Arkansas Baseball Notebook
April 22, 2007
Week: 3-1
Overall Record: 32-11
SEC Record: 13-5 – 1st SEC West/Overall
Wednesday, April 18: #9 Arkansas 16, Missouri State 2
Friday, April 20: Georgia 6, #9 Arkansas 1
Saturday, April 21: #9 Arkansas 7, Georgia 6 (10 inn.)
Sunday, April 22: #9 Arkansas 9, Georgia 3
Noting the Razorbacks
No. 9 Arkansas posted a 3-1 record during its four-game road swing this week that began in Springfield, Mo., on Wednesday night with a 16-2 win over Missouri State and continued with a series victory over Georgia this weekend … the Razorbacks improved their overall record to 32-11 and maintained their lead in the Southeastern Conference with a 13-5 record … the 13-5 SEC record leads the Western Division by three games and the overall chase by a game over No. 1 Vanderbilt (12-6) … it is the second-best start to an SEC campaign in school history with the 1999 team producing a 14-4 record after 18 games … UA improved to 3-0 in extra-inning games this season with a 10-inning win on Saturday … the Hogs played sparkling defense with a .981 fielding percentage over the four games this week with just three errors in 161 chances and eight double plays … UA continued to hit will with runners in scoring position with a .292 average this week and a .312 average for the season … the Razorbacks also had seven two-out RBI to give them 112 for the season … Matt Willard led the way at the plate with a .538 batting average that included a .625 average against Georgia … Danny Hamblin cracked three more home runs to give him 14 on the season and 49 for his career … he also has 44 RBI on the season … on the mound the pitching staff produced two complete games (Friday night and Sunday) and had a 3.75 ERA for the week with 29 strikeouts and just seven walks … Nick Schmidt suffered his first loss of the season on Friday to fall to 8-1 with a 2.56 ERA and 77 strikeouts … he gave up five earned runs all in the second inning on Friday night against the Bulldogs before settling down and retiring 19 of the last 21 hitters, including 11 straight a one point … it was his third complete game of the season and the first in his career in a losing effort … Duke Welker got a no decision on Saturday after allowing just one earned run on six hits in five innings … Jess Todd three his first complete game in a Razorback uniform on Sunday … he allowed just three runs – two earned – on just five hits with seven strikeouts in the series finale with Georgia … Todd induced a season-high four double plays … Brian Walker connected for his sixth home run of the season in the ninth inning on Sunday … he is hitting just .231 on the season, but has come through in the clutch with a .500 (6 for 12) batting average in the ninth inning with two doubles, a home run and a team-best five RBI … on the career record watch Hamblin is third in at bats (851), for third in hits (261), second in home runs (49), sixth in runs scored (185), third in RBI (203), second in total bases (471), sixth in walks (114), third in extra-base hits (109) and third in sacrifice flies (15) … Dugger is second all time in walks (150), six back of Tim Thomas’ school record of 156 and tied for eighth in hit by pitches (26) … Schmidt is the school record holder in strikeouts with 311 … is tied for second in career starts (46), tied for fourth in career wins (25) with Brian Cook, fifth in innings pitched (297.1) and seventh in ERA (2.83).
Hitter of the Week Nominee
Matt Willard * Sophomore
Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North High School
· Matt Willard hit .538 (7 for 13) for the week with a double, four runs scored, four RBI, a stole base, a sacrifice fly and a sac bunt.
· He was even better against Georgia, hitting .625 with a .556 on-base percentage.
· He got things started with a 2-for-5 night at Missouri State on Wednesday. He doubled, scored a run and drove in three in a 16-2 route of the Bears.
· Willard was 1 for 3 with a RBI single in the Hogs’ 7-6 win on Saturday. He also scored a run and played flawless defense on 12 chances.
· He wrapped the weekend up with a career-high four hits in a 9-3 win to clinch the series at Georgia. Willard was 4 for 5 with two runs scored vs. the Bulldogs in the series finale.
Pitcher of the Week Nominee
Jess Todd * Junior
Kilgore, Texas/Kilgore High School/Navarro College
· Jess Todd threw his first complete game in a Razorback uniform with a six-hit gem in the series finale at Georgia.
· He struck out seven and got the Bulldogs to hit into four double plays, which was a team high this season.
· Todd’s previous longest outing was six innings in a relief appearance against No. 1 Vanderbilt on March 25, while his longest start was five innings against Florida on April 15.
· He did not allow his first hit until Jonathan Wyatt led off the fourth with a double. He then sat down seven in a row until a single with one out in the sixth inning.
Next Week
The Razorbacks return home for a midweek clash with 10th-ranked Wichita State on Wednesday, April 25, at 7:05 p.m. Arkansas then makes its second straight SEC road trip when they travel to Auburn for a three-game set with the Tigers. Game times are slated for 6 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday and 1:30 p.m. Sunday.
Wednesday, April 25: Wichita State at Arkansas, 7:05 p.m.
Friday, April 27: Arkansas at Auburn, 6 p.m.
Saturday, April 28: Arkansas at Auburn, 2 p.m.
Sunday, April 29: Arkansas at Auburn, 1:30 p.m.
