**CWS Runner-Up: Arkansas Razorbacks 2018 Baseball Season Thread**

How's your butt feel after your trip?

Beyond ready

Van Horn says Keaton McKinney and Cody Scroggins are going to be available after going through Tommy John rehab the past year. McKinney pitched in yesterday's scrimmage and hit 93 mph on the radar gun. Van Horn says McKinney has worked "incredibly hard" to get back into shape. Scroggins will throw an inning or two in Sunday's scrimmage. He has been throwing in the low 90s.


-Cole Turney, one of the top hitters in high school last year, is coming off shoulder surgery. Van Horn thought he could be a first round pick last summer. Van Horn says he has been impressive in batting practice. "He has Chad Spanberger power, plus," Van Horn said. He could be a DH, but can't play in the outfield yet while he continues to recover. Turney also is dealing with an ankle injury.

On Grant Koch, Van Horn says he has longer hair and a stronger body. "The ball is jumping off the bat and he looks incredible to me."

-Behind Koch are redshirt junior transfer Zack Plunkett (TCU) and freshman Casey Opitz. Van Horn says Opitz is one of the best freshman receivers he has had, while Plunkett has one of the strongest arms.

Knight
Koch

WPS

LINK

Florida, the defending NCAA champion, garnered 12 first place votes, while Arkansas and Texas A&M had one each. The Gators were predicted to win the SEC Eastern Division, while Arkansas was the favorite to win the SEC Western Division.

2018 SEC Baseball Coaches Preseason Poll

Eastern Division

Florida - 91
Kentucky - 74
Vanderbilt - 72
South Carolina - 50
Georgia - 41
Missouri - 32
Tennessee - 25
Western Division

Arkansas - 90
Texas A&M - 72
Ole Miss - 62
LSU - 59
Mississippi State - 44
Auburn - 38
Alabama - 20
SEC Champion: Florida (12), Arkansas (1), Texas A&M (1)

C Grant Koch - 1st team
SS Jax Biggers - 2nd team
OF Dominic Fletcher - 2nd team
SP Blaine Knight - 2nd team

Opening weekend info:
Forecast

Friday Cloudy 37 for the high NNE wind 14 mph
Saturday Am rain/ice high 47 60% precipitation wind W 8mph
Sunday Partly cloudy high 56 wind S 4mph

Could be a rough weekend to get all the games in if the Meteorologists are right.

Scott Heather was named the head coach of the Bucknell baseball program on June 18, 2012, succeeding the retiring Gene Depew. Heather spent the previous eight years as an assistant coach at Bucknell, helping the Bison to a pair of Patriot League Tournament titles and NCAA appearances.
Scott Heather (born September 14, 1975) is an American college baseball coach, currently serving as head coach of the Bucknell Bison baseball program. He was named to that position prior to the 2013 season.[1][2][3]

Heather began his playing career at Arizona Western, and completed his eligibility at Arkansas. He played on season with the independent Duluth–Superior Dukes and served as a student assistant at Arkansas in 1999. For the next five seasons, he worked as an assistant coach at Arkansas–Fort Smith, then a junior college. In 2005, Heather joined the staff at Bucknell, working with pitchers. He was elevated to the head coaching position after longtime head coach Gene Depew retired.[1][3] After claiming a share of the conference regular season title and the top seed in the 2014 Patriot League Baseball Tournament, Heather was named Patriot League Coach of the Year in 2014.
Scott Heather (born September 14, 1975) is an American college baseball coach, currently serving as head coach of the Bucknell Bison baseball program. He was named to that position prior to the 2013 season.[1][2][3]

• Bucknell, which went 21-28, 10-10 last season, will be led by senior right-hander Connor Van Hoose, a unanimous first-team All-Patriot League selection last season. He went 6-6 as Bucknell’s No. 1 starter, leading the league with a 2.28 ERA and 97 strikeouts. His strikeouts, which came in just 83 innings, were the second-most in Bucknell history. He pitched four complete games, including a three-hitter that beat regular-season champ Navy. That win occurred in the semifinals of the Patriot League Tournament, helping Bucknell advance to the championship series. After Van Hoosen, however, graduation created some major voids, and the supporting cast has a lot to prove. Junior right-hander Jeff Gottesman is the next best pitcher. The offense will be led by center fielder and leadoff batter Chuckie Scales, shortstop, three-hole hitter and team captain Luke Johnson and third baseman/cleanup hitter Keifer Rawlings. First baseman Miles Moore and DH Tyler Wincig had productive fall camps. Freshmen to watch are right-hander Brenden Tuttle and infielder Dominic Toso.

Should be a great pitching match up between Knight and Van Hoose.


WPS!

Opening day game noted


Latest weather at the first pitch 43 degrees NW wind at 9mph


Beat Bucknell!

#Omahogs

1-0.

Can we avg 30 ppg for this series?

McKinney on the bump at noon.



#WPS #FlomaHogs