Killian will start Friday

Arkansas starter Trey Killian delivers a pitch during the first inning against South Carolina Friday, April 4, 2014, at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville.

— Arkansas' top pitcher will make his season debut this weekend.

Junior Trey Killian will start the Razorbacks' game against Loyola Marymount on Friday. The right-hander hasn't pitched this season while recovering from tendonitis in his throwing elbow.

Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said Killian's pitch count will be between 40 and 60 for his first outing of the season.

"We'll let him go until his pitch count is up and then go from there," Van Horn said. "I'm looking forward to getting him out on the mound and I know he's looking forward to getting out there. We've just got to get him healthy."

Killian has been limited since first noticing the injury last summer. He didn't begin throwing from the mound until after Arkansas began the season last month.

"I'm feeling great," Killian said. "I've been telling everybody I feel a lot better than I did in the fall when I was going through this process. I took a little time off and I'm coming back. I'm putting in time in the bullpen and getting healthy, and it feels good right now. I'm ready to roll."

With 19 of the team's 25 career starts entering the season, Killian is Arkansas' most experienced pitcher. He had a 2.30 earned run average last season while starting the majority of the Razorbacks' Friday games.

Long-term, Killian's return should bolster a bullpen that includes several first-year players at Arkansas. Once full strength, Killian should be able to reduce the bullpen's number of innings pitched by five to nine per weekend.

With the addition of Killian, Arkansas' weekend rotation will look different from the first three weeks. It won't include sophomore Zach Jackson, who has struggled with command, walking 11 batters in three starts this season.

Sophomore Dominic Taccolini and freshman Keaton McKinney will start Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Both will be throwing on five days of rest. Taccollini started Monday and McKinney started Tuesday after the Razorbacks' series against Eastern Illinois was delayed by weather.