Razorbacks' Dave Van Horn Just Thinks Pitcher's Issues in Head

Just waiting on Gage Wood to resume solid play as they ready for Santa Clara

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas pitcher Gage Wood's struggles recently has some folks concerned, but coach Dave Van Horn is chalking it up to a mental thing. He needs the freshman back to the solid relief performances he had been delivering on a regular basis.

"This game sometimes, it's so mental," Van Horn said Thursday after practice for the start of Friday's regional at Baum-Walker Stadium. "You just let everything get in your head and bother you. Next thing you know, you can't hit, you can't field, you can't throw strikes. Sometimes you get off to the side a little bit, and you regroup and slow the game down, and you're back in there again. We've got to have him if we're going to get through this thing and have a chance to play after this weekend, we've got to have him. He's going to be out there."

Wood earned a spot on the SEC's All-Freshman Team after leading the Hogs with five saves in conference play and posting a 3.81 with 41 strikeouts in 28 innings this season. He's run into some trouble in his last three appearances, walking four and allowing five runs while getting a combined three outs. He's been practicing well.

"He threw a great bullpen the other day," Van Horn said. "It's kind of interesting. He had been so good, and then it didn't go good there his last three outings, and you're going 'what happened?' We feel like he's back on track."

He may need it in the NCAA Tournament. The Razorbacks will open at 2 p.m. Friday afternoon while Arizona and TCU will meet in the nightcap, set for an 8 p.m. start on ESPNU.

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