FAYETTEVILLE — Potentially Kevin Kopps could win the Arkansas Razorbacks three games for the price of one.
Entering the fourth inning of Saturday afternoon’s SEC game on behalf of starter Josh Alberius and reliever Kacey Murphy with the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville at its Baum Stadium leading the Georgia Bulldogs, 7-3 but with Georgia rallying, redshirt freshman right-hander Kopps of Sugar Land, Texas threw one pitch to Georgia right fielder Tucker Bradley. Bradley grounded to shortstop Jax Biggers initiating an inning-ending doubleplay.
“That was the hitter of the game for us,” Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said. “They’re going to score a couple more with a lot of momentum. For him to get that doubleplay ball really threw the momentum back into our dugout. It was a huge pitch.”
Kopps didn’t stop there. He pitched the game’s remainder credited with the 11-3 victory throwing 52/3 shutout innings while scattering five hits with three strikeouts against two walks.
Kopps not only completed the 3-game SEC series sweep that started with 14-4 and 5-4 victories Thursday night and Friday night, he enhanced Arkansas’ chances for its nonconference games against the Memphis Tigers on Tuesday night at Baum and Wednesday night at the Arkansas Travelers’ Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock.
With top relievers, Cannon Chadwick, Dominic Taccolini and Jake Reindl spent in Friday night’s 10-inning escape, Kopps spared other pitchers likely to work against Memphis from pitching Sunday.
Not only the two Memphis games but a huge SEC West series looms Friday through Sunday at Auburn for the 29-8 overall/11-4 SEC West leading Razorbacks.
“It was big,” Van Horn said. “I even mentioned that to him after the game in front of the team. For him to finish that game gives us some more options Tuesday and Wednesday instead of having to double up a guy or two and pretty much having to take them out of the equation of the possibility of pitching on Tuesday or Wednesday. So it was big for us.”
Big enough for Arkansas’ first baseman to think like a coach.
“He was a big-time saver for the bullpen this week,” senior first baseman Chad Spanberger said. “He just kept filling up the zone and getting them out.”
Kopps stayed for the long haul off a short approach.
“I just was going to take it one inning at a time and just rely on my defense that they are going to get me in the game,” Kopps said.
Of course it helped he cut to the chase with that first-pitch, inning-ending doubleplay.
“I threw a cutter,” Kopps said. “It feels good throwing one pitch getting two outs. That success right away definitely helped.”
Though 2-0, Kopps among his 12 outings has struggled sometimes.
What made the difference Saturday?
“Calming down a little bit and keeping my shoulders in when I pitch and not trying to overthrow,” Kopps said.
Saturday only Georgia was overthrown off stride.