Dave Van Horn stresses importance of Arkansas’ pitching vs. South Carolina

In the thick of a riveting SEC title race, Arkansas held its place atop the league standings on Friday night with a 4-1 win over a very good South Carolina team.

The Razorbacks weren’t able to generate much offense, but they kept one of the league’s most powerful outfits almost entirely off the scoreboard.

“They’re a really good hitting team. They have a lot of power,” coach Dave Van Horn said after the win. “Big and strong. For us to hold them to one run, I mean that’s why we won the game, obviously. We didn’t hit a whole lot. We put together an inning or punched in one here and there in the other ones, but the pitching did it for us today.”

South Carolina ranks fourth nationally in home runs per game, averaging 2.15 dingers per contest.

The Gamecocks have hit 103 home runs as a ball club, with five different players in the lineup who have double-digit homers on the season, led by slugger Ethan Petry.

But thanks to Arkansas’ pitching the Razorbacks managed, using only two pitchers and preserving the bullpen depth in the series opener.

Starting pitcher Hagen Smith went 5.2 innings but exited after giving up a tying run in the sixth inning. His replacement, reliever Gage Wood, was elite in relief.

“To me it seemed like he was getting better as he went on a little bit,” Van Horn said. “He came in, he was OK. Threw the ball well. Maybe the fastball was a tick harder, but as far as command, his command was better in the eighth and ninth it seemed like to me.

“He dropped another breaking ball there in the ninth, but he basically just went at them with fastballs. That’s what we want him to do, pitch to both sides of the plate and make them swing, and he did it.”

Wood finished with 3.1 innings pitched, giving up just two hits on the evening. He didn’t allow a run or a walk, while striking out four.

The Arkansas pitching was just what was needed to secure a majorly important SEC win on a night when other contenders for the title like Florida and LSU also won. The Razorbacks are clinging to a half-game lead in the SEC standings.

Arkansas will be back in action for Game 2 of the series against South Carolina at home, with a first pitch scheduled for 7 p.m. ET and a broadcast on SEC Network +.

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