here,” McKinney said. “I didn’t know what it actually would feel like to get out there and play, so I’m excited about tomorrow.
“You know, anything can happen here at the College World Series.”
Arkansas needs a strong outing from McKinney to take pressure of its beleaguered bullpen, which is down two front-line pitchers the rest of the season because of injuries. The Razorbacks used two pitchers, starter Trey Killian and reliever Zach Jackson, in a 5-3 loss to Virginia on Saturday.
The loss to the Cavaliers sent Arkansas into the loser’s bracket of the College World Series. The Razorbacks must win four consecutive games to advance to next week’s national championship series. A loss before then will end Arkansas’ season.
“Our backs have been against the wall after getting off to a slow start and having to play well the rest of the season,” McKinney said. “We’ve done it all year. It’s just another game.”