FAYETTEVILLE — Better days lie ahead for the University of Arkansas hitters, second-year Razorback Ben McLaughlin contends.
McLaughlin and Wehiwa Aloy both launched their first home runs of the season for the No. 3 Razorbacks in Tuesday’s 9-7 home win over the University of Central Arkansas.
The Razorbacks (10-2) have won six games in a row heading into this weekend’s home series against McNeese State at Baum-Walker Stadium, and they’ve averaged 9.2 runs per game in that span.
Yet it feels like the Razorbacks have not maximized their scoring opportunities as Coach Dave Van Horn and his staff continue to experiment with the lineup and several position battles.
“I know our offense isn’t at our peak right now and we don’t necessarily want to be right now,” said McLaughlin, who has reached base in all 12 games, as has right fielder Kendall Diggs.
“It’s still early in the year, but myself personally, I think I’m capable of more, and me and Diggs both talked about it. I think we’re playing solid, but we know what we’re capable of.”
Diggs (.357, 1 HR, 8 RBI) and McLaughlin (.333, 1 HR, 12 RBI) remain two of the team’s hotter hitters, along with Jared Sprague-Lott (.417, 1 HR, 6 RBI), in the early going.
The Razorbacks are hitting a .285 as a team to rank 105th in Division I. Arkansas is scoring 7.4 runs per game, also 105th, has a .438 slugging percentage (129th) and is hitting 0.92 home runs per game (159th).
Jayson Jones leads the way with two home runs, while nine other Razorbacks have one apiece: Diggs, McLaughlin, Aloy, Sprague-Lott, Ty Wilmsmeyer, Hudson White, Nolan Souza, Hudson Polk and Ryder Helfrick.
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The experimentation with the batting order has been ongoing, with Ross Lovich given the most recent shot at leading off after White, Diggs and Will Edmunson previously had.
Diggs has remained in the top three spots for all 12 games, while Aloy has been everywhere from second through seventh. McLaughlin has been in the three or four hole for 11 games and in the five hole for the other.
Van Horn was asked about Aloy and McLaughlin hitting their first home runs after Aloy launched the team’s third grand slam and McLaughlin hit a three-run shot against the Bears.
“Those are two guys that have a lot of power, and that’s why they’re hitting in the middle of our order,” Van Horn said. “It’s nice to see that. I think once you get one, you stop thinking about it, probably get a couple more, pretty quick. Two big swings, seven runs, two swings — the guys set it up for them, and they did it.”
Lovich, making his first start in center field and his fourth start of the season, went 2 for 3 with 1 walk, 1 run scored and a loud liner to center field in his first game at the leadoff spot in the batting order.
“I thought he did a great job,” Van Horn said. “He got two hits in the leadoff spot, and he also hit one to the center-field wall, pretty deep. He’s been good. I like what I saw. He also got a walk, on base three times.
“The only time he made an out, he hit the ball extremely well, solid. Took him out because Wilmsmeyer is our runner, our best-experienced center fielder. Just real happy with Ross right now. He’s been real patient, just keeps working, doesn’t say much. You’ve got to like that.”
So the options remain numerous at designated hitter (where seven different players have started), catcher (four starters), left field and center field (three starters each) and second base. Both Souza (.333, 1 HR, 5 RBI) and Peyton Holt (.306, 9 runs, 4 RBI) have been productive at second.
McLaughlin became a frequent contributor last season at first base and designated hitter, even though he said he wasn’t 100% following work on his knee.
“I feel like I’m in a better spot than I was last year coming off meniscus surgery,” McLaughlin said. “I feel like I’m stronger, a little faster, just more so trusting my work, trusting the guys around me.
“Just being surrounded by those guys, they definitely make you better. We still got a lot more to show.”