By Robbie Neiswanger
Arkansas News Bureau • rneiswanger@arkansasnews.com
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas didn’t just get swept by South Carolina, which polished off an impressive weekend with a 5-3 win on Sunday.
The Razorbacks also lost their best hitter.
Third baseman Zack Cox was pulled out of the lineup before the eighth inning after hurting his back earlier in the game. The sophomore, who entered the day hitting .428, was hurt when he swung at a pitch during a third inning at-bat.
“It’s a little pull in his back,” Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said. “It started stiffening up on him. That was a tough deal, but I appreciate him telling me that he couldn’t go.”
The team’s best hitter grimaced after a swing with the Razorbacks leading 3-2 in the third. He took a few seconds, stepped back into the box and singled two pitches later.
But Cox looked very uncomfortable running to first base.
Arkansas’ trainer examined Cox and the sophomore remained in the game for the next few innings. It was clear he was hurting, though.
“I remember throwing a ball down after a strikeout and him just stand there and not moving for it,” catcher James McCann said. “I knew something was wrong. But he’s a tough guy.”
Freshman Matt Reynolds came off the bench to play shortstop in the seventh inning, while Tim Carver moved over to third base. Reynolds also led off the eighth inning in Cox’s place at the plate, slapping a single up the middle.
Van Horn said it was good to see Reynolds come through in Cox’s absence. He wasn’t sure if Cox would be ready to play at Oklahoma on Tuesday.
“It just depends on what it is,” Van Horn said. “If it’s more of a cramp or it’s really a strain or stress, whatever it may be, we’ll try to get him worked on and see how it is (today).”
Cox wasn’t available for comment after the game because he was receiving treatment. But Arkansas center fielder Brett Eibner said the Razorbacks remain optimistic he won’t be sidelined long.
“I could tell as soon as he had that swing it was uncomfortable for him,” Eibner said. “I don’t know how bad it is, but I know Cox. He’s a really hard worker and he’s going to do whatever it takes to get back as soon as possible.”
Decisions, Decisions
Van Horn made a late-inning pitching change he may have regretted Sunday. Van Horn pull Geoffrey Davenport, who struck out the side in relief in the seventh inning, in favor of closer Jordan Pratt to start the eighth inning.
Pratt struggled. He walked the first batter he faced then surrendered a go-ahead, two-run home run by Whit Merrifield. Pratt allowed a solo home run to lead off the ninth, too, before being pulled out of the game trailing 5-3.
“We just felt like he needed to come out,” Van Horn said of Davenport, who threw 12 pitches in 1 1/3 innings Saturday and 21 in 1 2/3 Sunday. “Pratt had been so good. Hindsight is always 20-20. If Davenport could’ve given us another batter or two that would’ve been good, but that would’ve been the max. Pitching a guy that threw (Saturday) and threw well, you just can’t leave him out there too long.”
Missed Call
Eibner took a called second strike on a 1-1 pitch during a critical at-bat in the eighth inning that was met with plenty of frustration by the Arkansas dugout. Eibner eventually struck out during the at-bat, leaving a runner stranded on base in an inning Arkansas failed to score.
Van Horn said home plate umpire Ray Miller admitted to making a mistake on the strike call.
“I appreciate that,” Van Horn said. “But Brett never recovered and got rung up the next pitch.”
Eibner — who finished 1-for-4 with a two-run home run and three strikeouts — didn’t blame the umpire for the missed call after the game.
“That’s out of my control,” Eibner said. “I don’t call balls and strikes. My job is to put the bat on the ball. I get three pitches.”
Up Next
Arkansas will travel to Norman, Okla., to play Oklahoma on Tuesday night. Then the Hogs will travel to Nashville, Tenn., to open a Thursday through Saturday series against Vanderbilt.
Van Horn hasn’t named a starter for Tuesday’s game, but indicated left-hander Randall Fant could get the start. The freshman did not pitch during the South Carolina series.
“Fant is probably the one that’s the most available,” Van Horn said. “It will be a situation where we just want him to give us a few innings.”
Extra Bases
Cox’s two singles gives him 91 this season, which ties him for seventh on the school’s single-season chart. Matt Erickson holds the school record with 97 hits during the 1996 season. … Senior TJ Forrest earned his second start of the season Sunday, allowing four hits and two runs in three innings. … Arkansas honored its senior class before Sunday’s game.
