Around The HORN: Diamond Hogs Notebook

Goodbye, Coach Ron Polk coached his final game at Mississippi State on Saturday after 29 seasons with the Bulldogs and 35 years as a head coach at the college baseball level.

Polk was treated to a big sendoff Saturday, as more than 100 former players returned to Starkville for the going-away ceremony. SEC Commissioner Mike Slive also attended, while Polk was sent off with a brand new Cadillac from the school.

“The ceremony was great. I didn’t realize we had that many guys back,” Polk said. “And it was great to see Commissioner Slive and not have him bug me about umpires.

“It was just really nice. All the Arkansas kids got to line up with our kids and it was just a really, really special ceremony.”



Closing It Out

One person who got to be a part of Polk’s ceremony was Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn. During the video presentation and speech’s given in Polk’s honor, Van Horn was asked to stand alongside Mississippi State assistants as a way to represent the entire SEC and its other baseball programs.

“To me it was a privilege to be out here today,” Van Horn said. “I didn’t like being down here in this atmosphere with what we had on the line for our club. But it was great as far as being able to be here and being the one to represent the other coaches in the league.

“And just to see all the emotion in the crowd and on the field. I mean I’m standing next to a couple of their coaches and they were crying. So it was tough.”



Short Hops

Arkansas avoided its first three-game SEC sweep since May 20-22, 2005 against Ole Miss... Freshman James Mahler set a career high with eight strikeouts on Saturday. Senior catcher Jeff Nutt broke out of his 0-for-22 slump with three hits in the series finale... The Razorbacks’ 15 runs were the most scored in an SEC game since April 12, 2003 when they won 17-7 against Vanderbilt.



THE INSIDE PITCH

Western Illinois Leathernecks at Arkansas Razorbacks

WHEN: 6:35 p.m., Monday WHERE: Baum Stadium, Fayetteville

SERIES: Arkansas leads, 2-0 LAST MEETING: Razorbacks won, 7-2 on Mar. 18, 1986 in Fayetteville

TV: none

ON THE AIR: KFAY 1030 AM; KURM 790 AM, 100.3 FM; KHGG 1580 AM, 103.1 FM; KXIO 106.9 FM