Root gets starting pitching nod for Diamond Hogs in Friday’s 2 p.m. SEC opener at Ole Miss

BY DUDLEY E. DAWSON

FAYETTEVILLE – It turns out that No. 3 Arkansas will begin SEC action a few hours earlier than expected and will do so with a new Friday starting pitcher.

Razorback head coach Dave Van Horn announced Thursday that East Carolina transfer Zach Root (2-0, 4.11 ERA) will get the opening nod at No. 13 Ole Miss.

The Razorbacks (16-1) and Rebels (14-2) will meet Friday at 2 p.m., a first pitch time bumped up from 6:30 due to the threat of inclement weather.
Arkansas has won 12 games in row while Ole Miss’ 13-game winning streak was ended with a 14-5 loss to South Alabama on Tuesday.

“Once you get to winning a little bit, you feel like you are going to win,” Van Horn said. “That program is a winning program, obviously. We know that we’ve got our hands full. Anytime you go on the road in the SEC, you got your hands full. Realistically, it’s every weekend.”

Ole Miss plans to start junior left-hander (3-0, 1.86) on Friday afternoon.

Elliott was named the national pitcher of the year month for Feb. after missing almost two full years after Tommy John surgery.

Root will get the nod over Arkansas sophomore Gabe Gaeckle (x-x, x.xx), who has given up a combined x runs in the first inning of his last two starts.

Root has been solid in his last two starts, and said the didn’t feel any added pressure with Gaeckle’s early struggles.

“I wouldn’t really say there’s any pressure because, in my opinion, we have one of the best bullpens in the country,” Root said. “It’s just arm after arm.

“Seeing Gaeckle out there kind of get hit around, obviously it’s probably the worst he’s ever going to pitch.

“He’s a Friday guy on the best pitching staff in the country for a reason, so he’s going to go out next weekend and get back on it. Like I said, going out there and giving the team all I can and put them in a place to win.”

Van Horn still has faith in Gaeckle (1-0, 6.16), who will will start Saturday’s 1:30 game for the Razorbacks while Ohio State southpaw transfer Landon Beidelschies (3-0, 2.37) is slated to open Sunday’s 1:30 p.m. series finale.

All the games will stream on SEC Network+ with Jake Hromada (play-by-play), Keith Kessinger (analyst) and Loral Winn (reporter) on the call.

“I think he’s ready to pitch in the SEC,” Van Horn said of Gaeckle. “He did it all last year. He stuck it to our team, and we can hit pretty good, in the fall.

“Whether he pitches on Sunday or Saturday or Friday, it doesn’t matter to me. To me, it’s all the same. It’s one game. You either win or lose it and it doesn’t matter if it’s Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

“He’s ready to pitch. Every time we give him the ball, he’s ready to pitch. Sometimes it doesn’t go great, but that’s anybody. But he can pitch.”

Elliott had 700 days between starts for Ole Miss and was sparkling in his return, matching a career-high by striking out 10 in six scoreless innings.

He has allowed only four runs in 19 1/3 innings.

Elliott, whose father Wally played baseball at UCA, has fanned 25, walked 11 and allowed 11 hits

Van Horn noted his staff would study tape of Elliott as a freshman and his starts this season.

“We’ll watch both,” Van Horn said. “Then and now, and see if there is a difference. He’s coming off arm surgery.

“He’s got some intangibles too. He’s tough, he’s been through it a little bit. You try to evaluate it the best you can through watching him pitch and video and technology and everything else.

“Bottom line, you got to go out there and find a way to score on him. He’s tough to score on.”  

Photo by John D. James