New Jersey Institute of Technology coach Robbie McClellan talked after practice Thursday about having to play the Hogs first in tournament.
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Glavine previewing Friday night’s opening regional matchup with Huskers
Northeastern coach Mike Glavine met with the media to look at their opening game in the NCAA Regional on Friday night.
Nebraska’s Bolt on history with Van Horn ahead of opening NCAA game
Huskers coach Will Bolt met with the media to preview Friday night’s opening game in regional against Northeastern in Fayetteville.
PHOTOS: Arkansas’ practice before first game in regional
The Razorbacks worked out ahead of Friday’s opener in the NCAA Regional and here are some of the photos from that practice session. The Hogs will play New Jersey Institute of Technology at 2 p.m. Friday.
Photos by Arkansas Communications
Nobody expected before season Kopps best player, but he is
Before Arkansas’ baseball season got rolling, Clay Henry at Hawgs Illustrated relayed a heads-up he was given about reliever Kevin Kopps.
Pitching coach Matt Hobbs told Henry he was going to see a vastly-improved Kopps this year.
Nobody figured he was talking about the best player in college baseball. That had never happened in college baseball.
Until Thursday.
Kopps was named the National Player of the Year by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, becoming the first relief pitcher in history to earn the award from the nation’s oldest baseball publication.
Kopps, who owns an NCAA-best 0.81 ERA in 66 1/3 innings this season, has 10 wins and 10 saves on the year, striking out 105 batters and allowing only 15 walks along the way.
The right-hander has given up just six runs in 28 appearances, logging stretches of 19.2 and 20.2 consecutive scoreless innings at points this season.
Opponents are batting .161 against Kopps, who ranks third nationally with a 0.78 walks and hits per innings pitched and seventh with 14.3 strikeouts per nine innings.
The reliever enters the NCAA Regionals with the program record in numerous categories, including single-season ERA (0.81, minimum 45 innings pitched), consecutive strikeouts (11) and consecutive batters retired (28).
The award is one of the many honors Kopps has racked up during his historic campaign. He was also voted SEC Pitcher of the Year and became the first player to earn National Pitcher of the Month in consecutive months from the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.
Kopps is on the watch list for the NCBWA’s Stopper of the Year Award, which goes to the nation’s best relief pitcher.
He is in contention for the Golden Spikes Award as well as the Dick Howser Trophy, which both recognize the best college baseball player in the country.
Kopps is the second Arkansas student-athlete to be named Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Year.
Andrew Benintendi earned the honor in 2015, also winning the Golden Spikes Award and Howser Trophy that year.
Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.
Van Horn starting Bolden against New Jersey Institute of Technology
Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said Thursday morning after practice Caleb Bolden will get the start in the first game of the NCAA Regional.
Davenport on Van Horn ‘selecting’ players more than recruiting them
Democrat-Gazette recruiting writer Richard Davenport said on The Morning Rush that Dave Van Horn is choosing the best players more than recruiting.
Murphy on baseball’s strong season raising hopes for starving fan base
With Arkansas getting close to a title in baseball, the run this year has fans at a fever pitch to win and they are showing up, being a factor.
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