Athens trip crucial for Arkansas

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas’ baseball team knows what lies ahead in its quest to win the SEC West.

That is why Arkansas (28-11, 9-9 SEC) can’t afford many more missteps as it begins a three-game series at Georgia (22-20, 11-7) tonight.

The No. 16 Razorbacks had battled to get back in the thick of the SEC West race this season after losing itsfirst three SEC series, but it began the second half of conference play by dropping 2 of 3 games last weekend to Kentucky, which has the worst record in the conference.

Arkansas is still in a three-way tie for first place in the SEC West with Auburn and Ole Miss, but a series loss to Georgia this weekend would greatly damage the Razorbacks’ chances of winning the division. The Razorbacks still must face Florida and South Carolina, which are both ranked in the top five,before closing out the SEC season against Ole Miss.

“If we had gone out to Kentucky and won the series, or swept them, it would be a lot different situation for us,” Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said. “Now it’s crucial. If we want to stay in the race in the Western Division, we’ve got to win this series.

“Looking at the schedule, I feel like we’ve got the toughest road. It’s really going to be about who gets hot down the stretch.”

Arkansas will face Georgia without the benefit of playing a midweek game. The Razorbacks were scheduled to host Saint Louis on Tuesday at Baum Stadium, but that game was canceled because of lightning and the threat of rain.

Georgia took 2 of 3 from Tennessee last weekend, then added to its momentum Tuesday by beating Georgia Tech 6-4 before 18,156 fans at Turner Field in Atlanta. The Bulldogs have won four of their six SEC series, with the only two losses coming against South Carolina and Florida, which are tied with Vanderbilt atop the SEC East.

Arkansas pounded Georgia for 43 hits and 33 runs last year while completing a three-game sweep over the Bulldogs at Baum Stadium. But Georgia’s pitching is much-improved from a year ago, when the Bulldogs allowed a whopping 8.51 runs per game.

Georgia starting pitchers Alex Wood and Michael Palazzone are a combined 11-5 this season, and closer Tyler Maloof leads the SEC with 14 saves. Wood, a left-hander, will open the series tonight against Arkansas right-hander DJ Baxendale.

“Wood and Palazzone eat up a lot of innings, and Maloof is 14 of 14 in save opportunities, which is incredible,” Georgia Coach Dave Perno said. “We wouldn’t be where we are right now without them.”

Georgia is strong up the middle with shortstop Kyle Farmer, second baseman Levi Hyams and center fielder Zach Cone, who was selected as a preseason All-Americaby Baseball America. Hyams leads Georgia with a .345 batting average, Farmer leads the Bulldogs with 6 home runs and 44 RBI, and Cone is 11 for 11 in stolen bases and is hitting .286.

Arkansas batted just .202 in four games last week. The Razorbacks are hitting .269 for the season, and their struggles at the plate were the primary reason for the series loss at Kentucky.

WEEKEND MATCHUP

Arkansas at Georgia Today-Sunday, Foley Field, Athens, Ga.

ARKANSAS (28-11, 9-9 SEC) PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP POS. NAME KEY STATS C J. McCann .305, 6 HR, 24 RBI 1B D. Ficociello .328, 13 2B, 31 RBI 2B B. Bigham .279, 24 runs, 2 3B 3B M. Reynolds .260, 2 HR, 17 RBI SS T. Carver .214, 17 runs, 11 SB LF J. Rice .167, 2 runs, 2 RBI CF C. Kuhn .281, 24 runs, 14 SB RF J. McKinney .299, 7 2B, 2 3B DH K. Robinson .313, 7 HR, 34 RBI P DJ Baxendale 5-1, 1.54 ERAGEORGIA (22-20, 11-7 SEC) PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP POS. NAME KEY STATS C J. Delmonico .236, 2 2B, 3 RBI 1B J. Hester .296, 4 HR, 17 RBI 2B L. Hyams .345, 11 2B, 31 runs 3B C. Powell .274, 1 HR, 11 RBI SS K. Farmer .302, 6 HR, 44 RBI LF P. Verdin .228, 16 runs, 11 SB CF Z. Cone .286, 2 HR, 11 SB RF K. Ruiz .228, 1 HR, 16 RBI DH B. DeLoach .286, 3 HR, 20 RBI P A. Wood 4-4, 4.15 ERASeries breakdown

It’s highly unlikely Arkansas can lose 2 of 3 games again this weekend and still win the SEC West.

That’s how important this series is for Arkansas, which still has to face Florida, South Carolina and Mississippi down the stretch.

Arkansas stumbled badly by losing 2 of 3 games last weekend at Kentucky, which had won only 2 of 13 SEC games before the series began. Now, the Razorbacks must steal a series victory at Georgia, which has won four of its six SEC series.

DJ Baxendale is expected to return to the mound tonight for Arkansas, which has developed a fine young pitching staff. But the Razorbacks need much more help from an offense whose collective average has dipped to .269 for the season.

Arkansas has had several late-inning comebacks, but the ability to take control early has been mostly missing this season.

Baxendale has been bothered by a blister on his throwing hand, but the fact he is willing to try again reinforces how important this series is for Arkansas.

Georgia is good, but Arkansas has shown enough grit to win a series it must have to remain in the race for a division championship.

PREDICTION Arkansas wins the series, 2-1.

- Rick Fires

Razorbacks at a glance

ARKANSAS AT GEORGIAWHEN 5:30 p.m. Central today WHERE Foley Field, Athens, Ga.

RECORDS Arkansas 28-11, 9-9 SEC. Georgia 22-20, 11-7 SEC.

RADIO RSP statewide radio network, which includes KQSM-FM, 92.1, in Fayetteville; KURM-AM, 790, and KURM-FM, 100.3, in Bentonville-Rogers; KABZ-FM, 103.7, in Little Rock; KASR-FM, 92.7, in Conway; KHGG-FM, 103.1, in Fort Smith;

KELD-FM, 106.5, in El Dorado; and KOMT-FM, 107.5, in Mountain Home.

Not all games will be carried by affiliates.

Check local listings.

INTERNET www.arkansasrazorbacks.com (go to Razorvision link).

PITCHING MATCHUPS Arkansas: DJ Baxendale (RHP, 5-1, 1.54 ERA). Georgia: Alex Wood (LHP, 4-4, 4.15 ERA).

Baxendale will try again after being limited recently by a blister on his throwing hand. He missed a start against Mississippi State and lasted only twoinnings in his last appearance against Kentucky.

SHORT HOPS Arkansas is scheduled to play eight games over the next nine days. ... Levi Hyams leads Georgia with a .345 average. ... Arkansas hits .269 as a team, and the Razorbacks have a 3.09 ERA. ... Georgia’s Kyle Farmer leads the SEC with 44 RBI. ... Georgia hits .278 as a team, and the Bulldogs have a 4.68 ERA. ... Arkansas won three games from Georgia last season and holds a 23-17 lead in the all-time series.

- Rick Fires

THE WEEK AHEAD

TODAY at Georgia, 5:30 p.m.

SATURDAY at Georgia, noon SUNDAY at Georgia, 1 p.m.

MONDAY off TUESDAY vs. SE Mo. St., 6:35 p.m.

WEDNESDAY vs. SE Mo. St., 6:30 p.m.

THURSDAY vs. Florida, 6:30 p.m.

Sports, Pages 21 on 04/29/2011

Print Headline: Athens trip crucial for Arkansas