I think Arkansas will go to Georgia and win the series this weekend for four reasons:
The Razorbacks have more to play for. Georgia lost its shot at winning the East with that blown lead in the ninth at Florida last week and there might be a hangover this week at home. Plus Arkansas players are really tired about how they are not able to win on the road.
Arkansas has better starting pitching - especially the first two games - and all three seem to be throwing well right now.
The Razorbacks have played Georgia well the last several years, including last season when they swept in Fayetteville. I think there is something to one team having the other’s number, whether it be Arkansas over Texas A&M or LSU over Arkansas.
This is the week in which Dave Van Horn really gets his team’s attention. I’ve seen a lot of Razorback teams doubted going into this season-ending road series and they almost always seem to play a lot better than people think they will. Dave said today, “This is my favorite time of the year.”
I like the way you think, Matt!
I too believe that the Hogs have more to play for. I kinda had the same thought on that point. Especially after Florida clinched the East!
Georgia’s bullpen is very good - one of the best in the SEC - but the starters have struggled some. Their first two starters both have ERAs above 5 in conference play.
Georgia has four regulars hitting .300 or better, led by senior OF Keegan McGovern’s .326 average and 14 homers (.635 slugging/.443 on base), and junior OF/C Michael Curry’s .323. Both share the lead in RBI with 43. As a team, they are hitting .286 with 48 homers in 51 games. Tucker Bradley has 11 stolen bases in 14 attempts but his OBP is just .350. They are good fielding team with a .979 percentage.
Their pitchers are Kevin Smith, who has only five starts but has 20 appearances and is 7-1 with a 3.25 ERA and a .224 b/avg; Chase Adkins has started 13 games and has a 5-0 record with a 4.46 ERA and a .257 b/avg; and Emerson Hancock who also has started 13 games and has a 6-4 record with a 4,82 ERA and a .228 b/avg. Their closer is Aaron Schunk, who has eight saves in 17 appearances with a 2.35 ERA and a .214 b/avg. They have a team ERA of 3.66 and a batting average against of .228.
Interesting take.
I also believe we win this series. I wouldn’t even be shocked if we sweep it.
But, I’m not sure I agree on GA with less to play for.
I think everyone is far more concerned these days with locking up that national seed than winning their division.
It seems widely believed that could be at stake, esp for GA.
They lose or get swept and I think they fall out of that picture.
Just my .02.
Arkansas and Georgia will both be in the national seed discussion win or lose this weekend. Both have played incredibly difficult schedules.
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Arkansas hasn’t come close to winning a road series this season, whereas UGA’s recent road sweep of Missouri was a huge thing. I’d like to believe in the hunch but I’m more in tune with this season’s past results.
Arkansas hasn’t come close to winning a road series this season, whereas UGA’s recent road sweep of Missouri was a huge thing. I’d like to believe in the hunch but I’m more in tune with this season’s past results.
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Hasn’t come close? Arkansas lost two one-run games at Ole Miss and a one-run game at Florida, and blew an eighth-inning lead at LSU.
The Razorbacks have come close to winning three road series; just didn’t make the plays they needed to make late against three teams that are still in championship contention.
Arkansas hasn’t come close to winning a road series this season, whereas UGA’s recent road sweep of Missouri was a huge thing. I’d like to believe in the hunch but I’m more in tune with this season’s past results.
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Didn’t we win the first game and then lose the last deciding game in the series by one run at Florida? There may be no such thing as good losses but, if there were, that would be a strong candidate.
Didn’t we win the first game and then lose the last deciding game in the series by one run at Florida? There may be no such thing as good losses but, if there were, that would be a strong candidate.
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Yes. Arkansas won the first game at Florida, Ole Miss and LSU. Five of the six losses in those series were by one run (once against Florida and twice against Ole Miss) or two runs (twice against LSU). All three losses to Mississippi State were by one or two runs.
The only bad road loss was the second game at Florida, 17-2, in which Isaiah Campbell was pulled after one inning because of what they found out later was elbow inflammation.
we have only been beat one time in the SEC and that was 2nd game at Fla. the rest we should have won ,we just haven’t been consistent in the all three levels of the game to win…
Arkansas hasn’t come close to winning a road series this season, whereas UGA’s recent road sweep of Missouri was a huge thing. I’d like to believe in the hunch but I’m more in tune with this season’s past results.
Yes, no doubt both are in the “discussion” right now.
That’s kind of my point.
I’d say the winner of this series can probably lock one up. Neither is a “lock” at this point, though I’d argue we are closer than they are.
That’s precisely why I think they want this one badly.
But hey, we can agree to disagree.
The hogs are a better team now than they were when they lost the series at Florida.
Winning game 1 at Florida I thought for sure we’d win the series.
We have the bull pen now to hold a lead late! LSU got lucky as usual and for every break and we lost.
The hogs have been in every series this year with the chance to win. I believe the hogs will take 2 in Georgia and get at least 3 seed to the host
I wish the basketball team and football team were in the top 10 like the baseball team.
I disagree with that statement. We could and probably should have won both the Florida and Ole Miss series on the road. In both cases, we had 1 run losses in games we had outstanding chances to win (that happened TWICE against Ole Miss!). Bottom line is that we didn’t win them - but to say that we “haven’t been close” is just not correct.
OK - I now see that others have pointed this out. I thought daBoar’s post was the last in the thread, as it was on the bottom of the page I was looking at. I didn’t see that there was another page of responses. :oops:
I disagree with that statement. We could and probably should have won both the Florida and Ole Miss series on the road. In both cases, we had 1 run losses in games we had outstanding chances to win (that happened TWICE against Ole Miss!). Bottom line is that we didn’t win them - but to say that we “haven’t been close” is just not correct.
[/quote]Ok, for those who require preciseness, without more context, the one statement above by me may seem incorrect. However, I was alluding to the fact that three times the Hogs won the first game, only to lose the road series. In the aggregate, I think that’s a pretty darned big shortcoming. (Of course, we were swept by MSU.)