Arkansas Baseball Update
Week 4: 4-1
Overall Record: 13-1
At the Rainbow Baseball Tournament – Honolulu, Hawai’i
Tuesday, Feb. 28: Washington 5, #11 Arkansas 2
Wednesday, March 1: #11 Arkansas 12, Texas-Arlington 4
Thursday, March 2: #11 Arkansas 5, Hawai’i 1
Friday, March 3: #11 Arkansas 5, Texas-Arlington 3
Saturday, March 4: #11 Arkansas 7, Texas-Arlington 1
Hitter of the Week Nominee
Danny Hamblin, 1B
Junior
Rowlett, Texas/Rowlett High School
Junior first baseman Danny Hamblin tore up Hawaii’s Les Murakami Stadium during the First Hawai’i Title Rainbow Baseball Tournament, winning MVP honors … Hamblin finished the tournament with a .450 batting average, three doubles, three home runs, four runs scored, 12 RBI, a 1.050 slugging percentage and a .478 on-base percentage … he tied his career high with five RBI on Wednesday, March 1, against Texas-Arlington … Hamblin had multiple RBI in four of the five games in Hawai’i … Les Murakami Stadium is considered one of the toughest ballparks in the country to hit home runs in … Hamblin hit three home runs during the tournament to triple Hawaii’s team home run total entering the tournament … Hamblin has hit safely in 12 straight games and 13-of-14 games this season … he has at least one RBI in 10 straight games and 12-of-14 games this season … he is hitting .345 on the season with a team-high four home runs and 22 RBI.
Pitcher of the Week Nominee
Nick Schmidt, LHP
Sophomore
St. Louis, Mo./Vainney High School
Arkansas sophomore Nick Schmidt once again shined in his only start of the First Hawai’i Title Rainbow Baseball Tournament … the big left-hander improved to 4-0 on the season with a dominating performance against 24th-ranked host Hawai’i … named to the all-tournament team for his efforts … worked seven innings while surrendering just two hits to the Rainbows … stuck out six and allowed one run on 94 pitches … holding opponents to a .062 batting average this season, allowing just five hits over four games … has not allowed an extra-base hit this season … has not surrendered a hit to a left-handed hitter this season … has a 0.69 ERA in 29 innings of work.
Noting the Razorbacks
No. 11 Arkansas went 4-1 en route to the title at the First Hawai’i Title Rainbow Baseball Tournament at Les Murakami Stadium in Honolulu, Hawai’i this week … the Razorbacks are now 13-1 on the season and 2-0 against top 25 competition … UA has won all three tournaments it has played in this season, including the Jaguar Invitational, the Al Ogletree Classic and the Rainbow Baseball Tournament … Arkansas is 36-2 in non-conference action over the past two seasons … the Hogs downed host No. 24 Hawai’i 5-1 on Thursday and knocked off Texas-Arlington three times to claim the tournament title … Arkansas dropped its first game of the season, 5-2, to Washington in the tournament opener on Tuesday … the Huskies threw their ace, Tim Lincecum, on three days rest to beat Hogs … the only damage done to UW’s hard-throwing right-hander was a two-run double off the bat of Danny Hamblin … the Razorbacks shot themselves in the foot in the first inning against the Huskies by misplaying two fly balls to left field that led to four Washington runs … Hamblin led the offense with a .450 batting average for the week with three home runs and 12 RBI … Chris Hollensworth raked all weekend as well with a tournament-high five doubles … junior outfielder Stephen Robison had one of the best performances of his career in Hawai’i with a .545 (6 for 11) batting average, three RBI and two stolen bases … the Razorbacks received solid pitching all week with a 2.66 team ERA and 30 strikeouts … opposing teams hit just .222 … the Hogs’ defense shined as well with a .989 fielding percentage … UA made just two errors in five games … Hamblin, Schmidt, Robison and Hollensworth were named to the Rainbow Baseball Tournament all-tournament team … Hamblin was named the MVP of the tournament.
Next Week
Arkansas returns home for a three-game series with Cal State-Northridge at Baum Stadium. The Razorbacks then open SEC play at defending league champion Florida on March 17-19.
