Pitching a concern for Razorbacks

Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn watches from the dugout during a game against Gonzaga on Tuesday, March 10, 2015, at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville.

— For many years, the one constant for Arkansas' baseball team has been pitching.

The Razorbacks' staff is just two years removed from the NCAA's best season on the mound in nearly four decades. Arkansas has routinely had pitchers drafted in the first and second rounds of the MLB Draft and has had a sub-3.00 team earned run average each of the last three seasons.

But entering Friday's conference opener at defending national champion Vanderbilt, pitching has become a concern for the Razorbacks. Arkansas has allowed a combined 37 runs over its last four games against Loyola Marymount and Gonzaga.

The bullpen was particularly troublesome Wednesday when Gonzaga scored 12 runs over the final three innings of a 15-5 win. In that game, the Razorbacks walked 13 batters and hit four more with pitches.

"It was one of the ugliest games I've ever been a part of," Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said.

Likely Weekend Rotation

Friday - RHP Keaton McKinney, 1-1, 3.45 ERA

Saturday - RHP Dominic Taccolini, 3-1, 3.13 ERA

Sunday - RHP Trey Killian, 0-0, 2.45 ERA

Many of the pitchers used Wednesday were newcomers Van Horn said Sunday weren't ready to pitch in the SEC.

That's not to say they won't be. The Razorbacks' issues this season are due in part to inexperience. Five of the team's 13 pitchers are freshmen or newcomers to the program, and Josh Alberius was converted after playing in the infield last season.

The Razorbacks have only one left-hander - freshman Kyle Pate, who has a team-worst 18.90 ERA in 3 1/3 innings.

Entering this season, Arkansas' staff had a combined 25 carer starts, 19 of which were by returning ace Trey Killian. A down year was expected after the Razorbacks lost a combined 10 pitchers to the MLB Draft the last two summers.

But more than inexperience, the inability to throw strikes has ailed Arkansas. The Razorbacks rank 247th nationally with 5.21 walks per nine innings and 260th with 21 hit batters this season.

"It's disappointing when you have new players on your team and you're trying to give them an opportunity, and they just don't perform to what we've seen them do," Van Horn said. "We're really having trouble throwing the ball over the plate and teams are just taking pitches. When you get past our first five or six pitchers, the bottom falls out."

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Reliever Jacob Stone of Arkansas walks off the field against Gonzaga after recording the final out of the eighth inning Tuesday, March 10, 2015, at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville.

Van Horn said he has been concerned with pitching since fall practices last year when young pitchers were inconsistent and nervous. Those are the same ones Arkansas will have to rely on in midweek games, like the two against Gonzaga this week.

"It's not like we got pounded offensively," Van Horn said. "We got beat because of all the free passes. You can't beat anybody walking nine, 10 a game. That's a joke.

"I've never been a part of anything like it. I don't think (longtime pitching coach Dave) Jorn has either."

Van Horn said his bullpen needs more work on mechanics to build its confidence, but with 13 games in the next 16 days, Arkansas has little time to practice. That means any improvement will have to be made under the lights of an actual game.

"I think we can figure it out, but realistically it's up to the players," Van Horn said. "The players have to throw strikes. If you don't throw strikes, we can't put you in the game.

"Like I told some of those pitchers, there's nowhere to go but up."