Arkansas Baseball Update
Feb. 5, 2007
Week: 2-1
Overall Record: 2-1
Friday, Feb. 2: #7 Arkansas 4, Louisiana Tech 2
Saturday, Feb. 3: Louisiana Tech 9, #7 Arkansas 2
Sunday, Feb. 4: #7 Arkansas 6, Louisiana Tech 2
Noting the Razorbacks
No. 7 Arkansas opened the 2007 season with a series win in Ruston, La., against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs at J.C. Love Field … the Razorbacks won their 13th straight season-opening game 4-2 on Friday night, opening on the road for the third straight season … UA improved to 19-3 all time against Louisiana Tech … the Hogs scored three runs with a little help from Louisiana Tech in the third inning of game one to take the lead … Jake Dugger then tacked on an insurance run with a solo home run to lead off the ninth inning … Nick Schmidt came into the game on a limited pitch count and earned the win to improve to 1-0 on the season … he pitched three innings, allowing just one hit and striking out three in near freezing temperatures … junior-college transfer Jess Todd earned his first save in a Razorback uniform, pitching the final 1.1 inning and fanning three while not walking a batter … the Bulldogs jumped on a couple of freshman hurlers in the seventh inning on Saturday to record their only win of the series with a 9-2 triumph … Arkansas clinched the series with a gritty and clutch performance on Sunday with a 6-2 win, scoring five runs in the final two innings to earn the win … trailing 2-1 going into the seventh inning and struggling to find a rhythm at the plate, Dugger and redshirt freshman Jerrod Carroll opened the inning with back-to-back singles before catcher Brian Walker crushed a three-run home run deep over the center-field fence, staking the Hogs to a 4-2 lead … Casey Coon followed later in the inning with a RBI single … UA tacked on a run in the top of the ninth inning for the final margin … Todd came on to pitch the final two innings to earn his second save of the weekend … he fanned three and did not walk a batter … Chris Rhoads (1-0) earned the win with 3.2-innings of hitless, scoreless relief … Duke Welker made his first start at Arkansas and pitched 3.0 innings, allowing two runs on three hits … Coon led the Hogs at the plate during the Tech series with a .667 batting average, two doubles and four RBI … Walker hit .273 with four RBI … he extended his hitting streak to 11 games dating back to the final eight games of the 2006 season … on the mound, Rhoads pitched 5.1-scoreless innings in two appearances at Louisiana Tech … the Razorbacks used 11 pitchers in the three-game series, including six newcomers (three freshmen, three junior-college transfers).
Pitcher of the Week Nominee
Jess Todd
Junior
Kilgore, Texas/Kilgore High School/Navarro [Texas] College
· Jess Todd recorded saves in the first two games of his Razorback career
· The junior college transfer from Navarro [Texas] College pitched 3.1 innings to lock down the Hogs’ first two wins
· He worked 1.1 inning in the opener on Feb. 2, striking out three to earn his first career save
· Todd pitched the final two innings of the Razorbacks 6-2 win on Feb. 4, notching three strike outs
· He fanned six Bulldog batters without issuing a walk
Hitter of the Week Nominee
Casey Coon
Junior
Las Vegas, Nev./Silverado High School/Community College of Southern Nevada
· Coon started two games at Louisiana Tech, making the start at second base on Feb. 3 and third base on Feb. 4
· Hit .667 (4 for 6) with two doubles and four RBI
· He drew a walk and did not strikeout in eight at bats
· Went 3 for 3 in his first appearance for the Razorbacks with two doubles and two RBI coming on a bases-loaded double in the sixth inning
· Coon was 1 for 3 with a RBI single and a sacrifice fly in the series finale on Feb. 4
· With the Hogs trailing 2-1 in the sixth inning started a difficult 5-4-3 double play to end a Bulldog threat
Next Week
Arkansas continues its six-game, season-opening road trip with a three-game series at Troy. The series begins at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 9, from Riddle-Pace Field in Troy, Ala. Game two is set for 1 p.m. Saturday with the finale scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday.
Friday, Feb. 9: Arkansas at Troy, 6 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 10: Arkansas at Troy, 1 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 11: Arkansas at Troy, 1 p.m.
