FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas freshman Curtis Washington is making his playing time count this season.
Washington, an outfielder from West Memphis, has been a steady midweek contributor for the No. 7 Razorbacks, with at least one hit in three of four Tuesday games this month while subbing for Christian Franklin in left field.
Washington went 3-for-6 and was a triple shy of hitting for the cycle Tuesday night in Arkansas’ 19-2 victory over Northwestern State at Baum-Walker Stadium.
“I know my name could be called at any time,” Washington said afterward. “Whenever my name is called, I look at my name in the lineup and I’m ready; locked in at all times.”
Washington made a name for himself as a base-running specialist early in the season when he scored game-winning runs in the ninth inning against Eastern Illinois and Missouri.
“That’s what we wanted him to do, was be kind of a utility guy, pinch runner, defender at the end of a game, possibly,” Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said.
But as the season has gone along, Washington has been more reliable with the bat in his hand. In three starts and a substitution, Washington is 5-for-12 with 5 runs scored and 3 walks during midweek games this month against Arkansas-Little Rock, Oral Roberts, Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Northwestern State.
On Tuesday, he improved his batting average to .400 in 25 at-bats. He is slugging .680 and has an on-base percentage of .531.
“He’s hit two or three doubles in the past few games he’s played,” Van Horn said. “He’s found himself in some really good hitter’s counts - 3-1, 2-0. I think tonight on the first pitch he jumped a pitch pretty good. Good for him. He works hard.”
Washington hit his first career home run to lead off the seventh inning of Tuesday’s game, a pull line drive that landed in the Razorbacks’ bullpen in left field.
“When it left the bat, I was just praying it went over,” Washington said. “When it did, it was a relief. I just wanted to enjoy the moment running around those bases.
“I (don’t get) too many pitches to hit, but when it comes I try to put a good swing on it, and the results are pretty good so far.”
Washington had two opportunities to hit for Arkansas’ first cycle since 1994, but had inning-ending outs in the seventh and eighth.
He just missed on a fourth hit when Northwestern State center fielder Tyler Smith made a good running catch in the fifth inning on a ball hit to the opposite field.
“He plays the game hard and hits the ball all over the field,” Van Horn said. “He’s a still-developing player; we see him every day and we know what he’s good at and what he’s really got to work on.
“But we’ve played him on some Tuesday nights and he seems to take a walk and get a hit, score a run. He knows his role and he’s done a great job with it.”