Top-ranked Arkansas heads to Tuscaloosa to battle new-look Alabama squad

BY DUDLEY E. DAWSON

FAYETTEVILLE – An Arkansas baseball team that hasn’t lost at home in almost two months will hit the road – a place it last lost a game – this weekend looking to continue its record-setting run.

The No. 1 Razorbacks (29-3, 11-1) travel to face No. 25 Alabama (22-11, 4-8) in a three-game series beginning Friday night at 6 p.m. inside Sewell-Thomas Stadium, better known as The Joe.

All three games will be streamed by SEC Network +.

Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn doesn’t think his team has peaked despite riding a 23-game home winning, a 10-game overall one and having the best 32-game start in school history.

“You can ask the players, I don’t think we’re near what we’re going to be, I think we can be a lot better than we are,” Van Horn said. “Maybe not on the mound so much, but offensively 1-9 I think our lineup can be stronger.

“We’re tough outs and we take walks and we have runners on, but we have guys that are going to swing the bat better. I really believe that, so I wouldn’t even think we’re close to peaking yet.”

That 23-game home winning streak is the most ever at Baum Walker-Stadium and four shy of the school record of 27 at George Cole Field in the 1984 and 1985 seasons.

Much has changed with the Crimson Tide since last season, when head coach Brad Bohannon was fired after gambling accusations surfaced.

He was also suspended by the NCAA for five years as part of a 15-year show cause order after it was determined he provided information to a gambler who used it to make illegal wagers against the Crimson Tide.

Bohannon was replaced by Rob Vaughn, who had been head coach at Maryland from 2018-2023 after being as assistant there and Kansas State.

“I don’t know Rob real well,” Van Horn said. “He’s more of a guy that my assistants know real well from being out on the road with him because he was a longtime assistant.

“I know they got off to an extremely hot start. They’ve got some good players that were still in the program when he got the job. He brought some with him. They got into the portal and got some, and they’ve been solid. I’ve heard nothing but good things about him.”

Arkansas took two off three from Alabama in Fayetteville last season, getting beat 12-1 on Friday night before bouncing back to win Saturday and Sunday.

The Razorbacks have been the nation’s consensus top-ranked team for the last five weeks.

“There’s no secret,” Vaughn said. “They are number one in the country for a reason and pretty unanimously. It is a really, really good pitching staff and they have got Dave – Van Horn. That guy’s just a winner.

“I think a lot of the coaches that I grew up under coached under Coach Van Horn at some point. That’s why they have always said – when he has the best team he wins and when he has the worst team he still wins. That’s just the kind of coach he is.

“They are going to be really prepared. There is a lot of firepower on the mound and there is some power at the plate.”

Alabama was swept at No. 12 Kentucky last weekend and lost 5-4 to visiting South Alabama on Tuesday.

“It is just a great opportunity for us,” Vaughn said. “It’s no secret we didn’t play awesome baseball last week, but that’s the beauty of this league. You just get back in the saddle on Friday.”

“Yeah, I can remember from last year,” Stovall said. “They’re a really talented team. They were an older team. I don’t know if they are this year but it’s going to be tough. It does not matter who you play in the SEC, going on the road in the SEC is super tough.”

Friday night’s game will be just Arkansas’ fourth true road game this season with the Razorbacks having down Auburn twice before the Tigers rallied to win 8-6 on March 23 and keep from getting swept.

“You look at Auburn’s record, the record doesn’t show it but they’re a very good ball club,” Arkansas second baseman Peyton Stovall said.  “Being able to go there and take two out of three is tough and so it is going to be a challenge. Looking forward to it. It’s going to be fun man. We’re looking forward to it and can’t wait to get down there.”

Stovall thinks some of his younger teammates will feel more comfortable on the road this time around.

“I go back and think about the Auburn series,” Stovall said. “Especially on the mound, there was some guys that got into some high leverage situations that made us better down the road.

“Even now, (Cooper) Dossett had some high leverage innings that he pitched well in. But I think we just need to stick to one game at a time. There’s some stuff within our team that we maybe don’t think about.

“But it’s going to help. With this being the second conference week on the road, I guess it may not be as nerve-racking for first time guys. The first one was but we’re looking forward to it and it’s going to be fun.”

Arkansas plans to send its normal weekend starting trio of Hagen Smith (6-0, 1.76 ETA), Mason Molina (3-0, 3.38) and Brady Tygart (3-0, 2.70) at Alabama.

Smith will go against Alabama ace and fellow righty Ben Hess (3-2, 6.03), Molina is set to face Greg Farone (1-1, 3.28) Saturday at 5 p.m. in a match up of left handers while the Crimson Tide have not announced who will face Tygart (3-0, 2.70)on Sunday at 1 p.m.

“He’s good,” Van Horn said of Hess. “Velocity fluctuated a little bit. Was throwing really hard early in the year. I don’t know if he’s sticking with that, but I can’t really go into detail right now. Have to go back and look at some stuff on him.

“He’s very talented like all the SEC Friday night pitchers man, you got to hit some mistakes and try to put together some good at-bats and score.”

Photo by John D. James