Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn expressed excitement Tuesday about the news that right-handed pitcher Mike Bolsinger would return to the Razorbacks for his senior season.

During a phone conversation, Van Horn said from his Razorback baseball office that he hadn’t spoken with Bolsinger since Monday night’s deadline. Bolsinger, who was set to arrive Tuesday night in Fayetteville, slipped to the 33rd round of the 2009 MLB Draft and didn’t agree to terms with the Oakland Athletics.

“I’m glad to have him back and have him be a part of our pitching staff,” Van Horn said. “Whether it’s as a weekend starter, or a middle reliever like this past year, or even as a guy who can close games, we don’t know yet. He’ll have the opportunity to be a starter, though.

“He showed late last season that he could go five, six innings and be effective.”

The Razorbacks received a scare, Van Horn said, when Bolsinger had his appendix taken out a few weeks ago. And that wasn’t the only scare of the offseason.

Van Horn told me that sophomore third baseman Zack Cox, junior pitcher/outfielder Brett Eibner and senior pitcher T.J. Forrest all are dealing with injury issues.

Cox thrived this summer in the wood bat Cape Cod League, batting .344 in 23 games with the Cotuit Kettleers and being named the West’s MVP at CCL all-star game. He singled, tripled and drove in two runs in that all-star game at Fenway Park. But the heavy workload took its toll on Cox.

Van Horn said that Arkansas’ coaches “shut him down” with about five games left in the season and that Cox might have a stress fracture in his hand.

“We’re having his hand x-rayed, and we’ll see if he’s going to be OK for the start of practice (on September 8),” Van Horn said. “He had a tremendous summer. He swung the ball well, and he definitely proved he’s the hitter we thought he was.”

Eibner strained his throwing elbow and made only three starts with the Wareham Gatemen of the CCL. He was impressive in those starts, with 14 Ks in 12.1 innings with a 1-0 record and 2.19 ERA. Eibner also hit .240 (.424 OBP) in 20 games with 3 HR (tying for team high).

Van Horn said Eibner wouldn’t be able to pitch until December.

“He scared us pretty good,” Van Horn said. “He’s rehabbing that elbow right now.”

Forrest had surgery after the season ended for a nerve problem in his right arm. Van Horn said Forrest’s fingertips would get numb during his starts late last season. Van Horn said he thought Forrest would miss some time on the mound during fall practice, as well.

On a more positive front, Van Horn said junior first baseman Andy Wilkins benefitted from his time on the USA National Team. Wilkins played in every game for the 19-5 squad, starting 19, and drove in 16 runs, tying for third on the team.

Wilkins started strong, but his batting average dipped to .232 by the time Team USA finished its schedule by winning the World Baseball Challenge championship in British Columbia.

“It was a great experience for him to travel a lot and get all those at-bats off different styles of pitching,” Van Horn said. “He worked hard and tried his best to get better.”

Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn must have liked what he saw Wednesday from junior pitcher T.J. Forrest. On the Southeastern Conference’s coaches conference call Thursday, Van Horn said Forrest would return to pitching this weekend after resting last weekend.

The 6-foot-6 right-hander, Van Horn said, would either pitch in relief Friday or Saturday, or he would start Sunday’s game against the fifth-ranked LSU Tigers, his former team (2007).

“He’s rested and ready to go,” Van Horn said.

That means junior left-hander Dallas Keuchel will go on Friday night, as usual, and sophomore right-hander Brett Eibner will throw for the second straight Saturday.

Van Horn also talked about the challenges posed to No. 9 Arkansas by LSU. The Razorbacks have won five of their last six games. But they still sit a half-game behind the Tigers, who have won six straight themselves, in the SEC Western Division.

“We know what they have, we’ve been watching them,” Van Horn said. “They have great, great talent up and down that lineup and on the mound. They can hit, they steal bases with great athletes and they are really talented on the mound. They are way up there with strikeouts. We know what we are going to face.”

LSU coach Paul Mainieri said he was happy his Tigers team “got back on the right track” this past weekend by sweeping Auburn. LSU then beat Tulane 13-2 Wednesday night. He sounded like a coach who knew what kind of atmosphere the Tigers would encounter this weekend at Baum Stadium.

“It’s going to be a tremendous challenge,” Minieri said.

Minieri said he didn’t think LSU could afford to try and win any low-scoring games — “we need to put up some crooked numbers” — and also commented about enjoying competition against Van Horn.

“One thing that has struck me in my first two years in the league is that Arkansas plays so hard and plays fundamentally sound baseball,” Minieri said. “I like playing against Dave’s teams because they play the game the right way.”

Tennessee coach Todd Raleigh opened up the conference call and was asked who he favored in the LSU-Arkansas series. The Hogs took two of three from the Vols in Knoxville last weekend, and UT took two of three from LSU in Baton Rouge the weekend before.

“LSU is dynamic when you look up and down their roster,” Raleigh said. “And Arkansas just plays good baseball. They don’t do anything to hurt themselves and they know how to win.”

Eventually, Raleigh refused to choose a favorite.

“I’d have to give the edge to … that’s a tough call,” Raleigh said. “I don’t see a sweep in that series.”

Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said Wednesday afternoon that he was still undecided on who would pitch for the No. 9 Razorbacks on Saturday and Sunday against No. 12 LSU.

Obviously, 6-foot-3 junior left-hander Dallas Keuchel will make his Friday night start as usual. As for the next two days, Van Horn said that 6-foot-4 sophomore right-hander Brett Eibner would start one game and that 6-foot-6 junior right-hander T.J. Forrest would start the other.

Forrest, played at LSU as a freshman, didn’t pitch this past weekend, meaning he didn’t throw on the weekend for only the second time this season. Forrest was simply resting a “tired arm,” but Van Horn said Forrest has looked better throwing the ball early this week.

“We’ve flip-flopped on it back and forth this week,” Van Horn said. “We’re going to see T.J. throw a little bit more today and see how he feels before we decide. We’ll know tonight or in the morning. He needed the weekend off and got the rest.”

Keuchel is 6-1 with a 4.30 ERA this season. Eibner is 4-2 with a 3.23 ERA, and Forrest is 2-3 with a 4.74 ERA.