2008 Woodie Awards
Keuchel, Hogs look for second straight SEC series win
Nic Schluterman
Issue date: 4/18/08 Section: Sports
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Razorback skipper Dave Van Horn announced then that Dallas Keuchel would pitch at Florida on Friday, Cliff Springston on Saturday and Justin Wells on Sunday.
Pushing Springston and Wells back one day apiece would presumably mean better match-ups for them, and therefore, a better chance for the Hogs to escape Gainesville without being swept.
However, that move stranded Keuchel, who struggled at times early this season, in the unfamiliar role of staff ace.
"Sometimes when I had some good, quick innings, I'd go back in the dugout and lose focus," Keuchel said.
Until last Friday, Hog fans' familiarity with Keuchel extended to the most famous losses of his 2007 freshman campaign. Blocked by a trio of top prospects in the Arkansas rotation, he was accustomed to pitching in front of quarter-full stadiums against midweek opponents, although these duties included a win over No. 10 Wichita State.
When nagging injuries struck the weekend starters, the Tulsa native earned two Southeastern Conference starts, which he split. When tournament play began, the number four starter was pressed into more meaningful action, and Van Horn pegged him to start the SEC Championship against No. 1 Vanderbilt, in which Keuchel was charged for the 7-4 loss.
The next week, he gave up three runs in a third of an inning of work in a 14-3 NCAA Regional loss to Oklahoma State.
Those had been the unfortunate signature games that had sullied Keuchel's otherwise solid collegiate record, until last Friday. He held the No. 21 Gators to one run on six hits in over eight innings of work as the Hogs managed a 2-1 win, which ultimately led Arkansas to take its first conference series of 2008.
"Going in, we needed a series win," Keuchel said.
The SEC slate returns to Fayetteville tonight as the Razorbacks (20-16, 5-9 SEC) take on the Tennessee Volunteers (22-14, 9-6 SEC) in a weekend with postseason implications for both teams.
"Last week was the biggest series, and now this week is going to be the biggest series of the season," Keuchel said.
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