Razorbacks encouraged by what's ahead in spring

Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn speaks during a press conference Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2015 at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville.
Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn speaks during a press conference Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2015 at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Dave Van Horn and his Arkansas Razorbacks have a sunny outlook on the 2015 season, much like the unseasonably warm weather and bright skies that blanketed Northwest Arkansas early this week.

"Spring practice has gone great so far, and thank goodness we've had great weather," Van Horn said Wednesday during Arkansas' annual media day. "That's been a major plus."

"I think our team is definitely better and deeper this year offensively," sophomore outfielder Andrew Benintendi said. "Our pitching is always going to be there."

Still, just as there will be frigid days and windy conditions between now and the heat of the SEC baseball season, the Razorbacks know they will have their trials with an almost-new starting rotation and a vastly revamped bullpen while facing one of the nation's toughest schedules.

Ace right-hander Trey Killian is just now resuming his normal regimen after being shut down with tenderness in his pitching arm that is related to the tendinitis that cut short his summer with the USA Collegiate National team led by Van Horn.

"We're taking it easy, don't want to rush anything and start another injury back up," Killian said. "I'm not feeling any pain, so we're going to take it easy and go slow into this thing, make sure I'm 100 percent."

Killian, the Friday night starter most of last season, is the only pitcher back from Arkansas' weekend rotation.

Additionally, presumed leadoff hitter and first baseman Clark Eagan hyperextended his left shoulder on a slide into second base Saturday and will miss most of this week.

"We have a few guys banged up, but nothing major," Van Horn said.

"Hopefully I'll be back by Friday or Saturday," Eagan said. "It's already feeling way better than it did Saturday, so I'm feeling pretty good about it. Not too worried."

Senior outfielder Joe Serrano said the lowered seams on the baseballs and more lively bats should work to Arkansas' advantage.

"I think we're going to be a more offensive team, probably the best offensive team since I've been here," said Serrano, who hit a three-run home run off closer Jacob Stone in the team's first scrimmage last Friday. "I think pitching is pretty much going to do what they do every year. They're going to go out and compete hard and give us a chance to win.

"It's time for the offense to step up and show that we have their backs."

Arkansas finished 40-25 last year and played in its 13th consecutive NCAA regional, propelled by a pitching staff that ranked No. 15 in the nation with a 2.63 earned run average.

Right-handed sophomores Zach Jackson and Dominic Taccolini, both relievers last year, entered preseason workouts with a slight edge over sophomore James Teague and freshman Keaton McKinney for weekend assignments, with a lot of question marks between the starters and Stone, the returning relief ace at the back of the bullpen.

"I went up to the Northwoods League in the summer, and that's what I was practicing for," said Jackson, who also got a start against Virginia in the Razorbacks' final game last June. "Hopefully that's what the coaches want me to do and I can come through for them."

Veteran Arkansas pitching coach Dave Jorn said he's seen nice improvement from Jackson, Taccolini and Teague.

"Those are three guys that ... have been through the program for a year and I've seen some major improvements from them as far as maturity and expectations," Jorn said. "I mean, they're comfortable with who they are and what the program's all about and what the expectations are. They went out and had a good summers. They've thrown the ball well.

"We're pretty pleased with where they're at right now."

The Razorbacks got a strong influx of freshmen and junior college talent in what was rated the No. 1 signing class by Perfect Game. The right-handed starter McKinney, junior college signee catcher Tucker Pennell, freshman left-hander Kyle Pate from Fayetteville, freshman outfielder Luke Bonfield, and junior infielders Rick Nomura and Max Hogan could all factor in prominently.

The starting outfield of Tyler Spoon of Van Buren, Serrano and Benintendi returns, as do infielders Michael Bernal and Bobby Wernes and shortstop Brett McAfee, who missed 50 games with back problems last year.

"I think we'd score more runs with last year's ball with this team," Van Horn said. "It's going to be a good game ball. I feel like you'll see across the board nationally, there's going to be a lot more home runs and extra-base hits and scoring in general."

Sports on 01/29/2015

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