Little Rock’s Hayden Arnold Tabbed Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year – THV11.com KTHV

Arnold was also a first team All-Sun Belt selection while teammate Aaron Barkley was named a second team all-league honoree.

Little Rock senior Hayden Arnold has been named the Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year, announced today for the league office. Arnold was also a first team All-Sun Belt selection while teammate Aaron Barkley was named a second team all-league honoree.

Arnold was a force throughout the season in Sun Belt games, boasting a league-best 1.54 ERA in conference games while pitching 52.2 innings, the most of any pitcher in the league. Arnold ranked third in conference games in strikeouts (54) and wins (five) and fifth in opposing batting average (.191). He allowed just nine earned runs in eight starts, walking nine to give him a 6:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio and a 9.23 strikeout-per-nine tally.

The Rison, Arkansas native has been solid all season for the Trojans, going 7-3 on the year with a 2.85 ERA over 82.0 innings pitched with 80 strikeouts. Among the overall Sun Belt leaders, he is tied for second in wins, third in innings pitched, fourth in ERA, tied for seventh in strikeouts and 10th in opposing batting average (.226).

In his 13 starts in 2021, Arnold has logged a quality start in eight of them, allowing three or less runs on 12 occasions. He has continued to move up the Little Rock all-time career leaders, ranking third in winning percentage (.609), tied for sixth in career wins (14), seventh in both strikeouts (225) and innings pitched (216.0), eighth in strikeouts per nine (9.38), ninth in career ERA (3.46) and 10th in appearances (60).

Barkley has been a key addition to the Trojan bullpen in 2021, coming in in a variety of situations and providing the spark Little Rock has need. In Sun Belt games, the graduate student is first in appearances (14), tied for first in games finished (11), tied for second in saves (six), third in earned runs allowed (seven), fourth in ERA (1.97) and sixth in opponent batting average (.207).

The El Cajon, California native has been among the league leaders throughout the season, ranking second among all Sun Belt pitchers in overall ERA at 2.03 while sitting fourth in opponent batting average (.203), fifth in saves (seven) and appearances (23) and third in games finished (17). Barkley ranks 19th nationally in ERA (2.03), 20th in WHIP (0.92) and 49th in saves (seven), holding a 4.25 strikeout-to-walk ratio and a 7.96 strikeout per nine mark.

Hayden Arnold becomes the first Trojan in program history to be named the Sun Belts Pitcher of the Year and the sixth to earn a major conference award, the first since Ryan Scott was tabbed the Sun Belts Player of the Year in 2016. Arnold and Barkley become the 41st and 42nd players in program history to earn All-Sun Belt honors with 22 first team honorees.

Arnold, Barkley and the rest of the Trojans are in Montgomery, Alabama, preparing for the 2021 Sun Belt Tournament, set to get underway Tuesday morning. The Trojans are the number four seed in the West Division and were slotted in Pool A, opening up the tournament with a 9 a.m. first pitch Tuesday morning against Coastal Carolina, the number six seed in the East. Little Rock will then face East Division champion South Alabama at 11 a.m. Thursday, May 27, with the pool winner advancing to bracket play on Saturday, May 29.

2021 All-Sun Belt Conference Teams

SP Conner Cooke, Louisiana

SP Hayden Arnold, Little Rock

SP Carlos Tavera, UT Arlington

RP Nick Jones, Georgia Southern

C Drake Osborn, Louisiana

1B Robbie Young, App State

2B Luke Drumheller, App State

SS Drew Frederic, Troy

3B Ben Klutts, Arkansas State

OF Mason McWhorter, Georgia Southern

OF Ethan Wilson, South Alabama

UT Cameron Jones, Georgia Southern

DH Ben Fitzgerald, Louisiana

SP JoJo Booker, South Alabama

SP Tyler Tuthill, App State

SP Jeremy Lee, South Alabama

RP Aaron Barkley, Little Rock

C BT Riopelle, Coastal Carolina

1B Dylan Paul, UT Arlington

2B Travis Washburn, ULM

SS Eric Brown, Coastal Carolina

OF Tyler Duncan, Arkansas State

OF Parker Chavers, Coastal Carolina

OF Josh Smith, Georgia State

UT Andrew Miller, UT Arlington

DH Noah Ledford, Georgia Southern

Player of the Year: Mason McWhorter, Georgia Southern

Pitcher of the Year: Hayden Arnold, Little Rock

Freshman of the Year:Garrett Gainous, Troy

Newcomer of the Year:Drake Osborn, Louisiana

Coach of the Year:Mark Calvi, South Alabama

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Little Rock's Hayden Arnold Tabbed Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year - THV11.com KTHV