FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas Razorbacks Coach Dave Van Horn on Wednesday announced a weekend pitching rotation of all right-handers, with Blaine Knight scheduled to make the opening day start at 3 p.m. Friday against Bucknell.
Sophomore right-hander Isaiah Campbell will follow at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, and junior Keaton McKinney is in line to start Sunday's noon finale.
"I'm ready to just get back on track, get my feet under me, and just get ready to lay the path for the rest of the season," Knight said.
The junior from Bryant, who was 8-4 with a 3.28 ERA in 2017, is scheduled to oppose Bucknell ace Connor Van Hoose (6-6, 2.28 ERA) in the opener.
Campbell made one appearance last year, giving up 3 runs on 3 hits with a walk while recording 2 outs before going on the shelf, eventually requiring surgery to remove bone spurs in his elbow.
"I'm glad to be back after surgery last year ... and I'm really pumped for this upcoming weekend and being back on the mound and getting the start on Saturday," he said.
McKinney did not pitch last season while recovering from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow.
"I worked really hard this past year, so this just shows all the hard work has paid off," McKinney said. "I'm just ready to pitch again for this team."
Knight will start the season opener for the second year in a row.
"It's been a long fall and a long offseason," Knight said. "I'm excited to get back going again."
Weather plans
The weather outlook for Northwest Arkansas this weekend calls for some rain, including a big chance on Saturday, and cold temperatures Friday with a chance for rain.
The forecast is not daunting for Coach Dave Van Horn.
"Yeah, not a big deal. Rain's rain. We've played in rain at 3 o'clock in the morning," Van Horn said, referencing the final innings of last year's 11-10 victory over Missouri State in the second game of the NCAA Fayetteville Regional.
"Friday looks like it's going to be cold, but our plan is to try to play the game," Van Horn said. "As far as starting at 3, I mean, if it looks like we have a better opportunity to get it in because of rain moving in later in the afternoon, we might try to move it up an hour. We're going to do all we can to play on schedule all three games."
Big-pick Bucknell
Bucknell is the preseason pick to win the six-team Patriot League, over Navy and defending league champion Holy Cross.
The Bison (21-28 in 2017), under eighth-year coach and former Arkansas pitcher Scott Heather, won the Patriot League in 2014 and was the runner-up last season.
After starting ace right-hander Connor Van Hoose in the opener, the Bison are expected to throw left-hander Jack Grabek (2-7, 8.62 ERA) and right-hander Jack Simpson (1-1, 4.91).
Bucknell's top returning hitters are Evan Klugerman (.286, 2 HR, 17 RBI), a first baseman and catcher, and shortstop Luke Johnson (.282, 3, 27).
Cole stays
Junior outfielder Eric Cole remained on campus during the summer to work with athletic trainer Corey Wood to mend his aching back.
"I had a stress fracture in my back," Cole said. "I had some pretty tough rehab with Corey and the training staff. About a couple of hours every day I had an underwater treadmill. It was a lot of work to get back into it. Thankfully I'm fully recovered and ready for the season."
Cole credited strength and conditioning coach Blaine Kinsley with giving him specialty workouts during the rehabilitation process.
"I feel really good, actually," he said. "A lot better than I thought I would."
Top jobs
Junior catcher Grant Koch said he thinks starters Blaine Knight, Isaiah Campbell and Keaton McKinney are starting the season on point.
"I have full confidence in them," Koch said. "The three guys we're starting are incredible. I've been catching them and they're at their best right now. I think all of them are. It's fun to catch guys like that because of how good they are."
Knight said McKinney's recovery from Tommy John surgery has been impressive.
"Keaton's got the most experience out of anybody on the staff," Knight said. "Having him on Sunday, coming in on the back end for us, that's going to help us out a lot."
Rookie starter?
Newcomer Heston Kjerstad has a chance to start in left field to open the season, making him the most likely freshman to be in the starting nine on a veteran roster.
"From Day One you could tell he was an SEC-caliber player, along with a lot of other freshmen," Outfielder Eric Cole said. "Throughout the fall he kind of separated himself from a lot of people. Heston's going to help this team a lot."
First and third
First base and third base, and possibly an outfield spot and designated hitter, are the positions most likely to have platooning or situational substitutions this season.
Coach Dave Van Horn said senior Jared Gates probably would start the season opener at third base, a spot where he made 35 starts last season. Defensive whiz Jack Kenley and Hunter Wilson are also candidates to play third, while Kenley is the top shortstop backup to Jax Biggers.
At first base, left-handed hitting sophomore Evan Lee seems most likely to be penciled in to the starting lineup against a tough right-hander. Jordan McFarland, a right-handed hitter, is likely to start the second game against a southpaw, while Gates also has gotten in work at the position.
Psyched
Just as Dave Van Horn was asked on the field Wednesday about the opportunity to play somebody else rather than scrimmaging, a Razorbacks player believed to be Hunter Wilson let out a whoop as the team jogged in behind third base.
"We're ready to play somebody else," Van Horn said. "You can tell by the background noise, these guys are starting to lose their minds a little bit, so we're excited about it."
Sports on 02/15/2018