The second-ranked Arkansas baseball team is back in Fayetteville for the weekend, taking on unranked Florida for a three-game set from Baum-Walker Stadium.
Arkansas enters the series second in the SEC overall, a game behind Kentucky for the top-seed in next month’s SEC Tournament. The Diamond Hogs are also one game up on Texas A&M, which is in third. Florida, on the other hand, finds itself in a rather unfamliar spot. The Gators are sixth in the seven-team SEC East, ahead of only Missouri.
That doesn’t mean Florida is a bad team, though. The Gators are still easily projected as in the NCAA Tournament, though perhaps as a 3-seed instead of a 2-seed and certainly not a top-seed or host. Florida has lost three straight SEC series, including a sweep at the hands of the Tigers three weeks ago.
Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn is dealing with a small change to his team heading into the set, too. No. 3 starter Mason Molina is out for the weekend dealing with injury, so the starter for Sunday’s finale is unclear. Van Horn suggested it would be either Ben Bybee or Eric Fisher.
Meanwhile, Golden Spikes candidate Hagen Smith will get the nod in Friday’s opener. First pitch is at 6 p.m., weather pending.
Dustin Safranek-USA TODAY Sports
- Date: Friday, April 26, 2024
- Time: 6 p.m. (CT)
- Network: SEC Network
- Streaming: fuboTV (watch here)
Gators utility Jac Caglianone (14) with his 20th homer of the season in the bottom of the second inning against South Carolina. The Gators ended their six game losing streak with an 11-9 win over the Gamecocks in Game 3 of the weekend series at Condron Family Ballpark in Gainesville, Florida, Sunday, April 14, 2024. [Cyndi Chambers/ Gainesville Sun] 2024
- UTIL Jac Caglianone: .410 AVG, .503 OBP, .888 SLG, 25 HR, 49 RBI
- INF Colby Shelton: .270 AVG, .377 OBP, .604 SLG, 15 HR, 36 RBI
- OF Ty Evans: .342 AVG, .436 OBP, .606 SLG, 10 HR, 33 RBI
Apr 14, 2024; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama infielder Bryce Eblin (13) makes a play on a ground ball as Arkansas base runner Ben McLaughlin runs in front of him Sunday at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
- UTIL Ben McLaughlin: .300 AVG, .451 OBP, .507 SLG, 7 HR, 30 RBI
- INF Peyton Holt: .346 AVG, .454 OBP, .420 SLG
- INF Peyton Stovall: .330 AVG, .404 OBP, .565 SLG, 7 HR, 27 RBI
Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports
- 17th season at Florida
- 16 NCAA Tournament appearances
- Eight…
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