The Arkansas baseball team picked the right time to trend upward after a whacky season that included a myriad of injuries. In preparation for the SEC Tournament, Dave Van Horn likes where his team is mentally, even if the SEC title isn’t the primary goal.
“I think this team is extremely close,” Van Horn said. “I mean, we left last Wednesday, practiced in Nashville Wednesday night, so we know we’re going to be here at least through Wednesday and hopefully longer. I think it’s good for the guys to be together like this.”
A good run in the tournament can lead to a better run in the NCAA Tournament. Van Horn is looking to reach his eighth College World Series since becoming head coach at Arkansas in 2003. However, Van Horn has focused on managing the team’s emotions, which could be why he hasn’t put much emphasis on winning the SEC Tournament.
For Van Horn, it’s all about playing consistently good baseball.
“Let’s just take care of the game we have in front of us, and let’s just play good today, and let’s not go backward. If you lose, you lose. You’re losing to a good team. If you win, you’re beating a good team. You just want to play good. If we do that and it doesn’t go good, you can live with that and get back to your home base and rest up and get ready for an exciting weekend.”