Razorback Report: Week 5

Overall Record: 14-3
Streak: W2

In The Polls – Week 5
Baseball America – #1
Collegiate Baseball – #1
D1Baseball – #1
NCBWA – #1
Perfect Game – #1
USA Today Coaches – #1

Week 5 Results (2-1)
Tuesday, March 16 – vs. Oklahoma – L, 8-5
Friday, March 19 – vs. Alabama – L, 16-1
Saturday, March 20 – vs. Alabama – W, 9-1
Sunday, March 21 – vs. Alabama – W, 3-1

This Week
Tuesday, March 23 – vs. Memphis – 6:30 p.m. [SEC Network+]
Wednesday, March 24 – vs. Memphis – 3 p.m. [SEC Network+]
Friday, March 26 – at Mississippi State – 6:30 p.m. [SEC Network+]
Saturday, March 27 – at Mississippi State – 2 p.m. [SEC Network+]
Sunday, March 28 – at Mississippi State – 2 p.m. [SEC Network]

Top Player of the Week
Casey Opitz
C – Sr. – 5-11 – 200 – Centennial, Colo.
Weekly totals: 3 G/3 GS, .500/.545/.800, 5-for-10, 3 R, HR, 4 RBI, BB

The Razorback catcher powered Arkansas’ offense to a series win against nationally ranked Alabama. Opitz recorded a hit in all three games of the SEC opening weekend series, driving in a team-leading four runs. He racked up a season-best three hits and matched his season-high with three runs scored in the Hogs’ 9-1 win on Saturday, launching his first homer of the season in the ballgame.

Pitcher of the Week
Zebulon Vermillion
RHP – Sr. – 6-4 – 230 – Prairie Village, Kan.
Weekly totals: 1 G/1 GS, 1-0, 8.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K

The right-hander went eight strong for the second start in a row, striking out four while allowing only one run on one hit and two walks in Arkansas’ 9-1 win against No. 22 Alabama. It was Vermillion’s first SEC start of his career. In his last two outings, he has totaled 16.0 innings of work and given up only two runs on four hits and five walks with six strikeouts.

Freshman of the Week
Jaxon Wiggins
RHP – Fr. – 6-6 – 220 – Roland, Okla.
Weekly totals: 1 GP, 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

The freshman phenom struck out two and recorded his third save of the season in his first taste of SEC action. Wiggins, who has now struck out 12 of the first 21 batters he has faced to begin his career, ranks second in the conference in saves.

Razorback Notes

• Arkansas’ next win is Dave Van Horn’s 1,300th career win as a head coach. The Razorback skipper, who began his head-coaching career at Texarkana College in 1989, has 714 of those victories with the Hogs.

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