why will and won’t win

Arkansas baseball is headed to Stillwater, Okla., for its NCAA Event regional. The Razorbacks would be the No. 2 seed within the regional behind No. 1 Oklahoma State and match up with No. 3 Grand Canyon for his or her first sport.

Arkansas has misplaced six of its final eight video games, together with going 0-2 on the SEC Event. The Razorbacks will want a jolt of power to their bats and pitching employees to make it out of the regional, but it surely’s not an inconceivable job.

Here is why Arkansas can — and may’t — advance to tremendous regionals.

Why Arkansas will win in Stillwater

The excellent news about Arkansas going 0-2 in Hoover is that it is going to be well-rested for the regional. The Razorbacks final performed Friday, and coach Dave Van Horn mentioned the crew obtained two days off and may have some gentle work this week earlier than heading to Oklahoma.

Arkansas matches up properly with Oklahoma State ought to the 2 meet. The Cowboys aren’t an overwhelming crew and had been swept within the common season by lower-seeded Texas and unseeded Gonzaga and Texas Tech.

Arkansas has been an underdog in regional play earlier than and made it out. Of the 9 instances the Razorbacks have been a No. 2 seed in a regional underneath Van Horn, they’ve received the regional thrice, together with in Stillwater in 2015.

“While you get to this a part of the season, if you happen to haven’t completed properly and also you get in, you’re simply type of glad that the common season’s behind you,” Van Horn mentioned. “You by no means know the way it’s going to go.”

ARKANSAS BASEBALL:What’s ailing Arkansas baseball, and the way do the Razorbacks flip it round in NCAA Event?

BETTING:What are the Arkansas Razorbacks baseball betting odds to win 2022 School World Sequence

TOURNAMENT TIME:2022 NCAA baseball regional pairings: Here is the TV schedule, begin instances

Why Arkansas will not win its regional

Arkansas has a tricky matchup to begin the postseason. Grand Canyon received or break up sequence in opposition to Arizona, Texas Tech, Oregon State and Stanford, all of that are event groups. The Antelopes are hitting .306 as a crew with an .861 OPS.

As for different matchups, Arkansas has already misplaced to No. 4 regional seed Missouri State this 12 months. Oklahoma State is on an reverse trajectory to Arkansas, profitable 5 of its final seven and incomes an unexpectedly excessive nationwide seed.

Postseason baseball is commonly about groups getting scorching on the proper time, and Arkansas went chilly down the stretch. Its beginning pitching has struggled, as has its offense, and Van Horn mentioned he is most involved with the crew’s mindset.

“So far as sport play, we have to rating earlier within the sport,” he mentioned. “We have been behind rather a lot, attempting to struggle again. We’ve finished it a number of instances down the stretch, however extra instances than not, we didn’t catch them. Greater than something, simply change our minds. It is a brand new season and something can occur.”

Christina Lengthy covers the Arkansas Razorbacks. You’ll be able to e-mail her at clong@swtimes.com or comply with her on Twitter @christinalong00.