Everything Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn said after South Carolina's second-round SEC Tournament win
Following South Carolina’s 6-5 win over Arkansas in the second round of the SEC Tournament, Razorbacks head coach Dave Van Horn broke down the game. Here’s what he had to say.
Opening Statement
“Just on our side, just kind of a game of maybe missed opportunities. We had a couple of chances to blow it open. Instead of a two-run inning, maybe three or four, one hit away. That was disappointing. Give them credit for pitching out of a couple of jams.”
“On the other side, as far as our pitching, we hit a guy, hit a two-run homer; hit a guy, hit a two-run homer. First inning, two quick outs and two walks, base hit, he’s behind in the count, throws a fastball; 2-0, base hit, they score a run.”
“Free passes are — at this time of year when everybody plays good, they’ll come back and get you, and they got us today.”
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Van Horn on what was different about the team today compared to when they last played South Carolina
“I don’t know if there’s a whole lot of difference. Baseball, there’s a lot of ups and downs. They didn’t score a lot of runs that weekend, but we played three games in about 24 hours. It was quick, in and out. Because of the weather that was supposed to come in, we played Friday night and two games on Saturday, and we were out of there.”
“I don’t probably have a great answer for you. They’re talented. They have a good team. The lineup is right, left, right, left. They don’t really have too many holes in that lineup. We maneuvered through it pretty good except for one guy, and he killed us.”
Van Horn on Arkansas pitchers not executing against Cole Messina
“Well, the first ball that went out of the park. Obviously it was a breaking ball and he was sitting on it, and it wasn’t down enough, and he hammered it. He didn’t try to pull it.”
“Good hitter. The one off Coil, Coil hits the first batter he faces, a left-handed hitter that’s somebody we really needed him to get out, and then I was still finishing up my interview, so I’m not sure exactly what pitch he hit, but he hit it, and I watched it.”
“I mean, he’s dangerous. When we played them over there earlier in the season, he was the guy that we would not let beat us. As a matter of fact, I know we intentionally walked him in one big situation when the game was on the line we felt like. But we also had first base open. Might have been runners at second, third, two down, and we went ahead and put him on.”
“Yeah, you know, he made us pay when we made a mistake.”
Van Horn on who is starting for Arkansas on Thursday
“Yeah, we’re starting Hagen.”
Van Horn on getting the opportunity to play Kentucky again
“I don’t really care who we play, honestly. I just care about the shot. I just want to play good and advance a little bit and feel good when we leave.”
Van Horn on Kendall Diggs’ performance
“I thought he had a good day. They had him play up the middle a couple times. He hit a couple balls there, got that big two-strike hit in the inning we almost got after it a little bit. We scored a couple, left some out there.”
“But took some pitches, laid down a bunt that just barely went foul. I loved seeing that.”
“I feel good about what I saw. Throw the batting average out is what I tell them. Just go out there and from here until the end of the season, just be a tough out.”
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Van Horn on Edmundson getting a couple hits today and breaking a bat on a swing
“Yeah, the first one he got to a full count, and the pitcher actually was throwing a lot of changeups and curveballs, and he threw him a fastball in. Watched the replay, got his hands inside the ball, hit it to right center, obviously it dropped in, got us going that inning.”
“His last at-bat he got behind in the count and he was just a little bit out front on a breaking ball, hit it off the end of the bat. But I felt like he was on it, so that was good to see.”
“In professional baseball I’ve seen it a lot. They use wood.”
“So not much. I don’t even know if he broke it when he hit the — I don’t think the ball was as far inside. I think the bat just broke. Yeah, kind of different.”
Van Horn on Gabe Gaeckle struggling today
“Yeah, got behind in the count a little bit. He didn’t get behind the count on the home run ball, he just threw it down the middle.”
“Just a learning experience. He’s young. He’s got great stuff. He’s been really good for us down the stretch. I don’t think there’s anything wrong. I think he just got beat by a good hitter.”
Van Horn on Hagen’s pitch count tomorrow
“Yeah, I don’t want to say much.”
Van Horn on Souza getting a pinch hit sac fly
“Yeah, and I did the same thing at the end of the order with them, as well, in our 9 hole and he got a hit off him. It’s probably 80 points better. Lefties were seeing him good. He just kept throwing that changeup. It was a good changeup. Curveballs about the same to both hitters, but the changeup to the left is really hard on them.”
