ArkansasSports.com Articles
California Bears ready for opportunity against Diamond Hogs
Date: 2010-03-05T04:47:23.660
Author: Harold McIlvain II
Editor note: First baseman Andy Wilkins is hitting .435 with 10 runs scored, three home runs, 13 RBIs and 10 walks for Arkansas
Number of Views: 174
It didn’t take Arkansas baseball head coach Dave Van Horn too much time to figure out how talented a baseball team California has right now.
Looking at the statistics is an indication, as the Bears (6-1) are hitting .404 with 73 runs scored with only 16 runs allowed. The pitching staff, which has a 1.60 ERA with 68 strike outs in 62 innings, is finding success, too.
And Van Horn said the scouts have been raving about the talent as well.
“I was talking to some scouts who cross check teams across the nation,” Van Horn said. “They say they are talented with their pitchers. They are putting up runs and playing well. But they have tremendous arms.”
The California starting rotation of sophomore right-hander Erik Johnson, freshman left-hander Justin Jones and sophomore right-hander Dixon Anderson have combined for a 6-0 record, a 0.44 ERA with 48 strikeouts in 41 innings of work.
No. 17 Arkansas at California
Friday: Mike Bolsinger will start with a first pitch scheduled 3:30 p.m.
Saturday: Drew Smyly is projected to be on the mound with a game time starting at 3:00 p.m.
Sunday: Brett Eibner will be on the mound during a 3:00 p.m. start.
After the Bears lost a series last year against the No. 17 Arkansas, California head baseball coach David Esquer said the Bears are optimistic about their opportunity to face a Southeastern Conference team at home for the first time in program history.
“The SEC is a power conference and they don’t come west very often,” Esquer said. “They are going to be a top 20 team this year. It’s going to be a big test for us. We’ve played well against our competition. But it’s nothing like Arkansas will bring.”
But it’s a match up the Razorbacks have been looking forward to as well after beating Kansas 15-3 on Tuesday.
“(The matchup) will be two teams going at it that are 6-1,” Van Horn said. “They didn’t have a midweek game so they are getting ready for us. We’re going to have our hands full. This is going to be a tough weekend for us.”
With wins over Southern Utah, UC Davis, Central Michigan, Saint Mary’s and Cal State, the Bears are looking for a signature win early against Arkansas.
“People are looking at our first six wins and saying that is nice,” Esquer said. “But they haven’t made that statement yet. But playing Arkansas will get people to notice. They were a world series team a year ago.”
After being outscored by just five runs last year, Bears shortstop Brian Guinn said the team is ready for the challenge – and a change of venue for the matchup.
“This let’s us know that we are on the map,” Guinn said of playing Arkansas. “We are going against good teams we wouldn’t play until the playoffs. But it could have gone either way last year. It’s hard to play in that environment (at Baum Stadium) because it’s one of a kind.”
Junior first baseman Andy Wilkins is leading the offense for the Razorbacks that is averaging nine runs a game heading into the first road series of the season. The Broken Arrow, Okla., native is hitting .435 with 10 runs scored, three home runs, 13 RBIs and 10 walks for Arkansas.
“He’s real comfortable right now,” Van Horn said. “There’s some guys that are feeling their way along. But like we’ve said, if you can get three or four guys rolling in your lineup and other guys just can contribute you’re going to win a lot of games.”
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