Tomorrow's pitching matchup

[MattJones]

Arkansas will start Patrick Wicklander against Ole Miss junior left hander Zack Phillips (4-2, 4.73 ERA) from Texarkana. Both pitchers threw in relief in the series finale earlier this season. Wicklander allowed 2 runs in 1/3 of an inning, and Phillips allowed 1 run in 2/3 of an inning.

[youdaman]

I’m very surprised OM is not starting Nikhazy the other LH who’s been vey good, they probably don’t think they need to the way they have handled us the last several yrs.Hopefully Wicklander pitches the way he has most of the yr and we can jump on Phillips early.

[MattJones]

I think it has more to do with no wanting to throw Nikhazy on five days of rest. Ethridge, the No. 1 guy who pitched today, is an older pitcher who used to be a reliever, so he is used to throwing a lot on little rest. Nikhazy is a freshman and their arms tend to wear down this time of year. You want to take care of them as much as possible. Mike Bianco knows pitching and he knows better than to potentially burn out a starter for a meaningless game in Hoover the week before the NCAA regionals.

Phillips has been the midweek starter as of late for Ole Miss. He was pretty good at Arkansas State last week, but the bullpen imploded and ASU came back to win. The relief pitching has been real suspect of late for the Rebels.

[neastarkie]

I think it has more to do with no wanting to throw Nikhazy on five days of rest. Ethridge, the No. 1 guy who pitched today, is an older pitcher who used to be a reliever, so he is used to throwing a lot on little rest. Nikhazy is a freshman and their arms tend to wear down this time of year. You want to take care of them as much as possible. Mike Bianco knows pitching and he knows better than to potentially burn out a starter for a meaningless game in Hoover the week before the NCAA regionals.

Phillips has been the midweek starter as of late for Ole Miss. He was pretty good at Arkansas State last week, but the bullpen imploded and ASU came back to win. The relief pitching has been real suspect of late for the Rebels.

Caraci (sp?} sure hurt us last year. I’m sure we’ll see him tomorrow.

[MattJones]

I think it has more to do with no wanting to throw Nikhazy on five days of rest. Ethridge, the No. 1 guy who pitched today, is an older pitcher who used to be a reliever, so he is used to throwing a lot on little rest. Nikhazy is a freshman and their arms tend to wear down this time of year. You want to take care of them as much as possible. Mike Bianco knows pitching and he knows better than to potentially burn out a starter for a meaningless game in Hoover the week before the NCAA regionals.

Phillips has been the midweek starter as of late for Ole Miss. He was pretty good at Arkansas State last week, but the bullpen imploded and ASU came back to win. The relief pitching has been real suspect of late for the Rebels.

Caraci (sp?} sure hurt us last year. I’m sure we’ll see him tomorrow.

Caracci has not pitched well lately. He was on the mound for LSU’s six-run ninth in Game 3 a few weeks ago and for most of Arkansas State’s comeback in Jonesboro last week. ASU scored four runs against him. He was warm today, but Ole Miss opted to let Ryan Olenek, a two-way player who doesn’t pitch much, close the game instead.

I think the only way Arkansas will see him tomorrow is if Ole Miss is trying to close out a win in the eighth or ninth inning. He closed out Ole Miss’ first win in Fayetteville in March. He hit Jacob Nesbit in the ninth inning, but the umpire called Nesbit out because he ruled that Nesbit leaned into the pitch. Had that not happened, who knows how that inning might have gone.