“That was strange”: Arkansas Coach Van Horn reflects on Razorbacks’ late-season struggles in 2024
Van Horn reflects on 2024 team’s late woes
FAYETTEVILLE — In a reflective and expansive mood, Coach Dave Van Horn of the Arkansas Razorbacks took time during a lengthy video conference on Wednesday to discuss the challenges his 2024 team faced late in the season. This came as the team was deeply engaged in roster management ahead of the Major League Baseball Draft
“We wish we had pitched better in the last few games, but unfortunately, that wasn’t the case,” Van Horn remarked, highlighting the team’s struggles with starting pitching in the final month of the season.
Arkansas closed out with a 3-7 record in their last games before the NCAA Tournament, including road series losses at Kentucky and Texas A&M, both of whom advanced to the College World Series semifinals. Despite their strong start, the Razorbacks secured the No. 5 national seed and home-field advantage through the super regionals.
However, their NCAA Fayetteville Regional campaign didn’t go as planned.
Despite initially building an 8-0 lead against Southeast Missouri State, they found themselves tied 8-8 in the fifth inning before eventually rallying to a 17-9 victory in their NCAA opener.
In a surprising turn, Kansas State scored six runs off ace Hagen Smith in the fifth inning of the winner’s bracket game, securing a 7-6 win. Southeast Missouri State then handed Arkansas a 6-3 defeat at Baum-Walker Stadium, ending their season with a 44-16 record.
So, while the Razorbacks won five of the last six SEC West titles and advanced to the College World Series three times in that span, they have now lost in consecutive home regionals.
“The competition in our league is exceptional,” Van Horn remarked. “Each year, striving to finish at the top is incredibly challenging. This season, unfortunately, we didn’t perform well down the stretch.
“Let’s not sugarcoat it, that’s how it unfolded. Our play wasn’t sharp. Pitching struggled. While we had some games with solid hitting, it was disappointing how things ended against SEMO.”
In the winner’s bracket game, Arkansas out-hit Kansas State 13-5 and committed zero errors compared to the Wildcats’ two. However, they couldn’t string together a big inning like their opponents did, capitalizing on walks, singles, and a crucial three-run home run by regional MVP Kaelen Culpepper.
Van Horn contrasted the 7-6 loss to Kansas State with Arkansas’ memorable 20-5 defeat against TCU in the winner’s bracket the previous season.
“The previous year, we faced a really strong team,” he explained. “But in 2023, to be honest, we were exhausted with all the injuries.
“In 2024, against Kansas State, the box score was unusual: 6 runs on 13 hits with no errors compared to their 7 runs on 5 hits with 2 errors. Typically, you win that game 9 times out of 10 or more. We hit the ball hard, but luck wasn’t on our side.”
Smith, boasting a 9-2 record and a 2.04 ERA, earned consensus All-American honors and was recognized as national pitcher of the year by multiple sources. He led the nation with an impressive average of 17.3 strikeouts per game and is expected to be a top-10 pick in the draft, potentially as the first pitcher selected.
The Razorbacks secured victories in his first 13 starts but suffered losses in his final three outings against Texas A&M, Kentucky, and Kansas State. The left-handed pitcher allowed three or more earned runs in only three games: three runs in the first inning of a 6-4 win over James Madison in the season opener, three runs in a 7-5 win against Mississippi State on May 10, and six runs in the defeat to Kentucky.
“He’s likely to be selected within the top-10 picks,” Van Horn commented. “If you discount just two innings from his season, he was absolutely outstanding.”
Indeed, nine of the 19 earned runs that Smith allowed came in those specific innings, and excluding them would have lowered his ERA to 1.10.
Van Horn also discussed the draft prospects of several eligible players on the current roster. One notable mention was right fielder Kendall Diggs, who played through a more severe shoulder injury than initially thought.
Diggs had an impressive .352 batting average with 11 RBI in the first 15 games before injuring his shoulder during a head-first slide into second base against McNeese State. The injury turned out to be a complete tear of his labrum, impacting his performance for the remainder of the season. He concluded with a .229 batting average, 7 home runs, and 34 RBI.
“He slid headfirst on a wet or over-watered field — however you want to describe it,” Van Horn recalled. “We winced in the dugout. At the time, we didn’t realize the extent of it. He shook it off.
“But it was a complete tear of his labrum, front and back. He’s currently preparing for surgery to repair it. Despite this, he could still be drafted and sign with a team.”
Van Horn openly discussed the possibility of Diggs returning to the team.
“We’d be thrilled to have him back,” Van Horn expressed. “He’d miss the entire fall season due to the surgery, but it’s his non-throwing shoulder, his left one. You have to admire his toughness for playing through the injury all year.
“He aggravated it a couple more times during the season, running into the wall at Kentucky and in another instance. He made diving catches and persevered through it all. He deserves a lot of credit.
“The injury certainly affected his offensive performance, altering his swing and reducing his speed. It must have been painful for him on certain swings. He handled it with remarkable resilience. We hope to coach him again next year because he has the potential to return to top form.”
