April 18, 2008

Fayetteville, AR (UWIRE) -- A week ago, it was seen as a move of desperation.

Razorback skipper Dave Van Horn announced then that Dallas Keuchel would pitch at Florida on Friday, Cliff Springston on Saturday and Justin Wells on Sunday.

Pushing Springston and Wells back one day apiece would presumably mean better match-ups for them, and therefore, a better chance for the Hogs to escape Gainesville without being swept.

However, that move stranded Keuchel, who struggled at times early this season, in the unfamiliar role of staff ace.

"Sometimes when I had some good, quick innings, I'd go back in the dugout and lose focus," Keuchel said.

Until last Friday, Hog fans' familiarity with Keuchel extended to the most famous losses of his 2007 freshman campaign. Blocked by a trio of top prospects in the Arkansas rotation, he was accustomed to pitching in front of quarter-full stadiums against midweek opponents, although these duties included a win over No. 10 Wichita State.

When nagging injuries struck the weekend starters, the Tulsa native earned two Southeastern Conference starts, which he split. When tournament play began, the number four starter was pressed into more meaningful action, and Van Horn pegged him to start the SEC Championship against No. 1 Vanderbilt, in which Keuchel was charged for the 7-4 loss.

The next week, he gave up three runs in a third of an inning of work in a 14-3 NCAA Regional loss to Oklahoma State.

Those had been the unfortunate signature games that had sullied Keuchel's otherwise solid collegiate record, until last Friday. He held the No. 21 Gators to one run on six hits in over eight innings of work as the Hogs managed a 2-1 win, which ultimately led Arkansas to take its first conference series of 2008.

"Going in, we needed a series win," Keuchel said.

The SEC slate returns to Fayetteville tonight as the Razorbacks (20-16, 5-9 SEC) take on the Tennessee Volunteers (22-14, 9-6 SEC) in a weekend with postseason implications for both teams.

"Last week was the biggest series, and now this week is going to be the biggest series of the season," Keuchel said.

Despite their slow start, Arkansas is only a half game out of spot in the SEC Tournament, which would strengthen their long-shot bid at a seventh straight NCAA Regional appearance. Tennessee needs tallies in the win column before No. 9 South Carolina and No. 11 Vanderbilt appear on the schedule.

This has been a season of ups and downs for first-year Volunteer manager Todd Raleigh, who spent eight seasons at Western Carolina. Two weeks into his high-major college career, Raleigh oversaw a win over then-No. 3 Texas in Houston.

Other ventures away from Knoxville have been less fruitful. The Vols have not yet won a series on the SEC road, losing two games apiece at Georgia and Auburn, and have dropped midweek contests at four in-state foes, including a 13-6 defeat to Middle Tennessee State Tuesday.

The Volunteer lineup is led off by 5-foot-9 freshman centerfielder Kentrail Davis, who has a team-high .370 batting average and 8 homeruns this season.

Sophomore catcher Yan Gomes bats clean-up and leads the team with 25 hits in SEC play.

Tennessee's pitching staff has the third-best earned run average in the SEC, and they are as reliant on strikeouts as Hog batters are apt to strike out. Like Van Horn, Raleigh has mixed up the Vol rotation in the last few weeks, relegating former Friday starter Steve Crnkovich to a midweek role after he lost his first three SEC starts. Friday, the Hogs will face lefty Nick Hernandez, who was blasted by Alabama last week for nine runs in six innings.

Tomorrow, redshirt freshman Bryan Morgado, who is second in the conference in strikeouts, will take the mound for the Vols, followed by junior college transfer Ty'Relle Harris on Sunday.

(C) 2008 Arkansas Traveler via UWIRE