By Robbie Neiswanger
Arkansas News Bureau • rneiswanger@arkansasnews.com
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas pitcher TJ Forrest entered the NCAA Regional as the Razorbacks’ No. 3 starter and a player known more for his work out of the bullpen.
But the senior delivered Arkansas’ biggest pitching performance of the week Monday night.
As a result, the Razorbacks are heading to a Super Regional for the second straight season.
Forrest, who started the regional opener against Grambling State, was back on the mound three days later to lead the Razorbacks to a 7-2 victory against Washington State. Arkansas was hoping for three innings from Forrest before turning the game over to the bullpen, but got much more than that Monday.
Forrest, a senior, lasted 5 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on four hits. It was impressive, considering he had thrown 4 2/3 innings in his Friday start.
“(Sunday) we kind of had a down feeling about not closing it out,” catcher James McCann said. “We were trying to get over it in the locker room, but TJ walked in and said, ‘Don’t worry fellas. I got this.
“I knew he was going to have a good outing.”
Behind Forrest’s effort, the Razorbacks (43-19) advance to face Arizona State (50-8), the NCAA Tournament’s No. 1 seed, in a Super Regional in Tempe, Ariz. The first game of the best-of-three series will be played Saturday at 8 p.m. and televised by ESPNU.
Forrest (8-0) said his job was to go out to the mound, throw strikes and eat up as many innings as possible. The Razorbacks gave him three runs before he even threw his first pitch, but Forrest took care of a WSU offense that got to Arkansas’ pitching staff during the team’s 10-7 loss Sunday night.
He made one mistake – allowing a solo home run to WSU’s Matt Fanelli – in the second inning. He also gave up another run in the fourth. But that was it.
“He looked like he had pretty good stuff to me,” said Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn, who made the decision during Sunday’s loss to start Forrest again.
“With the experience and the way he bounces back, we thought he could get us off to a good start.”
Forrest stayed on the mound until the sixth inning, when starter Drew Smyly came on in relief with Arkansas leading 6-2. Forrest — who threw 155 pitches in four days — received an enormous ovation from the crowd for the effort in his last home appearance.
“That was a great feeling,” Forrest said. “It sends chill bumps down your back.”
But Forrest wasn’t the only reason the Razorbacks slipped past the gutsy Cougars to win the regional.
Arkansas’ offense, which was back to full strength for a few innings Monday, jumped on Washington State starter Paris Shewey (7-3) early. Brett Eibner returned to his spot in the lineup after missing Saturday’s game with a slightly pulled hamstring and drove in the first run in the first inning. Andy Wilkins and James McCann had RBIs to make it 3-0.
Zack Cox went 2-for-3 with a run scored before leaving the game after the third inning because of a ribcage injury that flared up once again. Bo Bigham had a pair of hits. Derrick Bleeker – who replaced Cox in the lineup – also clubbed the first home run in his career in the seventh inning to make it 7-2.
And outfielder Collin Kuhn, who was named the regional’s most valuable player, went 1-for-4 with two RBIs in the deciding game.
“I think he was better than advertised,” Washington State coach Donnie Marbut said of Kuhn. “You hear about the big three with Cox, Eibner and Wilkins, but you need to have the big four.”
The Razorbacks turned in an impressive defensive effort, too. Arkansas committed three errors in a sloppy third inning, but were flawless from there turning three inning-ending double plays. And freshman Matt Vinson turned in a highlight-reel catch in the seventh inning to help end another WSU scoring threat.
On the mound, Smyly was dominant in relief of Forrest. He threw 2 2/3 scoreless innings after starting Saturday’s game, continuing to frustrate a WSU offense known for its ability to come back.
“Dave Van Horn is very smart,” Marbut said of the decision to pitch Smyly. “I was hoping he wouldn’t.”
Eibner got in on the act in the ninth inning, too, turning in his first pitching performance of the week.
He had no trouble retiring the side in the ninth, striking out the game’s final hitter. He pumped his right fist as the Hogs clinched the regional title.
“I’m really excited for the team and our fans,” Van Horn said. “We talked (Sunday) that (Monday’s) game was all about the team. I was telling them after the game how proud I was of them because of how they acted this morning. At breakfast, I had two or three guys come up and tell me I can play, I can pitch.
“I had a really good feeling coming into (Monday) because I could tell the team really wanted to win.”
