Image Courtesy: Whole Hog Sports
It is hard to believe Arkansas baseball has not won it all in Omaha at the College World Series. It is even harder to believe the Razorbacks did not finish the job in 2018 when they were just one out away from the win. Arkansas was up 1-0 in the College World Series National Championship Series and the Oregon State was down to its last out in the top of the ninth inning with the Razorbacks up 3-2. Beavers shortstop Cadyn Grenier hit a pop up to foul territory on the right and the ball fell right in the middle of three Arkansas defenders including first baseman Jared Gates, second baseman Carson Shaddy, and right fielder Eric Cole. It was first baseman Jared Gates’ ball the entire way but none of the three called the ball. Grenier went on to hit a single to the left to tie it at 3. Then, the next batter Trevor Lanach hit a two-run home run to give the Beavers distance. They went on to win game 2 in the bottom of the ninth before winning it all the next day in game 3, 5-0.
It took a lot of time Razorback baseball fans to get over that loss. But, head coach Dave Van Horn quickly got over the loss to Oregon State, getting his team back to Omaha a year later. Arkansas did go 0-2 in 2019 in Omaha but they returned talented second baseman Casey Martin and right fielder Heston Kjerstad for 2020. When the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled the 2020 season in mid-March Razorback fans believed they missed another great chance for them to win it all. Martin and Kjerstad were gone but a new group came in for Van Horn including shortstop Jalen Battles, second baseman Robert Moore, and first baseman Brady Slavens to join pitcher Kevin Kopps. Kopps had always been a quality relief pitcher for pitching coach Matt Hobbs. But what he did in the spring of 2021 was something that will be remembered by Razorback fans for a long time. Kopps went 13-1 as Arkansas won a ten of its SEC series during the regular season, including a tremendous series win over Tennessee, led by former Van Horn assistant Tony Vitello. Razorback fans are frustrated that Vitello got his Tennessee team a national title before Van Horn could with Arkansas. Entering the NCAA Tournament following another victory over Tennessee in the SEC Tournament Championship, the Razorbacks were announced as the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. Arkansas was forced to play an extra game but they were able to get past Nebraska to advance to the super regional. Then, in game one of the supers the Razorbacks crushed NC State in game 1, 21-2. Despite the confidence that gained the Arkansas offense, many fans believed they had used all of their runs. Those fans were somewhat right. The Arkansas offense fell apart in their situational hitting and they fell short of returning to Omaha for the third consecutive time. Not even starting Kevin Kopps in game three helped the hogs. Arkansas fans again had to deal with the pain and torment of not having a national championship in the sport they love.
In 2022, veteran Razorback baseball players Jalen Battles, Brady Slavens, Robert Moore, Connor Noland, and former Kent State catcher Michael Turner led Arkansas back to Omaha in 2022 after the disappointment of how the 2021 season ended. Arkansas headed on the road to the Stillwater Regional after a disappointing end to the regular season. After defeating Grand Canyon to open regional play, the Razorbacks won the 1-0 game over 7.Oklahoma State in a classic, 20-12. The Cowboys eliminated Missouri State the next day in an elimination game before beating the Razorbacks to force a winner-take-all game seven. Without much pitching available, catcher Michael Turner and freshman pitcher Hagen Smith put the team on their back to get the Razorbacks back to the super regional round. Arkansas swept 10.North Carolina on the road before heading to Omaha again. Would this be the year Dave Van Horn and the Razorbacks finally do it? Wrong. They ran into Ole Miss in the College World Series semifinals, who had an underachieving regular season. But, they were able to become the third consecutive SEC champion in a row. In 2023 and 2024, Arkansas turned in regular seasons where it seemingly overachieved in the regular season before falling in its own regional in back to back seasons.
So… will Dave Van Horn ever get it done? I don’t know. No one knows. But it is the clear that the long time Razorbacks head coach will change things up after back to back disappointing seasons that included not getting out of their own regional as a top five national seed. He needs players on his roster that want to win it all. He needs consistent pitching in June. He also needs hitters that hit their stride in June, too. Of course, he needs a team that makes it to the NCAA Tournament. Van Horn has not had a problem getting his Razorback teams there. But, if he is unable to win it all, Arkansas fans may not respect him as much as they should. Not many coaches in college baseball have the pedigree and resumé of Dave Van Horn. Is a national championship ever going to reside in Fayetteville? Van Horn always has Arkansas in position to be in position. So, here is some advice: Patience, is a virtue my friend.
