FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas right-hander Keaton McKinney is 3-0 with a 1.57 earned run average in his past four starts, which has put the freshman on the radar for postseason accolades.
McKinney's success has been a product of simplicity -- using a fastball and change-up almost exclusively -- consistency and maturation.
"You can tell him what this league and what this level's all about, but until you go out there and experience it for yourself, it's going to take a little bit of time to get adjusted and get some confidence," Arkansas pitching coach Dave Jorn said. "But he's got some savvy. He's got some baseball instincts, and he's made pitches.
"He feels good about what he's doing right now. He's on a confidence high."
McKinney's top performance was his last, a two-hit shutout at Alabama in a 4-0 victory last Saturday. Among his past four starts he also posted Sunday victories at then-No. 1 Texas A&M and against Kentucky, and he didn't figure into the decision after allowing no earned runs in 5 1/3 innings of a 2-1 loss to Mississippi State.
"Keaton McKinney is a freshman, but he has stepped his game up," junior right-hander Trey Killian said. "He's matured as the year has gone on. He's really performing right now, and hopefully he can keep it going in the postseason."
McKinney, who is 4-1 with a 3.06 ERA overall, has the top ERA among Arkansas' starters and his 64 2/3 innings pitched trail Dominic Taccolini by only one out for the team high.
Benintendi on list
Outfielder Andrew Benintendi was one of 30 players named Thursday to the watch list for the Golden Spikes Award, which recognizes the top amateur baseball player in the country.
Benintendi, a 20-year-old sophomore, recently became the first Arkansas player to hit 15 home runs and steal 20 bases in a season. The native of Cincinnati leads the SEC with 15 home runs, a .386 batting average and a .729 slugging percentage, and ranks fifth with 46 RBI. He has reached base safely in 20 consecutive games and in 23 of his past 33 plate appearances.
Benintendi is one of a national-best seven SEC players in the running for the Golden Spikes Award.
Vols update
Tennessee (19-24, 7-17 SEC) has posted two SEC series victories -- at Ole Miss and against South Carolina -- and has been swept by Georgia, Kentucky and Texas A&M.
The Volunteers also lost series by 2-1 margins at Florida, at Vanderbilt and against Missouri.
Tennessee is 11th in SEC hitting (.265), ninth in pitching (4.11 ERA) and 14th in fielding (.965) going into tonight's series opener against Arkansas at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville. The Vols are last in the SEC in runs with 198, the only league team with fewer than 242 runs scored.
"They can run. They like to play the small ball game a little bit, like to bunt, sac bunt, hit and run," Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said. "They try to advance runners and chip away at you. But they've also got a couple guys in the lineup that can really hurt you, like Christin Stewart, who I had the opportunity to coach this past summer [on Team USA]. He led our team in hitting. Tremendous hitter.
"They're a team that, I keep saying it, they're like we were a few weeks ago. They're a team that's kind of backed into a corner."
Tennessee's top two starters are senior right-hander Bret Marks (4-5, 3.09 ERA) and junior left-hander Drake Owenby (2-6, 4.63). Sophomore right-hander Hunter Martin (1-2, 4.76) and junior left-hander Andy Cox (1-3, 3.60) have started once each in the past two SEC series.
Hosting?
Some national analysts have floated the idea that Arkansas, which has won six consecutive SEC series, could finish strong and host an NCAA Regional, which seemed like a long shot after the Razorbacks were 11-12 overall and 1-5 in the SEC on March 24.
"If we take care of business, we feel like we can [host]," third baseman Bobby Wernes said.
Coach Dave Van Horn said he and his staff haven't discussed the possibility of hosting a regional with the players.
"We need to win Friday and move on from there," Van Horn said. "There's no reason for us to do that at this time. We've come a long way. There's no reason to throw that on top of them."
Lowery comes on
Jackson Lowery, a fifth-year senior from Pulaski Academy in Little Rock, has become a key part of Arkansas' bullpen.
In 5 SEC relief appearances, Lowery is 4-1 with a 2.03 earned run average over 13 1/3 innings.
"He's done a tremendous job down the stretch," Coach Dave Van Horn said. "We asked him in the fall, 'This is your senior year, this is your time to shine, a time to make a big step forward,' and he's done it."
Lowery began his college career as a shortstop at the University of Central Arkansas, where he took up pitching for the first time. He transferred to Meridian (Miss.) Community College and came to Arkansas as a junior and redshirted his first season.
"It's been awesome," Lowery said. "I wouldn't have it any other way. I love the story I've gotten out it, being at different places at all different levels."
Lowery will graduate Saturday with a business degree.
Egads, Eagan
Leadoff batter Clark Eagan raised his batting average 13 percentage points to .314 after going 6 for 13 in the sweep at Alabama.
Eagan was 5 for 8 in the final 2 games and scored 3 runs in the series.
Sports on 05/08/2015