College Students, get a year of HawgBeat coverage for just $11.95. Request details via email from your school account (.edu) to nchavanelle@yahoo.com.
No matter who was on the mound for Southeast Missouri State, they had a hard time retiring Christian Franklin on Saturday.
The preseason All-American was almost unstoppable at the plate, going 4 for 5 with a home run and three RBIs in Arkansas’ 9-3 win over the Redhawks.
“He’s getting stronger, (more) powerful this year just because we’re working,” head coach Dave Van Horn said. “He’s extremely strong.”
It hasn’t always been smooth for Franklin so far in 2021. There was a stretch in the first two games of the season when he record just one hit.
Although he made some solid contact, Franklin opened the season by going 0 for 5 with four strikeouts against Texas Tech and followed it up with a 1-for-3 performance against Texas.
It wasn’t until late in the TCU game, after going hitless in his first three at bats, when Franklin finally got a ball to drop. He knocked a pitch into the deepest part of Globe Life Field, resulting in a game-tying RBI triple that seemed to get things going for the star junior.
“He hit some balls hard,” Van Horn said during the week. “He didn’t let it get to him. Obviously I’m sure it bothers him, everybody wants to have nice stats and try to impress every day, (but) he’s pretty strong mentally.”
That triple lit a fire under Franklin, as he’s been a force to be reckoned with at the plate the past three games. Against SEMO, he’s shown off the pop in his bat, sending three balls over the fence so far in the series.
The home run Saturday afternoon was his third in three games and the four-hit performance doubled his season hit total, increasing his batting average to .320.
“His swing is outstanding right now and that ball he hit today, he carried it right through a pretty good breeze and it just kind of rode out of here,” Van Horn said. “He drove that ball. He pulled it right, right center. Just a strong kid with a really good swing.”
Franklin is receiving the praise he deserves after turning on the power for this series.
His teammates are beginning to just sit back and watch, as Franklin is giving the Hogs runs with ease as of late.
“He’s pretty confident at the plate right now and is taking some really good hacks at pitches and driving it,” teammate Peyton Pallette said. “He’s on a roll, so excited for him to keep it going.”
Coming into the season with multiple preseason All-America accolades, this could be just the start to what could be an impressive year for Franklin.
He’ll try to keep it going when the Razorbacks wrap up their series against the Redhawks at 1 p.m. CT Sunday. The game will be streamed on SEC Network-Plus.
Source link
