FAYETTEVILLE — Pitchers pull string on Tigers
LSU came into its weekend series at Arkansas averaging an SEC-best 7.6 runs per game.
The Tigers left Baum Stadium having scored seven runs total against Arkansas in being swept 2-0, 4-3 and 5-4.
“That team is dangerous,” Razorbacks pitching coach Dave Jorn said. “I never felt comfortable from the first inning to the last inning of the 27 we had to play them.
“They can swing the bat and they have a pretty good approach. Facing them, you have to change speeds, you have to pitch backwards.
“You can’t give them fastballs out over the plate when you’re behind in the count and you have to throw the fastball in when you were ahead in the count.
“You just had to keep them off balance and the puppies did a good job.”
The seven pitchers Arkansas used against LSU included four freshmen and three sophomores.
Only sophomores DJ Baxendale, who went five innings as Friday night’s starter, and Randall Fant, who 1 went 5/3 innings as Sunday’s starter, had played for Arkansas prior to this season.
But the Razorbacks pitched like SEC veterans against the Tigers.
Freshman Nolan Sanburn got the save on Friday night and victory on Saturday night.
Freshman Brandon Moore pitched five shutout innings as Saturday night’s starter and Trent Daniel, a redshirt sophomore transfer from Arkansas-Fort Smith, held the Tigers to one run in 3 1/3 innings of relief.
Sophomore Cade Lynch, a transfer from Panola (Fla.) Junior College, picked up the victory Sunday with 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief.
Freshman Barrett Astin pitched 2 2/3 innings of shutout relief Friday night. He yielded a grand slam to LSU shortstop Austin Nola in the sixth inning on Sunday - the first batter Astin faced 1 - but then pitched 2/3 innings without allowing another run.
“I wasn’t worried about Astin folding after he gave up the grand slam, he wasn’t all shook up,” Jorn said. “I felt he’d be fine, and he was.”
Baxendale might be considered more of a big dog than a puppy after pitching 601/3 innings last season and having seven saves, but the rest of the pitching staff has been getting on-the-job training.
“I’m just proud of the way they work, the way they compete,” Jorn said. “We’re playing big games with big crowds in the house, and we’re [3-6 in the SEC coming into the series] trying to fight and stay in it.
“I thought our guys showed some great poise, they showed some confidence, they were aggressive. ... They’re opening their ears and listening, learning from their experiences and just trying to get better.”
“Coach told me to sit on the breaking ball and drive it,” Carver said. “I got another slider, so thanks to Coach for that advice.”
Carver hit the slider down the left-field line and over the fence for a two-run home run that put the Razorbacks ahead 3-0.
“I thought the wind might take it foul, but it stayed fair,” Carver said. “It gets your adrenaline going. It was pretty sweet.”
It was Carver’s first home run this season and fifth of his Arkansas career. He batted .267 last season, but is now batting .202 this season after going 1 for 4 on Sunday.
“Tim never pouts, he just keeps going up there and swinging the bat, and what a big hit he got for us,” Razorbacks batting coach Todd Butler said. “I was so proud of him, and so happy for him.
“He hit the breaking ball down the line, which is where he has to hit it. It was perfectly placed.
“He’s a great defender, and hopefully he’ll get better with that bat.”
Carver said he hadn’t lost confidence as a hitter despite his struggles going into Sunday’s game.
“I’ve been struggling a little bit, but I’ve kept working and trying to stay the course,” Carver said. “Hopefully, it will turn around. This game usually evens itself out eventually.”
LSU Coach Paul Mainieri said he didn’t feel snake-bit when Carver homered after failing to bunt.
“That’s baseball,” Mainieri said.
Going long
Arkansas shortstop Tim Carver, a redshirt junior from Fayetteville, was batting .198 when he came to plate on Sunday with one out in the bottom of the fourth inning and Jarrod McKinney on third.
Razorbacks Coach Dave Van Horn called for a suicide squeeze on the first pitch from LSU reliever Tyler Jones, and Carver missed the low and away slider, but McKinney was able to dive safely back into third.
Van Horn then had a brief meeting with Carver, telling him the slider would be tough to bunt and to swing away.
Sports, Pages 15 on 04/11/2011