FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) - It's easy to look at Missouri State's 48-10 record and give credit to their pitching staff and their ERA that ranks seventh in the nation but the Bears' offense deserves praise as well.
Missouri State has five different players with 40 or more RBIs this season and it's that balance that the Arkansas pitching staff has to focus on.
"Me and our whole staff as a whole, our approach stays the same no matter who we’re facing really," Friday's starting pitcher for Arkansas Trey Killian said. "Our job is to go out there and make pitches. Coach Jorn is going to call the game and he’s been around for a long time and obviously he knows the game really well and we trust him."
"That’s a very good stat and we’ve talked about it," Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said. "It just means they’re having a lot of productive at bats and that’s what I talked about. They’re a mature team and they know how to win and they now how to beat you."
The Bears also have six different players with 50 or more hits this season and shortstop Joey Hawkins said that makes his job that much easier.
"Just try and get on base and I’m pretty confident some one will drive me in at some point," Hawkins said. "We’ve done a great job and like you said, five guys with 40 RBIs, that just shows that if you don’t get it done, you can have the confidence in the next guy in the order to drive that run in with two outs and the game on the line and we’ve shown that a lot down this last stretch."
Killian will get the first shot at silencing the Missouri State offense and he said his approach won't change.
"Our game plan is going to stay the same," Killian said. "Throw strikes and let our defense work."
"Those guys, they know the zone, they have an approach, they’re not scared to hit with two strikes," Van Horn said. "It’s an approach and it’s working and hats off to them. We’re going to have to work ahead of them. If you don’t throw strikes, they’re going to be in hitter’s counts and they get picky."