Hogs left hoping for some help

BY CHRIS COCOLES

Posted on Saturday, May 17, 2008

URL: http://www.wholehogsports.com/adg/225980/

STARKVILLE, Miss. — Now it’s Arkansas taking over the role as the team capable of wrecking its opponent’s plans.

The goal of playing their way into the SEC Tournament is gone for the Razorbacks, who after two losses here no longer can secure a spot in the eight-team SEC Tournament without getting some outside help.

If Ole Miss or South Carolina wins today, it won’t matter if Arkansas salvages the final game of its series with Mississippi State.

Of course, the Razorbacks could gain a measure of revenge against the Bulldogs by ruining Ron Polk Day with a victory at Dudy Noble Field. The longtime Bulldogs coach will officially step down after today’s game.

Still, Kentucky or Tennessee must do their part to make Arkansas’ regular-season finale anything more than a chance to become the unwanted guest at Polk’s party. For the Razorbacks to make it to the SEC Tournament, they must defeat Mississippi State and have Kentucky beat Ole Miss or Tennessee beat South Carolina.

“We’ve backed ourselves into a corner after a tough loss, and we’ll see what we’re made of,” Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said.

First, the Razorbacks must recover from a devastating ninth-inning collapse Friday night against a dead-last Mississippi State club that until the past two nights hadn’t won consecutive conference games all season.

Mississippi State rallied for four runs in the ninth inning to pull out a 6-5 victory, and one has to wonder whether Arkansas has anything left after such a loss.

“They’re going to be fired up, and we’re going to come out fired up,” Arkansas shortstop Tim Smalling said. “It should be a good game. We need to do everything we can to get that win.”