We don’t know Dave Van Horn’s stance on gun control, but there’s no doubt he’s adamantly against college baseball rules restricting rights to bear arms.

Playing five games a week, as the Razorbacks and most all Division-I teams will do in a baseball season moved from the usual frigid first week of February to this Friday, is a lot to ask for pitchers in a sport that barely offers more scholarships, 11. 7, all in fractions, of course, than the 10-man lineup including the DH.

Arm surgeries already abounded throughout college ball even with the season more spread out.

“ I wished they had pushed the season back on the other end as well, ” Van Horn said. “ It would be nice to go back another week. But this [arm problems in college baseball ] has been going on forever. And a lot of it has to do with we don’t have enough scholarships. We have 11. 7. Even in a fourgame week, which was normal, we would use four starters and five or six relievers. That’s 11 or 12 guys, where in softball they use two pitchers, maybe one. ”

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Van Horn says the Razorbacks, opening at Baum Stadium against Wright State in 3 p. m., 1 p. m. and noon games Friday, Saturday and Sunday with Southeast Missouri and Kansas visiting in 3 p. m. games Tuesday and Wednesday, prepared themselves as best they could by recruiting more pitchers and fewer position players.

“ Our pitching is a lot deeper than it’s ever been, ” Van Horn said.

He said deeper, not better. You can’t lose top three starters Nick Schmidt, Jess Todd and Duke Welker to the pros after their junior year and anticipate right away standing taller on the hill.

However, starting with junior righthander Shaun Seibert appearing on a successful recovery road from Tommy John arm surgery, and a host of freshmen including 6-foot-7 righthander James Mahler who will start Friday’s season opener, Van Horn said the pitching could surprise like Schmidt did three years ago as the least-heralded but instantly most-successful freshman of the pitching class.

“ The Schmidts and Welkers and Jess Todds are gone, ” Van Horn said. “ We are hoping in this batch we’ve got some more of those guys. They are just young. ” Ma h l e r, Se i b e r t and freshman Kendall Korbal are listed to start on restricted pitch counts against Wright State with returning lefty Dallas Keuchel and Baylor transfer Cliff Springston among the ready to relieve this weekend or start against SEMO or Kansas.

Afield, the Hogs are blessed with their best player returning speedily returning from foot surgery. Junior third baseman Logan Forsythe won’t be the team’s leading basestealer at the outset like he was last year, but his foot is fit to play against Wright State.

Unfortunately, senior leadoff hitting center Sean Jones isn’t fit. Jones broke his hand when struck by a pitch in practice last week. Van Horn doesn’t expect Jones returning until Arkansas ’ second SEC series, March 21-23 at LSU.

The Hogs open league play hosting Georgia March 14-16.

Junior two-year letterman right fielder-DH Wayne Hrozek will start in center against Wright State, Van Horn said, also listing junior transfer Scott Lyons ahead of injured Tim Smalling at short and fretting senior left fielder Casey Coon’s sore shoulder.

One of three first baseman-outfielders, Aaron Murphree, Jacob House or Andy Wilkins, might be in the left with the other at first and the other, probably cleanup hitter Wilkins at DH.