Hogs get defending champions in Gainesville

Arkansas shortstop Jax Biggers reaches second base while Florida shortstop Christian Hicks fields a throw during a game Saturday, May 27, 2017, at the SEC Tournament in Hoover, Ala.
Arkansas shortstop Jax Biggers reaches second base while Florida shortstop Christian Hicks fields a throw during a game Saturday, May 27, 2017, at the SEC Tournament in Hoover, Ala.

FAYETTEVILLE -- The No. 4 Arkansas baseball team enters a treacherous stretch of its schedule this weekend with a rare top-five matchup at No. 2 Florida, starting today at 5:30 p.m. Central at McKethan Stadium in Gainesville, Fla.

The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville (16-5, 3-0 SEC) vaulted six spots in the USA Today coaches poll this week, but had its six-game winning streak snapped in Wednesday's 6-3 loss at UNC-Charlotte to open an eight-game road trip.

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ARKANSAS BASEBALL

at Florida

WHEN 5:30 p.m. Central, today

WHERE McKethan Stadium, Gainesville, Fla.

RECORDS No. 4 Arkansas 16-5, 3-0 SEC; No. 2 Florida 19-4, 2-1

STARTING PITCHERS Arkansas RHP Blaine Knight (3-0, 1.30 ERA); Florida RHP Brady Singer (5-0, 1.97)

SERIES Florida leads 30-29 overall

LAST MEETING Arkansas won 16-0 (7 innings) at the SEC Tournament, May 27

COACHES Dave Van Horn (611-348 in 16th year at Arkansas, 1,196-588 in 30th year overall); Kevin O’Sullivan (449-208 in 11th year at Florida and overall)

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

TV None

SHORT HOPS

Luke Bonfield has taken over the team batting lead at .377, ahead of freshmen Casey Martin (.369 and Heston Kjerstad (.366) and junior Eric Cole (.365). … Arkansas is tied for first in the SEC in team batting average (.321), third in team ERA (2.66) and tied for 13th in team fielding percentage (.970). … Florida is 10th in the SEC team batting average (.294), fifth in team ERA (2.91) and first in team fielding percentage (.985). … Florida swept the last series between the teams at Baum Stadium on April 14-16, 2016. … Arkansas sophomore RHP Isaiah Campbell (2-2, 1.73 ERA) is scheduled to start Saturday’s game against RHP Jackson Cowar (3-1, 3.16), who allowed 5 earned runs in 5 innings of a 15-7 loss to South Carolina last week. … Saturday’s game is scheduled for an ESPN2 broadcast, and Sunday’s 11 a.m. game is on the SEC Network. … Dave Van Horn has not announced a Sunday starter, though LHP Kacey Murphy (3-0, 1.69 ERA) is a strong candidate to face RHP Tyler Dyson (4-1, 1.48). … The last top 5 matchup at McKethan Stadium came on April 1-3, 2016, when No. 3 Florida swept three games from No. 1 Texas A&M.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

TODAY at Florida*, 5:30 p.m.

SATURDAY at Florida*, 11 a.m. (ESPN2)

SUNDAY at Florida*, 11 a.m. (SEC Network)

MONDAY Off

TUESDAY vs. Memphis#

WEDNESDAY Off

THURSDAY at Ole Miss*, 6:30 p.m.

*SEC game

AutoZone Park, Memphis

The Razorbacks failed to build on a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning due to a base-running gaffe and committed three errors, hit a batter and threw a wild pitch during UNCC's three-run eighth inning.

"We just felt like we made some mistakes," Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said. "We've got to move on and learn from this game, get down to Florida ... regroup a little bit and get ready to play the No. 1 [2] ranked team in the country. You can't make too many mistakes against these guys or they'll beat you."

The defending national champion Gators (19-4, 2-1) crushed Jacksonville University 10-3 on Wednesday.

Two of the nation's top right-handed hurlers will open the series, with Arkansas junior Blaine Knight (3-0, 1.30 ERA) taking on Florida junior Brady Singer (5-0, 1.97), who has won all five of his starts.

The Gators have given Singer plenty of run support, outscoring opponents 42-12. Singer has allowed 24 hits, 5 walks and 7 runs while striking out 32 in 32 innings.

Arkansas has outscored its opponents 37-12 in Knight's starts, which include no-decisions in a 4-3 loss to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and in last week's 9-4 victory over Kentucky. Knight came out with a lead after 4 1/3 innings with the bases loaded, two innings after taking a shot off his left ankle.

Van Horn said Knight's ankle was bruised Sunday but that he was able to put weight on his leg and should be ready to pitch today.

The Gators are 14-1 at home, the only loss coming in a 4-2 setback against Central Florida on March 7 as the Golden Knights completed a two-game mid-week sweep at home and on the road.

In Wednesday's rout of Jacksonville, Florida racked up 15 hits, including home runs by Wil Dalton, J.J. Schwarz and Blake Reese.

Arkansas is trying to recreate the momentum from last weekend's sweep of Kentucky, which featured 39 runs and 13 home runs.

"I think we've found a lineup we really like and an order to it, no doubt," Arkansas hitting coach Nate Thompson said. "I feel like the offense, there's just no real hole in it. If we go up there with the right mentality and right approach and play our game and swing at strikes, and don't get ourselves out by going out of the zone, then it's a really hard lineup to deal with one through nine."

Arkansas' 41 home runs rank second in the nation behind Tennessee Tech's 44, and Florida's 33 home runs rank third in the SEC and tied for fifth nationally.

"We feel like we can compete, which we do with everybody, then we're going to hit our share too," Van Horn said when asked of Florida's home run prowess. "They're more of a team that hits home runs this year. In the past they pitched well and played great defense and bunted people around. ... So a little bit different style for Florida offensively this year."

Arkansas eliminated the Gators from last year's SEC Tournament by a 16-0 count in seven innings last May 27. The Razorbacks jumped on Singer for 8 runs on 7 hits and 2 walks before he could record four outs.

Left-hander Kacey Murphy threw a complete game that day, allowing two hits and three walks.

The Gators went 10-3 the rest of the way, claiming their first College World Series title with 4-3 and 6-1 victories over LSU in the championship round in Omaha, Neb.

Arkansas sophomore Isaiah Campbell (2-2, 1.73 ERA) is scheduled to start Saturday's 11 a.m. game against right-hander Jackson Cowar (3-1, 3.16), which will be broadcast on ESPN2.

The Razorbacks have not announced a Sunday starter after using five different pitchers in that role. Murphy (3-0, 1.69) picked up a victory in relief of Kole Ramage last Sunday against Kentucky.

"We're going to try to do whatever we've got to do to win a ballgame," Arkansas pitching coach Wes Johnson said. "If that means bringing Murphy in to throw Friday or Saturday, we're going to do it and we'll figure out Sunday when we get there."

Matt Jones of WholeHogSports.com contributed information for this article.

Sports on 03/23/2018

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