OMAHA, Neb. -- The fifth-seeded Arkansas Razorbacks have been in record-breaking mode this season and there are a couple of big individual records on the line as the Hogs open play in the College World Series championship series today at 6 p.m. against No. 3 seed Oregon State.
Junior right-hander Blaine Knight will take the mound today with a 13-0 record, tied for the school's single-season lead with Rich Erwin (1979) and Steve Krueger (1980). Erwin was a standout on the only other University of Arkansas, Fayetteville team to reach the CWS finals.
Sophomore closer Matt Cronin has 13 saves, tied with current Arkansas volunteer coach Colby Suggs, who seized the record in 2013.
"It's like one of those things that's in the back of your head," Cronin said. "You try not to think about it, but you know it's there. It's been awesome. That means I've been doing what I'm supposed to be doing. Doing my job right."
Suggs said he's in favor of Cronin snapping his record.
"I love it," Suggs said. "I kind of joke with him a little bit that his will have an asterisk beside it because he had longer to do it. But no, in reality I'm glad for him and I hope he does break it because hopefully it means we're winning a national championship."
The Razorbacks will look to extend the school single-season record of 98 home runs during the finals. Arkansas has four home runs in Omaha, two from Dominic Fletcher and one apiece by Luke Bonfield and Jared Gates.
Hog support
Arkansas senior Carson Shaddy, a Fayetteville native, said he's felt the strong waves of support coming from fans.
"To see all this support from loving fans is incredible," Shaddy said. "I cannot wait to hear that Hog call. It's gonna be so freaking loud. We're all excited and so happy that everybody -- people from all over the state are coming. We really appreciate all the love and support and all the money they're spending to take the time and come support us."
Shaddy sent out a Tweet on Saturday, "WHAS UP ARKANSAS!!!!!!!!!!!" that he said received more than 7,000 likes.
"I got more likes than I have followers, which is ridiculous," Shaddy said. "That goes to show you how crazy it is and how much it means to people."
Casey jets
The speed of Arkansas freshman third baseman Casey Martin from Lonoke was a big topic of Razorback football players during and after Friday's 5-2 victory over Florida.
Martin went 4 for 5 with 3 runs scored and an RBI with his jets on full display.
Arkansas football players took to social media to praise Martin's speed.
"I think any time you can get the Arkansas football players talking about your speed, it's a testament," second baseman Carson Shaddy said.
"Yeah, that was pretty cool," Martin said of the Twitter storm from football Hogs. "Everybody always talks about them, but it was cool for them to talk about us guys. They're definitely supporting us and that's huge for us."
Martin slid head first into home to score on a Luke Bonfield chopper to third base for the Hogs' third run against Florida.
"Anybody else on the team, I don't get an RBI on that," Bonfield said. "It's special speed. I bet you here in two years he'll be a first rounder just because of the speed and you see his power. It's special."
Rain game?
The forecast is calling for a strong chance of thunderstorms today, starting around 9 a.m. with a 75 percent chance. By 11 a.m., the chance for thunderstorms rises to 95 percent, then gradually declines to around 45 percent at 6 p.m., which is the time for first pitch. The storms are expected to be more scattered beginning around 5 p.m., per weather.com.
On the way
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson is expected to be in Omaha today for the start of the College World Series championship series, as well as many UA employees, starting with Chancellor Joe Steinmetz.
Athletics Director Hunter Yurachek said the head coaches of 10 sports will be at TD Ameritrade Park, led by football Coach Chad Morris and his wife Paula, and men's basketball Coach Mike Anderson and wife Marcheita, who will be making their second appearance during the series.
Yurachek said the other head coaches who can't make it to Omaha are in the mist of recruiting or fulfilling other previously scheduled commitments.
Velo slap
Former Razorback pitcher Colby Suggs, a volunteer coach, is the designated face slapper for closer Matt Cronin, who said he likes to take the jolt to his face before he takes the mound.
"It's just one of those things that just immediately locks you into the game and gets your adrenaline pumping and gets you ready to go," said Cronin, who credited pitching coach Wes Johnson for introducing him to the idea.
"It's the velo slap," Cronin said. "You get slapped in the face and so you throw harder."
Suggs said the slap started at the beginning of the year and that he modifies it depending on the game circumstances.
"If it's a big situation, I don't want him too amped up, so I take it a little bit less on the slap," Suggs said.
Cronin needs one save to break his tie with Suggs for the Arkansas single season record of 13.
Kwan's status
Oregon State center fielder Steven Kwan is questionable for tonight's game. Kwan, who tweaked his left hamstring on June 18, returned as a pinch-hitter in the Beavers' 5-2 victory over Mississippi State on Saturday, flew out to left field, then stayed in the game defensively.
"Last night, I probably allowed my trust in the players get to me, because he wanted to get an at-bat and go into the game and he was 100 percent and it was probably against my better judgment that I allowed that to happen," Oregon State Coach Pat Casey said. "So thank God nothing was hit to him.
"He said he was 100 percent last night. That's all I can tell you. I sure hope he can play. He's a heck of a player. He's a big part of our club."
Kwan ranks fourth on the team with a .359 batting average and second with 90 hits.
Shriners' ace
Alec Cabacungan, a high school sophomore and aspiring sportscaster, made the rounds during interviews Sunday at TD Ameritrade Park.
Cabacungan asked questions of both Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn and Oregon State Coach Pat Casey as well as players for both teams. He also got a special one-on-one interview with Arkansas ace Blaine Knight.
Cabacungan did the interviewing differently than most reporters. He asked the questions from his wheelchair. The 16-year-old has been featured on Shriners Hospital for Children commercials for the last couple of years. He's confined to a wheelchair due to osteogenesis imperfect, a genetic disorder that has caused more than 70 broken bones in his body.
The young reporter, who always seems to be smiling, has his own YouTube channel, called "Smart Alec on Sports."
Dog preference
Arkansas closer Matt Cronin, asked on Friday night whether he had a preference for facing Mississippi State or Oregon State, had a pointed response, "I'd love to redeem myself against Mississippi State, but honestly there's no difference to me."
Cronin allowed three runs in the eighth inning of a 6-5 loss to the Bulldogs on April 20, picking up his only loss of the season.
Right-hander Isaiah Campbell didn't express a preference.
"We're just going to do us," Campbell said. "We're going to go out and play Arkansas baseball and just focus on us."
Sports on 06/25/2018