Hog Baseball: Another Top-5 Ranking
Updated: January 22, 2013
The University of Arkansas baseball team is ranked second in the
Perfect Game preseason
poll, released on Tuesday.
The
Perfect Game preseason
poll is the second poll to be released prior to the start of the 2013 baseball
season. Arkansas was ranked preseason No. 1 in the Collegiate Baseball top 40
poll.
Arkansas
finished the 2012 season with a 46-22 record and advanced to the College World
Series for the seventh time in program history, finishing in a tie for third.
The 46 victories were the most for the Razorbacks under head coach Dave Van Horn
and the most in a season since the 1990 team won 47 games. Arkansas finished the
season ranked in the top six in all four of the major national college baseball
polls, including a No. 3 ranking in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll, the NCBWA
poll and the Collegiate Baseball
poll.
The
Razorbacks return 10 pitchers from last year's pitching staff that finished the
season with a 2.83 team ERA, the second-lowest single-season ERA in program
history. Arkansas' pitching staff had 10 shutouts, which also ranked as the
second-highest total in a season. In the NCAA Tournament, Razorback pitchers
compiled a 1.92 team ERA, including a team ERA of 1.80 in the College World
Series. Junior Ryne Stanek, who was named a preseason All-American by
Collegiate Baseball and
Perfect Game, and
senior Randall Fant return as weekend starters from last year's team. Stanek,
who earned All-SEC honors last season from SEBaseball.com, finished
his sophomore year with an 8-4 record and a 2.82 ERA in 17 games. Fant pitched
in 15 games, including 14 starts, in 2012 and compiled a 2-3 record with a 3.27
ERA.
Out of the
bullpen, junior right hander Colby Suggs, who was named a 2013 preseason
All-American by the NCBWA, Collegiate Baseball and
Perfect Game, made 30
appearances in 2012 and went 7-1 with a 1.38 ERA. Junior righty Barrett Astin
pitched in a team-high 32 games and had a 3-5 record with a team-leading 11
saves and a 1.99 ERA. Junior right hander Brandon Moore went 5-2 with three
saves and a 2.43 ERA in 29 outings. Redshirt senior Trent Daniel (2-0, 1 save,
5.06 ERA), senior Cade Lynch (3-1, 2 saves, 2.11 ERA) and senior Tyler Wright
(1-0, 2.60 ERA) are all left-handed options out of the bullpen. Sophomore right
handers Michael Gunn (1-0, 2.57 ERA) and Chris Oliver (1-0, 3.86) also return
for the 2013 season.
Offensively, Arkansas returns six position players who
made 30 or more starts during the 2012 season. Collegiate Baseball preseason
All-American Dominic Ficociello finished his sophomore season with a .290
batting average, six home runs and 41 RBI. Sophomore infielder/outfielder Brian
Anderson, who was named to SEBaseball.com's SEC
All-Freshman Team in 2012, and sophomore outfielder Joe Serrano were regulars in
the starting lineup in the second half of the 2012 season. Anderson hit .283
with a pair of homers and 11 RBI, while Serrano batted .333 with seven RBI. In
the NCAA Tournament, Serrano hit .444 (12-for-27) with a pair of RBI. Other
returning position players that had 30 or more starts in 2012 include senior
infielder Jacob Mahan (.257, 18 RBI), redshirt junior outfielder Jacob Morris
(.236, 3 HR, 23 RBI), senior outfielder Matt Vinson (.217, 13 RBI) and junior
catcher Jake Wise (.244, 2 HR, 25 RBI).
Eight SEC
teams were included in the Perfect
Game poll.
Joining the Razorbacks in the poll were Vanderbilt (3rd), LSU
(5th), Florida
(7th), South
Carolina (11th),
Kentucky (13th),
Mississippi State (16th) and Ole
Miss (19th). Also,
non-conference opponents Oklahoma (20th) and
Arizona State (25th) were
ranked in the poll.
The
Razorbacks open the 2013 season on Friday, Feb. 15, when they host Western
Illinois. First pitch is scheduled for 3:05
p.m.
For more
information regarding Razorback baseball or University of Arkansas athletics,
please visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com.
Perfect Game Top 25
Preseason Poll
1. North
Carolina
2.
Arkansas
3.
Vanderbilt
4.
Stanford
5.
LSU
6.
UCLA
7.
Florida
8. Oregon
State
9. NC
State
10.
Oregon
11.
South Carolina
12.
Georgia Tech
13.
Kentucky
14.
TCU
15.
Louisville
16.
Mississippi State
17.
Florida State
18. San
Diego
19. Ole
Miss
20.
Oklahoma
21.
Rice
22.
Arizona
23. Cal
State Fullerton
24.
Texas
25.
Arizona State
