Baseball Notebook - March 9
Arkansas Baseball Notebook
March 9, 2009Week: 4-1Overall Record: 9-2
Tuesday, March 3: Arkansas 7, Valparaiso 3Wednesday, March 4: Arkansas 9, Valparaiso 6Friday, March 6: Arkansas 5, California 4 (10 innings)Saturday, March 7: California 12, Arkansas 6Sunday, March 8: Arkansas 13, California 3
Noting the RazorbacksArkansas (9-2) remained steady in the Baseball America poll at No. 21 and was also ranked in the NCBWA and Rivals.com polls … The Razorbacks swept Valparaiso during their mid-week series with 7-3 and 9-6 victories, then took two of three against California (5-4, 6-12, 13-3) to go 4-1 on the week … The Razorbacks are now 5-1 against the Pac 10 this season (Washington St. 3-0, California 2-1) … Senior Chase Leavitt had a record-setting weekend against California as he hit .750 for the series with nine hits, two runs, two doubles, seven RBI, five walks and a stolen base … Leavitt hit .474 for the week to raise his batting average 129 points to .419 … Fellow senior Ben Tschepikow batted .409 for the week with nine hits, a triple and a home run, six runs scored, six RBI and two stolen bases … Tschepikow’s home run came in the bottom of the ninth against California in the opening game of the series with two outs to tie the game and allow the Razorbacks to win in extra innings … Sophomore Brett Eibner cracked his first home run of the season, a grand slam, against California in Sunday’s series clinching win … Redshirt freshman Drew Smyly earned his first win of the season against Valparaiso and for the week was 1-0 in two starts with a 1.86 ERA over 9.2 innings giving up eight hits, three runs, one walk and eight strikeouts … Junior Mike Bolsinger earned his first win of the year coming off time off due to mono … Bolsinger appeared in two games and allowed three runs in 5.2 innings with three walks and 12 strikeouts … Arkansas pitchers continue to throw strikes as they struck out 59 batters and walked 13 … The Arkansas-California series drew record crowds to Baum Stadium for a non-conference series with 21,429 fans attending the three-game set breaking the previous record of 16,550 set in 1995 for the Illinois-Chicago series … The series also sold more tickets (25,529) than any other non-conference series (21,470 against Illinois St. in 2007).
Hitter of the Week NomineeChase Leavitt * SeniorSt. George, Utah/Snow Canyon HS/Dixie College/CCSN* Against California, went 9-12 (.750) with two runs, two doubles, five walks, a stolen base and seven RBI.* Had a .824 on-base percentage against the Bears and .917 slugging percentage from the leadoff spot.* Set career bests with four hits and five RBI in a game on Sunday.* Had the game-winning hit in Sunday afternoon’s 13-3 series clinching victory.* In the California series he reached base in 11 straight plate appearances and in 14 of 17 overall.* Was the first Razorback to record four hits in a game since Logan Forsythe and Andy Wilkins on May 9, 2008 against South Carolina.* Is the first Razorback to drive in five runs in a game since Logan Forsythe on April 26, 2008 against Ole Miss.* With his weekend series against California, raised his batting average 129 points to a team leading .419.* For the week batted .474 with a .600 on-base percentage.
Pitcher of the Week NomineeDrew Smyly * Redshirt FreshmanLittle Rock, Ark./Central HS* Made two starts and went 1-0 with a 1.86 ERA.* Tossed 9.2 innings and gave up just two earned runs on eight hits, walking one and striking out eight.* Held Valparaiso and California to just a .222 batting average.* Picked up the first win of his career against Valparaiso by tossing five innings and fiving up one run on five hits while issuing no walks and striking out a career best five batters.* Against California he threw 4.2 innings and gave up just three hits and one earned run (two overall), walked one and struck out three.* Kept the California hitters, who had touched Arkansas pitching for 22 hits in the opening two games, off balance as they accounted for just three in four-plus innings against Smyly.
Freshman of the Week NomineeDrew Smyly * Redshirt FreshmanLittle Rock, Ark./Central HS* Made two starts and went 1-0 with a 1.86 ERA.* Tossed 9.2 innings and gave up just two earned runs on eight hits, walking one and striking out eight.* Held Valparaiso and California to just a .222 batting average.* Picked up the first win of his career against Valparaiso by tossing five innings and fiving up one run on five hits while issuing no walks and striking out a career best five batters.* Against California he threw 4.2 innings and gave up just three hits and one earned run (two overall), walked one and struck out three.* Kept the California hitters, who had touched Arkansas pitching for 22 hits in the opening two games, off balance as they accounted for just three in four-plus innings against Smyly.
Tuesday, March 10: Arkansas at Centenary, 6:30 p.m.Wednesday, March 11: Arkansas at Centenary, 2 p.m.Friday, March 13: Florida at Arkansas, 6:35 p.m.Saturday, March 14: Florida at Arkansas, 2:05 p.m.Sunday, March 15: Florida at Arkansas, 1:05 p.m.
