By Robbie Neiswanger
Arkansas News Bureau
OMAHA, Neb. — Arkansas reliever Brandon Moore said the Razorbacks are proud of their accomplishment.
Getting to the College World Series isn’t easy. In fact, it was incredibly difficult for an Arkansas team which survived a so-so end to the regular season, then had to win NCAA regionals and super regionals on the road. But it has happened and Moore made it clear Arkansas wasn’t satisfied before it hit the road.
“We achieved one goal. That was to get to Omaha,” Moore said Wednesday. “The big goal now is to win it.”
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Moore and the Razorbacks have drawn up new plans now that they’re one of eight teams still in national championship contention. Arkansas (44-20) opens play in the double-elimination tournament against Kent State (46-18) in TD Ameritrade Park at 4 p.m. today, confident it is the start of a journey that will stretch all the way to the championship series.
New workout shirts, which some players wore during Friday’s final tuneup before opening playing in the College World Series, provided an indication of their thought process now. The jerseys read: “Own Omaha.”
“We’re not just happy to be there,” second baseman Bo Bigham said. “We’re going to try to go win it.”
Arkansas is playing in the College World Series for the seventh time in the program’s history. The Razorbacks enjoyed success in 2009, going 2-2 to finish in the final four under coach Dave Van Horn.
But Arkansas believes it has the makeup to go even further this time, especially with a team built for postseason play because of its pitching depth.
The Razorbacks haven’t hit well in the postseason (.211), but are tied with Florida for the lowest staff ERA (2.90) among teams in Omaha. They threw 14 consecutive scoreless innings to end the Waco Super Regional, beating Baylor after falling into a one-game hole. The Razorbacks have hurled two shutouts — both in 1-0 wins — in six postseason games this month.
“It definitely makes you better,” Van Horn said of his team’s win at Baylor. “Our players knew how good they were, just watching them in that lineup. … When you looked at it, you’re going, ‘Wow we’re going to have to pull something off here. They’re awfully good.’ So our confidence level has got to be high.”
Arkansas is in a four-team bracket with Kent State, Florida (the No. 1 overall seed) and South Carolina (the 2010 and 2011 national champions). Winning games won’t be easy, but Moore said Arkansas’ experience during a roller coaster regular season will help now.
“It’s going to take focus and drive to be successful,” Moore said. “I think we have that because we know what it’s like to be successful and we also know what it’s like to fail. So just having done all that, we know what we need to do.”
It begins against a Kent State team that has endured its share of nail-biting moments in the postseason.
The Golden Flashes — much like the Razorbacks — have relied on solid pitching and timely hitting to reach their first College World Series. Kent State is 4-1 in one-run games and has endured several gut-check moments, including the 21-inning win against Kentucky in the Gary (Ind.) Regional opener and a 3-2 win at Oregon in the super regional’s deciding game Monday.
“I think we’ve proven that we do belong here and we’re proud to be here,” said Kent State coach Scott Stricklin, who also played for the program.
Kent State doesn’t need to convince everyone they’re a legitimate contender, according to a recent poll of 66 college coaches by CollegeInsider.com. Florida is the overwhelming favorite (38 votes), but three picked the Golden Flashes to win the national championship.
Arkansas was the only team not to secure any championship votes in the CollegeInsider.com poll.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen this week,” Van Horn said Wednesday. “But I know that we’re confident and I’m sure Kent State is confident.”
The winner will advance to play the winner of tonight’s Florida-South Carolina game on Sunday. The losing teams will play in an elimination game.
Arkansas said it isn’t expecting a quick trip after gaining confidence during its postseason run.
“We’re just ready to get things under way, ready to start playing baseball,” Arkansas first baseman Dominic Ficociello said Friday morning. “We’re ready to see how long we can stretch this thing out.”
College World Series
Arkansas vs. Kent State
WHEN: 4 p.m. Saturday
TV: ESPN
RADIO: KABZ-FM 103.7
WHERE: TD Ameritrade Park, Omaha, Neb.
RECORDS: Arkansas Razorbacks, 44-20, 16-14 Southeastern Conference; Kent State Golden Flashes, 46-18, 24-3 Mid-American Conference.
COACHES: Arkansas, Dave Van Horn (402-221, 10 seasons, 986-461 overall, 24 seasons); Kent State, Scott Stricklin (313-163, eighth season).
PROBABLE STARTERS: Arkansas, RHP DJ Baxendale (7-5, 3.18 ERA); Kent State, LHP David Starn (11-3, 2.21).