Arkansas looks for SEC lead

Arkansas first baseman Clark Eagan is tagged out by Creighton shortstop Nicky Lopez Tuesday, April 19, 2016, during the first inning at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville.
Arkansas first baseman Clark Eagan is tagged out by Creighton shortstop Nicky Lopez Tuesday, April 19, 2016, during the first inning at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn won't complain if the Razorbacks score first against Kentucky tonight when the teams open a three-game SEC series at Cliff Hagan Stadium.

"It'd be great," Van Horn said. "But the best thing would be if we had a lead when the game was over.

Today’s game

ARKANSAS AT KENTUCKY

WHEN 6 p.m. Central

WHERE Cliff Hagan Stadium, Lexington, Ky.

RECORDS Arkansas 22-15, 4-11 SEC; Kentucky 23-13, 9-6

SERIES Arkansas leads 37-24

RADIO Razorback Sports Network statewide network. Not all games will be carried by all affiliates. Check local listings.

TELEVISION SEC Network

"That's more important to me. We just need to win a game."

Arkansas (22-15, 4-11 SEC) hasn't led in any inning during its eight-game conference losing streak, which includes two losses to Missouri and sweeps by Ole Miss and Florida.

The Razorbacks looked like they might finally get a lead against No. 2 Florida on Saturday when they loaded the bases with no outs in the second inning, but they couldn't score. The Gators won 8-2 after breaking a scoreless tie with six runs in the sixth inning.

"I think it's important for the offense and the pitching to get that weight off everyone's shoulders," Arkansas first baseman Clark Eagan said of getting ahead. "It seems like in those big situations early, we get tensed up a little bit wanting to get the job done.

"So if we can break through early, I think it'll loosen everyone up a little bit -- the bats and the pitchers -- and we'll just be able to roll."

Scoring on Kentucky's experienced starting rotation of seniors Kyle Cody and Zach Brown and junior Dustin Beggs doesn't figure to be easy. The trio combined to hold Vanderbilt to four runs in 20 2/3 innings last weekend when the No. 5 Commodores beat the Wildcats two of three games.

"From a pitching standpoint, they have as good a rotation as anybody in the country if you're going 1, 2 and 3," Van Horn said. "A lot of teams will have one big-time guy, two guys, but not three usually that are that quality."

Brown (2-6, 6.08 ERA) will start for Kentucky tonight followed by Beggs (7-0, 2.27 ERA) Friday and Cody (4-2, 4.20 ERA) Saturday.

Cody, who pitched seven innings in a 3-0 victory at Vanderbilt, was the No. 73 overall pick in the MLB Draft last summer by the Minnesota Twins. He turned down an assigned signing bonus reported to be $839,700 to return to Kentucky.

"Incredible," Van Horn said.

Arkansas will start Dominic Taccolini (3-2, 5.57), Zach Jackson (2-4, 5.01 ERA) and Keaton McKinney (1-2, 6.31).

"They've got front-line guys," Kentucky Coach Gary Henderson said. "I know they've been a little up and down, but they're talented kids.

"That's who they get to go to school there. In the short term, the game's been rough for them, but you certainly respect everyone in our league, and you know at any point in time, you're going to be in a 2-2 game in the eighth."

The Wildcats (23-13, 9-6) lost 7-6 at No. 4 Louisville on Tuesday night after blowing a 5-1 lead in the seventh inning.

"As you look at what we've done through the course of the year, we've bounced back pretty well," Henderson said. "I would expect us to do the same."

The Razorbacks, who beat Big East Conference-leading Creighton 6-2 Tuesday night, are hitting the reset button on their season with tonight's game, which marks the start of the second half of the SEC schedule.

"The first half's over with, and there's nothing we can do about it," Eagan said. "We can't get any of those wins back.

"We're just taking it as the start of a new season. Every game is opening day."

Arkansas needs a strong finish to have a shot to play in the NCAA Tournament for the 15th consecutive season, but Van Horn isn't emphasizing that to his players. He wants to keep the Razorbacks loose.

"Let's win as many as we can, starting with [tonight's] game and go from there," Van Horn said of his message to the team. "Try not to look too far down the road. Don't get all stressed about it.

"We just have to go forward from here, and that's what we're trying to do."

Henderson said Arkansas is a dangerous opponent despite its SEC struggles.

"I know it's Dave Van Horn's team, and they will compete really well," Henderson said. "It's Arkansas, and they'll be good."

Sports on 04/21/2016

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