Van Horn, Vitello size up Super Regional matchup

BY DUDLEY E. DAWSON

FAYETTEVILLE – A day ahead of press conferences previewing the NCAA Tournament Super Regional between Arkansas and Tennessee, Razorback head baseball coach Dave Van Horn hit the Sirius/XM airways Thursday.

Van Horn appeared on SEC This Morning with Alyssa Lang and Chris Doering to talk about the match up between Arkansas (46-13) and Tennessee (46-17).


The best 2 of 3 series begins Saturday at 4 p.m. at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville with a trip to the College World Series on the line.

it will be televised by ESPN.

“It would be 80 percent of we just need to do what we do well,” Van Horn said of how his team is preparing. “You just don’t want the players to kind of think that the coaches are in a little bit of a manic mode because are doing some kind of stuff we haven’t done all year.

“Just keep doing what you are doing and try to be as prepared as you can for the team coming in. “

Arkansas took two of three from Tennessee on May 15-17 in Fayetteville and has won 11 of the last 13 in the series man and 14 of the last 17.

The last time Tennessee won a series in Arkansas was 1996.

“And in this case, we played them in a three-game series,” Van Horn sai. “ We’ve saw them play a game in the (SEC) Tournament.

“We know what they do. We know what they do well and that’s pitch and score. And we know what we so well.

“If both teams are doing that well (this weekend) it is going to be an incredible series. The atmosphere is going to be electric.”

Van Horn also offered up a weather report.

“The weather here this week had been in and out rain, wind and being warm with storms,” Van Horn noted. “But once we get through Friday night, it looks like nice – upper 70s, 80 degrees.

“…Offensively both teams won’t be stopped by the weather so to speak. It’s going to be a little nutty.”

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Tennessee head coach and former Arkansas assistant Tony Vitello had a press conference to discuss the series.

The Vols have been to five straight Super Regionals are the defending national champions.

The Razorbacks, the highest remaining seed in the tournament, have been to a nation’s best 3 of 6 College World Series and join the Vols two of college baseball’s elite programs.

“We got work to do, they’re good,” Vitello said. “I mean, if I’m not mistaken, by default, or as we now stand, they’re the No. 1 seed or the favorite to win the whole thing. So, they’re good. We knew that, learned that last time. That hasn’t changed.

“I know as well as anyone that it’s a rowdy environment to play in and they’ll probably kick it up a notch this time of year, as our fans did last year. It’s an SEC series. Just has different labels to it for circumstances that follow and definitely circumstances that precede it.”

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Tennessee will be without starting catcher Cannon Peebles in the first game of the series after he was ejected in the Vols’ 11-5 win over Wake Forrest in the Knoxville Regional championship game.

He will be replaced by back up Stone Lawless.

“I fully understand it’s not exactly an SEC conference series, but it’s an SEC series, and he’s caught in SEC games and we’ve won some of those games, too,” Vitello said. “So, he’s prepared.

“And then with his work ethic, that was one of my favorite things about last year’s group, and he was a part of it, it just was a culture Coach (Josh) E(lander) has created with the catchers, is you put in extra work, and when you are working, you have an intent approach to it. So, he’s a part of that group.

“So, I’d kind of say the same thing about anyone, but yeah, you mentioned the teammate factor, there is a little bit of a difference there with Stone.

“And on top of the fact, I think he’s prepared, you’re not going to find a coach when I go back to the office, the whole staff is going to be up there, you’re not going to find somebody that’s not excited to see him play.

“And I guess equally, I could say if you wanted to tap any of our pitchers on the shoulder before they get on the bus tomorrow, you’re not going to find one that’s not excited to throw to him or willing to throw to him and enjoy that camaraderie that’s there.”

Photo by John D. James