FAYETTEVILLE -- The Arkansas Razorbacks have seven games left to sort out their pitching plans before the start of SEC play, and Coach Dave Van Horn hopes to get clearer answers soon.
Van Horn said senior right-hander Dominic Taccolini (2-0, 12.00 ERA) will start today's 3 p.m. game against Louisiana-Monroe in what amounts to an audition for a weekend starter's gig, which he held last season.
"I'm going to let him go as far as he can," Van Horn said following his monthly appearance with boosters. "He needs to build up some innings, and he needs to get some confidence. His stuff's good, he just needs to locate and know he can do it."
The Warhawks (4-8) are expected to start right-hander Cole Hendrix (1-0, 4.76 ERA) today at Baum Stadium against the Razorbacks (8-3), who are coming off a 2-3 road trip to Louisiana Tech and the Frisco Classic.
Van Horn likes what right-handers Blaine Knight (1-1, 2.40) and Trevor Stephan (3-0, 1.15) have done on the weekends in three starts each. But beyond that, injuries and question marks abound for the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.
Ace right-hander Isaiah Campbell and righty reliever Cody Scroggins, who hurt his arm on the final pitch of his four-out appearance in last Wednesday's 13-10 victory at Louisiana Tech, will be evaluated further.
Van Horn sounded fearful of Scroggins' prognosis. The sophomore from Bentonville was scheduled fopr testing Monday. Campbell, the projected Friday starter based on fall and winter workouts, faced six batters in his only appearance, a 13-7 victory over Bryant on Feb. 25. He has been experiencing tightness in the back of his throwing arm.
"If he's got something going on in there that's just going to keep bothering him and bothering him that has to get fixed and he's not going to pitch this year, then he might as well get it fixed," Van Horn said. "We're going to evaluate this in the next few days as best we can and either continue doing what we're doing and take it week to week or let's move on."
Right-handers Kevin Kopps (1-0, 2.79) and Josh Alberius (0-2, 3.46) have split the three Sunday starts, and neither has made it past one out in the fourth inning.
Taccolini, sophomore right-hander Barrett Loseke (1-0, 3.68), freshman lefty Matt Cronin (0-0, 0.00 in one inning), who might get the ball for Wednesday's 3 p.m. game against Louisiana-Monroe, and others are in play for the Sunday starter's job.
"We have to get our best seven guys the ball, so when league play comes around those are our go-to guys," Van Horn said.
Louisiana-Monroe is in the midst of a 10-game road swing. The Warhawks have a .267 team batting average, a 7.07 earned run average and they are averaging 4.1 runs per game.
Their top hitter is Johnny DeLa Cruz (.409, 1 HR, 8 RBI), while RBI leader Turner Francis (.372, 2 HR, 11 RBI), Blake Buckman (.308) and Nathan Reynolds (.300, 2 HR, 4 RBI) are hitting .300 or better.
"They just had a three-game road trip to Alabama, and a couple of those games were tight," Van Horn said. "Their team batting average is better than ours. They've given up some runs.
"They scheduled this because they have some older kids, and he's trying to get them ready for league play as well."
Campbell's injury has had a domino effect, Van Horn said.
"Well, honest to God, it's been huge," he said. "You lose your No. 1 guy. The guy who's pitching now would be No. 2 and then you're No. 3 guy is Stephan? That's a pretty good rotation."
Grant Koch (.362, 4 HR, 16 RBI), Carson Shaddy (.361, 2 HR, 13 RBI), Jake Arledge (.306, 2 HR, 6 RBI) and Dominic Fletcher (.270, 2 HR, 7 RBI) have triggered an offensive attack that leads the SEC with 15 home runs.
Van Horn said a key for his team is more consistent hitting from veterans like Luke Bonfield, Eric Cole and Chad Spanberger.
"Luke's coming on," he said. "Luke's going to be fine. ... Cole and Spanberger, they deserve better, but they have to do it. Because they work hard. I mean, there's no lack of effort there."
Sports on 03/07/2017