TAT: 5 Keys to a Razorback Victory Over Tigers

This article originally appeared in the April 11, 2013 issue of The Arkansas Traveler.

1. Cut Down On Errors

Despite being ranked in or near the top 10 all year, Arkansas’ fielding has been subpar.

Through 34 games, the Razorbacks have committed 58 errors, an average of 1.71 errors per game. Their .960 fielding percentage entering the week is last in the Southeastern Conference and 205th out of 296 Division I teams.

With a team like LSU coming into town, Arkansas will need to cut down on their errors. LSU’s .317 batting average, .465 slugging percentage and .407 on base percentage are first in the SEC and 10th, eighth and 15th in the country, respectively.

The Tigers will not have a problem getting on base, so the Razorbacks don’t need to help them out by giving them free base runners because of errors.

The more base runners LSU gets, the more runs they’ll be able to score and it will be more likely they’ll win.

In Arkansas’ 10 losses this season, they have committed an average of three errors per game compared to the 1.17 errors they average per win.

If the Razorbacks’ streak of 15 consecutive regular season SEC games with an error continues, they will lose the series.

2. Play Small-ball

Head coach Dave Van Horn emphasized playing small-ball during Arkansas’ nonconference schedule, and it seems to be paying off in SEC play.

Junior Jacob Morris laid down a squeeze bunt with two strikes and two outs in the second game of the South Carolina series to score the second run of the game, which Arkansas won 4-2.

In game one of the Alabama series, Arkansas’ first run came on another squeeze bunt by Morris. The Razorbacks won that game 3-1.

As a team, the Razorbacks have laid down 26 sacrifice bunts, which is fourth in the SEC, and collected 14 sacrifice flies.

Sophomore Joe Serrano leads the team and is eighth in the SEC with seven sacrifice bunts. Laying down sacrifice and squeeze bunts will be vital this weekend, as runs will be at a premium.

LSU’s 2.44 team ERA is eighth in the country and they are led by junior Ryan Eades. Eades is one of nine undefeated pitchers with at least seven wins and his 1.30 ERA is 35th in the country.

When Arkansas is lucky enough to get a runner on base, they will need to play small-ball to manufacture some runs.

3. Get Timely Hits

Arkansas’ offense has hit the ball consistently; however, they have sometimes struggled finding the clutch hits to score runs.

They have left 287 runners on base for an average of 8.44 per game, which is the third worst in the SEC.

When the Razorbacks get runners on base and use small-ball to advance them into scoring position, they must come through with a hit to knock them in. Not getting a timely hit has already cost them a couple times this season.

Against Arizona State Feb. 28, Arkansas left the bases loaded twice and lost the game 3-2. They also left the bases loaded in losses to Ole Miss and New Mexico.

Arkansas won’t get very many scoring opportunities against LSU’s pitching staff, so when they do get runners in scoring position, they need to capitalize on it.

4. Mason Katz

LSU senior Mason Katz is arguably the best player in college baseball. He is batting .436, slugging .863 and has an on-base percentage of .518, which is seventh, second and ninth in the country, respectively.

His 13 home runs are second most in the country and his 55 RBIs are the most, 11 ahead of any other player. Arkansas pitchers have dominated every team they have faced, but they have not faced a player like Katz.

If they make a mistake and hang a pitch over the plate, Katz will make them pay. They must look back on matchups with similar players in order to figure out the best way to pitch him. Mississippi State’s Hunter Renfroe, who is 17th in the country with a .417 batting average, went 4-for-4 against Arkansas in game one of their series.

On his fifth plate appearance, in the ninth inning of a one-run game, the Razorbacks elected to intentionally walk Renfroe and load the bases.

The gamble paid off, and they won the game. They also intentionally walked New Mexico’s D.J. Peterson, who is 20th in the country with a .420 batting average, in a critical situation during a game Arkansas ultimately won.

With a player like Katz that can change the game with one swing of the bat, Arkansas must pitch carefully to him and can’t be afraid to intentionally walk him.

5. Pitch Like You Can

The story of the season for the Razorbacks has been their pitching staff. Their 1.59 ERA, 1.01 WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched) and 6.17 hits allowed per nine innings are the best in the country.

To stand a chance against an LSU lineup that features five batters with a batting average of at least .320, Arkansas is going to have to pitch like their statistics show.

It all starts with the starting rotation. Juniors Barrett Astin and Ryne Stanek, as well as senior Randall Fant, will need to bring their best performances of the season.

Stanek is 3-2 with a 1.90 ERA and is looking to have a similar outing against the Tigers as last year, when he gave up one earned run and six hits while striking out 10 in seven innings, picking up a no-decision.

Astin is 2-1 with a 2.31 ERA and is seeking revenge for his performance last year. After giving up the game-winning run in the ninth inning of game two of the LSU series, he gave up the game-winning run in the 11th inning of game three.

Fant (2-1, 1.71 ERA) last faced the Tigers in 2011, giving up three earned runs, two walks and four hits in 5.1 innings of work.

The Razorbacks will also need solid performances from veteran relievers, such as juniors Colby Suggs and Brandon Moore and senior Trent Daniel.

After struggling in his first seven appearances, giving up three earned runs and 11 walks in 6.1 innings, Suggs has settled into the closer role in his last four appearances, picking up four saves while allowing no earned runs and only one hit.