#12 Arkansas Closes Out Regular Season at Kentucky
LEXINGTON, Ky. – No. 12 Arkansas (34-18, 15-12 SEC) closes out the 2026 regular season on the road this weekend at Kentucky (30-18, 12-15 SEC) in the final SEC series of the year. First pitch between the Razorbacks and Wildcats is 5:30 p.m. CT Thursday, May 14, on SEC Network+ with Dick Gabriel (play-by-play) and Doug Flynn (analyst) on the call.
Game two of the weekend series gets underway at 5:30 p.m. CT Friday, May 15, on SEC Network+ with Gabriel and Flynn in the broadcast booth. Arkansas and Kentucky conclude the weekend with a 1 p.m. CT first pitch in the series finale Saturday, May 16, on SEC Network+ with Gabriel and Flynn on the call from inside Kentucky Proud Park.
The Razorbacks, winners of six of their last seven series against the Wildcats, must sweep this weekend’s three-game set to clinch an 18-win SEC campaign for the ninth consecutive season. Arkansas is one of only two teams, along with LSU (10 in a row from 1996-2005), in league history to have won 18-plus SEC games in eight consecutive seasons (2017-25).
Schedule
Thursday, May 14
#12 Arkansas vs. Kentucky – 5:30 p.m. CT – SEC Network+ – Listen – Live Stats
Friday, May 15
#12 Arkansas vs. Kentucky – 5:30 p.m. CT – SEC Network+ – Listen – Live Stats
Saturday, May 16
#12 Arkansas vs. Kentucky – 1 p.m. CT – SEC Network+ – Listen – Live Stats
On the Mound
Thursday, May 14
Arkansas – LHP Hunter Dietz (7-2, 3.22 ERA)
Kentucky – RHP Nate Harris (4-2, 5.72 ERA)
Friday, May 15
Arkansas – TBA
Kentucky – LHP Ben Cleaver (2-3, 3.57 ERA)
Saturday, May 16
Arkansas – TBA
Kentucky – RHP Jaxon Jelkin (8-2, 3.57 ERA)
Tune In
This weekend’s series between No. 12 Arkansas and Kentucky will stream on SEC Network+ with Dick Gabriel (play-by-play) and Doug Flynn (analyst) on the call. The weekend series between the Razorbacks and Wildcats can also be heard on the Razorback Sports Network from Learfield, including locally in Fayetteville on 92.1 FM or through the Razorback app, with Phil Elson on the call from Kentucky Proud Park. A full list of radio affiliates is available here.
History Lesson
Arkansas is 48-29 overall against Kentucky, including a 20-16 record in games played in Lexington, Ky. In the Dave Van Horn era (2003-pres.), the Razorbacks are 30-16 overall and 14-10 in games played in Lexington against the Wildcats.
The Hogs, who dropped their last series played in Lexington in 2024, are seeking their first road series win against the Wildcats since 2019. Prior to the series loss in 2024, Arkansas had won six consecutive weekend series against Kentucky (2013, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2022), including three consecutive series played in Lexington (2013, 2016 and 2019).
Here’s The SEC Situation
Entering the final weekend of SEC play, Arkansas, currently 15-12 through 27 league games, must sweep Kentucky in the final conference series of the campaign to reach the 18-win mark in conference play for the ninth consecutive season.
Coming into the 2026 campaign, the Razorbacks have won 18 or more SEC games in eight consecutive seasons (2017-25) and are one of only two teams in conference history to accomplish the aforementioned feat. LSU is the only other SEC program to record at least eight consecutive seasons of 18 or more SEC victories (10 from 1996-2005).
Dazzlin’ Dietz
Plagued by injuries during the first two years of his collegiate career, Arkansas ace Hunter Dietz is now fully healthy and quickly proving why he is one of the top left-handers in college baseball. Through 13 starts on the mound this season, the Trinity, Fla., native owns a 7-2 record with a 3.22 ERA and an SEC-leading 108 strikeouts in 72.2 innings of work.
After beginning the season as the Razorbacks’ game two starter, Dietz will make his sixth consecutive series-opening start Friday night against the Wildcats. The left-hander has tallied a team-leading eight quality starts this year, the most by a Razorback pitcher in a season since LHP Hagen Smith recorded 11 quality starts during his historic 2024 campaign.
1. UT Arlington (Feb. 28) – 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 SO
2. Stetson (March 7) – 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 12 SO
3. South Carolina (March 21) – 6.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 12 SO
4. #18 Auburn (April 3) – 7.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 11 SO
5. #8 Alabama (April 10) – 6.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 9 SO
6. Missouri (April 23) – 7.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 8 SO
7. #17 Ole Miss (May 1) – 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 9 SO
8. #24 Oklahoma (May 8) – 7.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 7 SO
In his last outing, Dietz, who was the first SEC pitcher this year to eclipse the 100-strikeout mark this year, raised his season strikeout total to 108 with seven punchouts against Oklahoma (May 8). Entering Thursday night’s game, he is six strikeouts shy of cracking the program’s single-season top 10 and tying LHP Drew Smyly (114) for 10th most in a season.
1. 161 – Hagen Smith, 2024
2. 155 – David Walling, 1999
3. 145 – Nick Schmidt, 2006
4. 131 – Kevin Kopps, 2021
T5. 128 – Jess Todd, 2007
T5. 128 – David Walling, 1998
7. 126 – Zach Root, 2025
8. 125 – Isaiah Campbell, 2019
9. 120 – Trevor Stephan, 2017
10. 114 – Drew Smyly, 2010
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108 – Hunter Dietz, 2026
Dietz has recorded three double-digit strikeout efforts, tied for eighth most in a season by a Razorback pitcher:
1. Stetson (March 7) – 12 SO
2. South Carolina (March 21) – 12 SO
3. #18 Auburn (April 3) – 11 SO
With his next double-digit strikeout game, Dietz will move into a tie for seventh most in a season by a Razorback pitcher:
1. 11 – Hagen Smith, 2024
T2. 8 – Nick Schmidt, 2006
T2. 8 – David Walling, 1999
T4. 6 – Trevor Stephan, 2017
T4. 6 – David Walling, 1998
6. 5 – Jess Todd, 2007
7. 4 – Isaiah Campbell, 2019
T8. 3 – Hunter Dietz, 2026
T8. 3 – Zach Root, 2025
T8. 3 – Mason Molina, 2024
T8. 3 – Blaine Knight, 2017
For complete coverage of Arkansas baseball, follow the Hogs on Twitter (@RazorbackBSB), Instagram (@RazorbackBSB) and Facebook (Arkansas Razorback Baseball).
