Smooth at the start, sloppy in the sixth but getting the job done, Arkansas padded its NCAA Regional resume with a 12-6 victory over Western Illinois closing the Razorbacks’ regular season Monday night at Baum Stadium. Since they failed to qualify by one-half game for this week’s 8-team SEC Tournament in Hoover, Ala., the Razorbacks, still a Regional bubble team with a 34-22 record and national top 30 RPI (ratings power index ) at 29, can only wait until next Monday’s announcement of the 64-team Regional field after all the conference tournaments are completed. Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn knew the risks of playing Monday night but decided to oblige Western Illinois’ request to play even before losing 2 of 3 at Mississippi State last weekend put the Hogs in their current limbo. “ I hope this helps, ” Van Horn said. “ I didn’t instigate this game. I put it out a couple of months ago about being down [because of rainouts )] a couple of games and he called, and I thought it would be good to get 56 games. I’m glad we did. It would have been bad if we had lost. ”

Winning starting pitcher Sam Murphy, five shutout innings, and freshman first baseman Andy Wilkins, 2 for 2 with a home run, double, two walks and three RBI, most quelled Monday’s risk of an upset loss becoming the last game the Hogs presented to the NCAA Selection Committee.

“ He [Murphy ] did a nice job, ” Van Horn said. “ Those guys aren’t intimidated. They’ve beaten two Top Ten teams in Long Beach State and Missouri. They are scrappy. We put together a good first inning and Murphy gave us a chance to relax. ” Until Evan Cox opened WIU’s 5-run sixth in relief of Murphy. Then it tensed a bit.

“ Cox didn’t have real good stuff tonight, ” Van Horn said. “ He was up and they hit him and that’s what good teams do. ”

Benched in last Saturday’s SEC finale at Mississippi State after stranding eight runners after going 0 for 4 with three whiffs last Friday, freshman first baseman struck back against Western Illinois clouting a solo home run in Arkansas’ 4-run first and clouted a 2-run double during a 7-run fifth.

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“ Andy is really streaky, ” Van Horn said. “ He didn’t do well the first game at Mississippi State and had a rough second game so I sat him the third. I knew I was going to play him tonight and basically what he gave me is what I thought he would do. When he has a bad weekend, he comes back strong midweek. ” Ben Tschepikow and Logan Forsythe had drawn 1-out walks in Monday’s first inning when Casey Coon hit a RBI single equivalent to a 3-run inside the park home run.

Coon’s hit scooted through right fielder Kenny Price’s legs allowing Forsythe to score easily and Coon to score barely on the error. House promptly homered making all runs earned off losing starter Frank Zenisek.

Arkansas’ 7-run fifth featured a RBI double by Ben Tschepikow, Forsythe’s RBI single, Wilkins’ 2-run double, Jeff Nutt’s RBI single and Chase Leavitt’s 2-run double to left ending the inning with Leavitt gunned trying for a triple.

Arkansas winning starter Sam Murphy threw five economical shutout innings on 63 pitches. He scattered three hits, fanned four and walked none.

Taking over to start the sixth, sophomore Cox of Maumelle didn’t fare nearly so well as his last outing, beating South Carolina with a inning of shutout relief before Jacob House’s ninthinning grand slam beat the Gamecocks, 12-11.

Monday he faced five Leathernecks and retired zero. Cox exited in favor of Travis Hill after Drew Laidig’s 3-run double and walking James Bina.

Hill walked Price, loading the bases before the Leathernecks scored two on slowly hit infield outs. Tyler Metcalf’s single to left ended the inning with Price nailed trying to score from second.

Hill pitched the final four innings and was touched only for a run in the seventh.

Van Horn will give the Hogs a couple of days off then resume practice and wait until Monday.

“ I haven’t been in this situation in 10 years, ” said Van Horn, always in Regionals his previous five Arkansas seasons and a Regional regular before that coaching Nebraska. “ I’m used to being in Regionals. It’s tough on our players. They don’t want this to be over. They know if we get the opportunity to play we can be a force. ”