A frosh approach: Noland, Wicklander stabilize Hogs' rotation

FAYETTEVILLE -- When University of Arkansas pitcher Connor Noland failed to record an out in a 15-pitch start at Vanderbilt on April 13, it looked like the freshman might just swap places with classmate Patrick Wicklander and become the Razorbacks' primary midweek starter.

In fact, Noland did start the next Tuesday in a 16-4 home victory over the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff to post his first career victory.

But the right-handed Noland never came out of the weekend rotation, as junior Cody Scroggins was given some down time to rest a sore arm. Noland has not looked back.

Suddenly, the Razorbacks' strong surge at the plate has coincided with Noland and Wicklander carving out a series of good weekend starts to pair with ace Isaiah Campbell. No. 6 Arkansas (35-11, 15-6 SEC) has won nine of its past 10 games and sits atop the SEC West by two games heading into a weekend set at Kentucky starting Friday.

Noland has thrown back-to-back gems against Mississippi State and Tennessee to close out those series. Wicklander has been solid in consecutive starts behind Campbell to back up the left-hander's scoreless two-hitter over five innings in an 8-0 series-clinching victory at Auburn on April 6 in his first SEC start.

"For one of them it was an opportunity, for Wick to get a chance to get in there on a little more regular routine," Arkansas pitching coach Matt Hobbs said. "Us not having Scroggins for a couple of weeks ... led to an opportunity for Patrick.

"He's not throwing an inning on Saturday and then starting on Tuesday. His work has been regular, which I think for him is why he's been able to be pretty successful in that role."

Hobbs said he's seen increasingly improved bullpen sessions from Noland over the past month, which has paid dividends after he gave up four singles and a walk to the only five batters he faced in a 12-2 loss at Vanderbilt.

"Connor's ... was a little bit of a struggle," Hobbs said. "He struggled quite a bit at Vanderbilt. That's been well documented.

"I think he only lasted 15 pitches, then got moved to Tuesday. It was one of those things where we wanted to see him get out there and have success. I believe it was Pine Bluff he had pitched against. Threw two scoreless and it was sharp, and it was like, 'All right, we'll just dump this guy right back in the rotation then' because he had done something to earn that. And then he does what he did against Mississippi State, then he backs it up against Tennessee against a really good team."

Noland has thrown 14⅔ innings since the bad start in Nashville, Tenn., and has allowed 6 hits, 1 walk and no earned runs to go along with 15 strikeouts.

"His was more answering the bell and being a guy we could count on for more than five innings," Hobbs said. "That was kind of the bugaboo on him is he would pitch really well for about 4⅓, 4⅔ but have trouble kind of crossing the bridge into the fifth or the sixth. The last couple of weeks, it hasn't been like he's trying to figure out whether he can do it; he knows he can do it."

Arkansas catcher Casey Opitz spoke about the recent strong outings from the two freshman pitchers.

"It's huge to have those guys," Opitz said. "Especially when we get wins on Friday when Zay [Campbell] is pitching like we've been doing, and then to have two solid outings from those guys, it's huge for the team. It's huge for the momentum. It's been paying off big."

Scroggins is expected to be available for the Kentucky series, which gives Hobbs and Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn four viable options to start this weekend.

Van Horn noted the work of Noland and Wicklander on Sunday.

"It's huge for them personally for their confidence," he said. "Connor's had two really good outings in a row, and so has Wicklander. I mean, they look like weekend starters to me.

"Maybe we can keep Scroggins in the pen. He'll be available this week. He wanted to pitch [last] weekend and we wouldn't let him. I didn't even put him on the roster.

"He wasn't happy about it, but he gets it. We're trying to take care of him. And luckily, some guys stepped up. So hopefully he'll be back and some of these guys that got a little tired can rest for a couple days, and they'll be ready to go by Friday."

Noland (2-2, 3.96 ERA) leads the Razorbacks with 12 starts, while Campbell (7-1, 2.66) is second with 11 and Wicklander (4-1, 4.14) is next with nine.

Wicklander has much better numbers in his nine starts than he does in seven relief appearances.

"I'm starting to get more comfortable," Wicklander said after allowing 2 runs on 4 hits and 2 walks with 7 strikeouts in 5⅔ innings against Tennessee on Saturday. Wicklander got the victory in the matchup against Tennessee ace Garrett Stallings (7-3) after being staked to an 8-0 lead and allowing two runs in the sixth.

He was asked whether he preferred starting or working out of the bullpen.

"I would prefer being the starter, but I just do what's best for the team," he said.

Hobbs said he's examined the Wicklander splits as a starter and reliever in every which way.

"I've tried," he said. "I have looked at just about everything I could possibly think of. He had never relieved before in his life. He started all fall.

"I wish I had a great answer, but it's just one of those things. Some guys are better as starters."

Sports on 05/02/2019