STARKVILLE, Miss. - On the broom they used to sweep 17 th-ranked South Carolina, the Arkansas Razorbacks come sweeping into Starkville against Mississippi State's retiring icon.

Hall of Fame coach Ron Polk retires after 29 years at Mississippi State when this three-game regular season-ending SEC West series, starting with 6: 30 p.m. games tonight and Friday and concluding at 3 p.m. Saturday at Dudy Noble Field. It's definitely Polk's finale because his Bulldogs, an uncharacteristic 20-32 and SEC basement 7-20, will be one of the four teams left out when the 12-team SEC begins the 8-team SEC Tournament Wednesday in Hoover, Ala. For Dave Van Horn's Razorbacks, 32-20 and fourth in the SEC West and eighth overall at 13-13, this series determines if they will advance to Hoover.

South Carolina, 13-14, is just a half-game back in ninth while West rivals Alabama and Ole Miss and Kentucky and Florida of the East are just a half-game ahead overall all tied at 14-13.

In the West race, LSU sizzles hot but at 15-11-1 is but two games ahead of the Hogs and visiting Auburn. So anything from winning the West to sitting at home awaits these Razorbacks now trying to make a NCAA Regional at large case based strongly on winning SEC series with South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee and Ole Miss when all were nationally ranked. Florida and Ole Miss were especially impressive 2 out of 3 series since they were on the road. Sweeping South Carolina impressed South Carolina coach Ray Tanner. Noting a Razorback team returning injured first baseman Andy Wilkins and injured relief pitcher Mike Bolsinger, both integral bristles in the broom sweeping the Gamecocks, Tanner said, " Arkansas has a great club. They went through a little time when they were hurt and banged up but now they are getting those guys back. "

Van Horn said it's such a difference selecting out of the bullpen and selecting lineup options instead of this is what we've got to do because this is all we've got. " I'd have to say we are playing some of our best baseball of the year, " Van Horn said. " We have been opportunistic and finding ways to win. We are getting some players back. It's been a lot better writing those lineups up compared to 5 or 6 weeks ago. " Shortstop Scott Lyons, displaced by a hamstring injury last week but likely to be displaced anyway with Wilkins returning at first freeing emergency first baseman Tim Smalling to return to short, should be available in reserve against Mississippi State, Van Horn said Wednesday.

Polk, not only admired as an icon as a coach but as a staunch defender of college baseball against the assaults of the NCAA bureaucracy has made on scholarships and other areas in men's spring sports, has seen his Bulldogs struggle with injuries like Van Horn's Hogs. \

" They have injuries, " Polk said, " but they are getting some of their guys back. Unfortunately we are not getting guys back. Basically we have guys [hurt ] that would have been our 2, 3, 4, and 5 guys in our lineup at some point. "

The Bulldogs do come off a nonconference victory over Memphis last Tuesday, and Van Horn anticipates they will be inspired for their coach's last hurrah.

Arkansas will start junior Texarkana College pitcher Justin Wells tonight and lefthander Cliff Springston Friday and either-or it with Bolsinger and lefthander Dallas Keuchel Saturday.

Against South Carolina, Van Horn had listed Bolsinger or Keuchel as the either-or third game starter depending on if Bolsinger was spent in relief.

Bolisinger won the Saturday game in relief so Keuchel started Sunday and responded with eight complete shutout innings and a 4-2 victory and was named SEC Pitcher of the Week.

" We'll wild card that third game, " Van Horn said. " We get to that point and things are going good, we may go with Dallas. He deserves it after the way he pitched the past weekend. And if we need Dallas [in relief ] to help win a game, we'll do what we have to do. "

Van Horn also can look to lefty reliever Stephen Richards.