As the Diamond Hogs prepare for the Fayetteville regional, some fans are suffering from RPTSD: Razorbacks post-traumatic stress disorder. Over the years, Arkansas baseball has produced some of the most heartbreaking/head-scratching postseason finishes. It was going to happen to fans regardless, but the loss to Ole Miss, particularly in that manner, seems to have exaggerated the condition.
Be that as it may, Arkansas' loss in the SEC tournament relatively meant nothing, as far as it concerns the NCAA Tournament; the Hogs clinched the No. 3 overall seed. It's the start of late-season implosion patterns that's triggered the fanbase, and historically, for good reason. But contrary to what many fans think, I believe the loss to the Rebels was a good thing.
Why losing to Ole Miss in the SEC Tournament will be a wake-up call
This year's baseball team has seen its fair share of struggles. Losing four of the last six SEC Series is a good place to start. However, in only one of those 18 games, the Razorbacks completely whiffed. And to be fair, they were up to the early morning hours trying to finish the game before. In many of the series losses, Arkansas scored more runs over the weekend than their opponent.
The point is that the Hogs haven't quit this year. They're always pushing back despite the challenges and setbacks. That's why, instead of it being the start of Arkansas' postseason downfall, the Razorbacks' loss to Ole Miss will be a wake-up call.
Most people want to blame Arkansas ace Zach Root for the ugly first inning on Friday. On paper, that may look correct. However, if you watched the game, it was clear Arkansas' defense was to blame. Specifically, it was the SEC Player of the Year, Wehiwa Aloy, and Cam Kozeal, who both made bad fielding plays that allowed runners to take a base. If those plays had been executed as intended, Ole Miss would have ended the inning with only one run scored.
Arkansas has one of the best fielding teams in the country. Sure, the hitting wasn't great, and the pitching could've been better. But the one thing the Razorbacks have been consistently great at is fielding. It's one of the reasons Arkansas is the No. 3 national seed. And just one inning of lackadaisical fielding was enough to lose on Friday.
What Ole Miss brought to light is that every aspect of the game, and any player, including the SEC POY, can fall short of the standard at any moment. A lack of focus, even for one inning, can lose a game. If this team is the one I think it is, they'll use that as fuel heading into the Fayetteville Regional.