FAYETTEVILLE — The University of Arkansas baseball team will play a ground-breaking schedule in 2021 by hosting all four in-state Division I schools at Baum-Walker Stadium.
Coach Dave Van Horn said Monday that the Razorbacks have just added single games against the University of Central Arkansas and Arkansas State University. Those games will join previously scheduled meetings against the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, programs Arkansas faced last year and had three games on tap with this year prior to the coronavirus pandemic halting the season March 13.
Arkansas Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek announced last week that the athletic department was loosening scheduling restrictions in an effort to play more regional games and reduce travel costs in all sports except football. The Razorbacks began adding games against sister schools UALR and UAPB last year in multiple sports.
“I think that playing each other will grow our game and help make it more popular,” said Van Horn, who was a strong advocate for starting series with UALR and UAPB last year and has been ready to embrace in-state competition. “I think playing the other schools is gonna be great. Obviously, it’s going to be a battle playing those guys on Tuesdays and Wednesdays between conference series. But at the same time, it’s just good for everybody involved.
“I’m just appreciative that we get to do it now.”
The Razorbacks have never played Arkansas State or UCA in baseball.
The dates for some of the in-state games are still tentative, a UA official said. The Razorbacks have not released their 2021 baseball schedule yet.
Arkansas State Coach Tommy Raffo, a Mississippi State player (1987-90) and assistant coach (1994-2008), noted the benefits the Bulldogs received from playing in-state schools.
“I was fortunate enough to be in Mississippi for 19 years, and to play for Ron Polk and Pat McMahon, and I got to see firsthand what playing every in-state school did for the state and for the game of baseball through the ranks, high school and in college,” Raffo said. “Because during that time period I was there, Mississippi State played every in-state school, and that was a big thing to grow the game in the state, to grow the betterment of baseball in the state.
“And so, I think it adds to that hugely. I think that we’ve taken a step forward as far as that’s concerned for the game of baseball in the state of Arkansas. It’s just getting better and better in this state.”
Monday’s news was particularly a long time coming for Raffo. He told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on Monday that when he was first hired at ASU in the summer of 2008, Van Horn reached out to not only congratulate him on the new job but also to express a desire to schedule the Red Wolves some day.
That day has arrived.
“He just likes to play,” Raffo said of Van Horn. “I mean, he’s such a great competitor on the field. He reached out right away when he had the opportunity to say, ‘Hey listen, I got an opportunity to schedule. I told you I’ve wanted to do that … and I want to reach out to you again.’ So that’s how he did it.”
UCA Coach Allen Gum said Monday that he and Van Horn spoke a few days ago, in the wake of Friday’s scheduling news from Yurachek, about the Razorbacks adding the Bears to next year’s schedule. Gum said he was grateful Arkansas changed its policy and thankful Van Horn wanted to schedule UCA.
“It’s great, as far as, one, heck, we get a midweek game that’s only two hours away. We’re gonna get in a little earlier than 2 or 3 in the morning … so that’s great as far as that goes,” Gum said with a chuckle. “But as far as overall, baseball in the state, I think it’s just gonna be a really, really positive thing. I’ve known Dave for a long time. I think he’s always been for that and never been against that.
“As soon as that did open up, he gave me a call and, man, just excited to get up there and … just another in-state game, and I think it’s just gonna be great for the state of Arkansas and for all the sports that get to play, and for the fans. That’s the most important thing.”
Arkansas split games against UAPB and UALR in 2019, falling 17-7 to the Trojans on April 2 and downing the Golden Lions 16-4 on April 16.
The Razorbacks were scheduled this season to host UALR on April 7 — between home series against Florida and Texas A&M — and take on UAPB on April 28 and 29, with the first game at Baum-Walker Stadium and the second game at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock. Those two games were wedged between a home series against Auburn and a road set at South Carolina.
“I think that playing each other will grow our game and help make it more popular,” Van Horn said. “It seems like every year there’s more recruits in state now as compared to when we first got here many years ago. And I think the game is on its way up in the state.”
Arkansas State baseball Coach Tommy Raffo on his discussion with Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn