Sign up for an annual HawgBeat subscription and get $50 for Arkansas gear on the Rivals Fan Shop ––> details

FAYETTEVILLE — Just in time for SEC play, Arkansas’ ace will be back in the starting rotation this weekend.

Sophomore Connor Noland missed his start against South Alabama with what was described as a “mild” oblique strain suffered in the Shriners College Classic, but head coach Dave Van Horn announced Wednesday that it would be just a one-week absence.

The right-hander will start Game 2 of the Razorbacks’ series at Mississippi State on Saturday.

“He seems to be 100 percent,” Van Horn said. “He probably could have gone last weekend if we wanted him too, but no reason to chance it. So he should be good to go.”

In a surprising move, Van Horn is sticking with left-hander Patrick Wicklander for Game 1 on Friday.

It will be the sophomore’s second straight series-opening start, as he filled in for Noland against South Alabama. He struggled with his command and gave up seven earned runs on four hits and five walks in 3 2/3 innings.

That was on the heels of a poor outing against Texas at the Shriners College Classic, when he failed to record an out in the second inning and was charged with four earned runs in one inning.

Despite posting a 21.21 ERA over his last two outings, pitching coach Matt Hobbs liked what he saw from Wicklander in his latest bullpen session.

“He’s had a couple of bad outings in a row,” Van Horn said. “Hopefully he’s due to have a good outing. He’s been through it, he’s pitched under the bright lights, he’s pitched in front of big crowds.”

Even including his 11 scoreless innings to start the season, Wicklander has a 6.32 ERA. That is more than three times Noland’s 2.00 ERA through three starts.

Prior to his injury, Noland was the Friday starter and followed by Wicklander in the rotation. Flipping them for this weekend does not necessarily mean Van Horn will keep them in that order moving forward.

With no series beginning on Thursday until the fourth week of conference play, he said they still have some flexibility - not that he is losing too much sleep over it.

“In my opinion, I don’t think it really matters what order you go in,” Van Horn said. “If we had one pitcher that was just lights out better than everybody else, maybe you go with that guy Game 1, but maybe we don’t have that guy yet. We don’t know yet; let’s find out.”

Arkansas is leaving Game 3 of the series open for now. Right-handers Kole Ramage and Caleb Bolden appear to be the top options, but they could come out of the bullpen Friday or Saturday, Van Horn said, if they’re needed to win a game.

The series, which will be played without fans at Dudy Noble Field in Starkville, Miss., because of the SEC’s response to the coronavirus crisis, is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. CT Friday. First pitch on Saturday and Sunday is scheduled for 1 p.m.

The first and third games will be streamed on SEC Network-Plus, meaning they can be watched online on ESPN3.com or the WatchESPN app, while the second will be televised on the SEC Network.