Dave Van Horn on facing Jurrangelo Cijntje, Khal Stephen: 'We've got our hands full'

In one of the biggest series of the weekend, Dave Van Horn and the Arkansas Razorbacks welcome the Mississippi State Bulldogs to town for a three-game series this weekend.

With potential postseason implications and the two teams competing in the SEC regular season standings, there’s plenty on the line. It’s also a series that Van Horn knows the Razorbacks are going to have their hands full in trying to score against pitchers like Jurrangelo Cijntje and Khal Stephen.

“Well, they’re both really hard throwers,” Dave Van Horn said. “You know, you’ve got to stay in the zone. They’re awfully good. That’s as good of a 1-2 punch in the league the way I see at it, at least statistically.”

Jurrangelo Cijntje has pitched in 12 games this season, starting all 12 of those games. He has an ERA of 3.53 in 66.1 innings pitched with 88 strikeouts on the season. Meanwhile, Khal Stephen has also started 12 games for the Bulldogs. In those games, he’s pitched 70 innings and has an ERA of 2.96. He also has 79 strikeouts on the season.

The expectation is that Khal Stephen will go Friday night for Mississippi State and Jurrangelo Cijntje will go later in the series.

“Stephen has been getting after it on Fridays,” Dave Van Horn said. “Cijntje has been doing great on Saturdays — real well. We’ve got our hands full. We know it.”

Dave Van Horn announced that he’s going to counter those Mississippi State pitchers by sticking with the same rotation that Arkansas has been using.

“After yesterday’s workout, we’re gonna stick to the same rotation,” Dave Van Horn said. “Because they feel good, healthy. Nobody has a sore arm. No complaints. Ready to go.”

The Arkansas should start with Hagen Smith, one of the SEC’s best pitchers, on Friday night last week at Kentucky. After Smith, Brady Tygart and Mason Molina will be the likely starters following him on Saturday and Sunday.

Hagen Smith, in particular, is someone who Mississippi State head coach Chris Lemonis praised ahead of their matchup.

“They can really pitch. They arguably have maybe the best pitcher in the country with Hagen Smith,” Lemonis said. “All three of their starters are really good and they pitch good at the back end. I’m sure they’re very comfortable pitching at home. It’s a veteran offensive group that has won a lot of games. They know how to play winning baseball.”

Arkansas and Mississippi State are set to begin their series on Friday at 6:30 p.m. local time.