FAYETTEVILLE -- University of Arkansas closer Matt Cronin has been dominant this season.
The problem for the No. 9 Razorbacks (22-7, 6-3 SEC) going into the series opener at No. 15 Auburn (22-7, 6-3) tonight at Plainsman Park is that they haven't been able to have a late lead in any of the last three games for Cronin to protect.
TODAY’S GAME
No. 9 Arkansas at No. 15 Auburn
WHEN 6:30 p.m. Central
WHERE Plainsman Park, Auburn, Ala.
RECORDS Arkansas 22-7, 6-3 SEC; Auburn 22-7, 6-3
SERIES Auburn leads 46-44.
STARTING PITCHERS Arkansas RHP Isaiah Campbell (6-0, 2.03 ERA); Auburn LHP Brooks Fuller (1-1, 2.08 ERA).
RADIO Razorback Sports Network. Not all games will be carried by all affiliates. Check local listings.
TELEVISION ESPNU
SHORT HOPS Arkansas will start freshman RHP Connor Noland (0-1, 4.40 ERA) Friday night against Auburn sophomore RHP Tanner Burns (4-0, 1.40 ERA). Neither team has announced a starter for Saturday’s series finale … The Razorbacks are 9-2 in their last 11 games against the Tigers going back to a 6-4 victory on April 15, 2015, at Plainsman Park … Both teams lost at home Tuesday. Arkansas lost to UALR 17-7 and Auburn lost 9-3 to Georgia Tech … The Razorbacks are 6-3 on the road. … Auburn is 15-2 at home. Along with the loss to Georgia Tech, the Tigers lost 7-5 in 13 innings against Georgia Southern on Feb. 16.
THE WEEK AHEAD
TODAY at Auburn*, 6:30 p.m.
FRIDAY at Auburn*, 6 p.m.
SATURDAY at Auburn*, 2 p.m.
SUNDAY Off
MONDAY Off
TUESDAY vs. Oral Roberts 6:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY Off
*SEC game
Cronin, a junior left-hander with a 0.71 earned average, hasn't pitched since getting the final five outs in Arkansas' 5-3 victory over Ole Miss on Friday night.
Issues in the bullpen -- which figured to be a strength for the Razorbacks -- have arisen during a three-game losing streak at Baum-Walker Stadium to Ole Miss 4-3 and 10-5 on Saturday and Sunday and 17-7 to the University of Arkansas-Little Rock on Tuesday night.
"Right now we don't have the pitching depth," Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said. "That's the bottom line.
"It kind of showed on Sunday and you saw it again [Tuesday night]."
The biggest problem for the Razorbacks' bullpen is that junior Jacob Kostyshock, who had become the primary set-up man for Cronin, is out this weekend because of elbow inflammation.
Two of Arkansas' other veteran relievers -- sophomore Kole Ramage and junior Kevin Kopps -- have been struggling.
Ramage allowed 4 earned runs -- on Troy Alexander's grand slam -- along with 3 hits and 1 walk in 2/3 innings against UALR. He gave up a game-tying home run to Cole Zabowski in the sixth inning of Saturday's loss to Ole Miss.
Kopps gave up Grae Kessinger's game-winning double in the ninth inning of Saturday's loss and then allowed three earned runs in the Rebels' victory Sunday.
"One of our top pitchers is injured right now and that's shifted some innings to some other guys," Van Horn said. "Somebody's got to pick it up.
"Ramage is a guy that we've used a couple of times a week, but we only throw him a couple of innings. His last couple outings have been shaky and hopefully, he'll have a good weekend."
Freshman Patrick Wicklander has pitched well in midweek starts -- UALR 3 runs against him in 3 1/3 innings were unearned -- but in two SEC relief appearances at Alabama and against Ole Miss he's allowed 5 earned runs in 1/3 innings.
Van Horn said sophomore Zebulon Vermillion -- who allowed 3 runs and 4 hits in 1 1/3 innings in the Sunday loss to Ole Miss and 1 run in 1 inning against UALR -- also needs to pitch better.
Redshirt junior Isaiah Campbell (6-0, 2.03 ERA) will be Arkansas' starting pitcher tonight with freshman Connor Noland (0-1, 4.40) starting Friday night. Van Horn hasn't announced a starter for Saturday's game, but redshirt junior Cody Scroggins (2-0, 3.21) had started the third game of the previous three SEC series.
"Our three starters, they've done a good job for us," Van Horn said. "But we haven't even got to the point [in recent games] where we can use Cronin. He's well rested."
The Razorbacks have lost three consecutive games for the first time since being swept at Mississippi State last season. They have their longest losing streak at Baum-Walker Stadium since dropping six in a row as part of a 0-13 stretch to finish the 2016 season.
Given all that, Van Horn said a road trip might not be a bad thing for his team even against Auburn, which is 15-2 at home.
"I think it's probably good that we're getting out of town," Van Horn said. "We're practicing [Wednesday] at their field, then we just play again."
SUN BELT
MEMPHIS 7, ARKANSAS STATE 4
Memphis (14-13) used a five-run ninth inning to come away with a victory over Arkansas State University (19-11) on Wednesday at Tomlinson Stadium in Jonesboro.
The Tigers, who trailed 4-2 going into the ninth inning, took the lead on RBI singles from Hunter Goodman, Jason Santana and Cale Hennemann, as well as a two-run fielding error by ASU second baseman Tyler Duncan.
SkyLar Culver was 2 for 5 with 1 RBI and 1 run scored to lead the Red Wolves, who were held to 6 hits and committed 3 errors while leaving 9 runners on base. Reliever Kollin Stone (1-1) took the loss on the mound for ASU, after allowing 5 runs — only 1 earned — on 5 hits with 1 walk and 2 strikeouts in his 2 innings of work.
SWAC
UAPB 6, STEPHEN F. AUSTIN 4
Nick Kreutzer was 3 for 4 with 2 RBI and 1 run scored, while Jarficur Parker and Larry Sims had two hits each to lead the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (6-22) to a victory over Stephen F. Austin (14-16) in Nacogdoches, Texas.
Right-hander Race Tittle picked up the victory for the Golden Lions after allowing 4 earned runs on 8 hits with 4 walks and 8 strikeouts over 8 innings. Reliever Jordan O’Guinn allowed 1 hit and had 3 strikeouts in the ninth.
Sports on 04/04/2019