#16 Arkansas, #5 Georgia Battle This Weekend at Baum-Walker Stadium
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – No. 16 Arkansas (25-13, 8-7 SEC) returns inside Baum-Walker Stadium this weekend to begin the second half of SEC play with a series against No. 5 Georgia (30-8, 11-4 SEC). First pitch in the opener between the Hogs and Bulldogs is 7 p.m. Thursday, April 16, on ESPNU with Tom Hart (play-by-play) and Lance Cormier (analyst) on the call.
Game two of the weekend series gets underway at 6 p.m. Friday, April 17, on SEC Network+ with Josh Haley (play-by-play) and Troy Eklund (analyst) on the call. Arkansas and Georgia conclude the weekend with a 1 p.m. first pitch in the series finale Saturday, April 18, on SEC Network+ with Brett Dolan (play-by-play) and Eklund in the broadcast booth.
The Razorbacks completed the first half of SEC play with an 8-7 record, their first such 15-game start in conference action since the 2012 campaign. That season, Arkansas began 8-7 through its first 15 SEC games before finishing 16-14 in league play and advancing to the College World Series for the seventh time in program history.
Schedule
Thursday, April 16
#5 Georgia vs. #16 Arkansas – 7 p.m. – ESPNU – Listen – Live Stats
Friday, April 17
#5 Georgia vs. #16 Arkansas – 6 p.m. – SEC Network+ – Listen – Live Stats
Saturday, April 18
#5 Georgia vs. #16 Arkansas – 1 p.m. – SEC Network+ – Listen – Live Stats
On the Mound
Thursday, April 16
Georgia – RHP Joey Volchko (6-1, 3.38 ERA)
Arkansas – LHP Hunter Dietz (3-2, 3.61 ERA)
Friday, April 17
Georgia – RHP Dylan Vigue (3-1, 2.63 ERA)
Arkansas – LHP Cole Gibler (3-0, 2.78 ERA)
Saturday, April 18
Georgia – TBA
Arkansas – TBA
Tune In
Thursday night’s series opener between No. 16 Arkansas and No. 5 Georgia will broadcast nationally on ESPNU with Tom Hart (play-by-play) and Lance Cormier (analyst) on the call from Baum-Walker Stadium. Friday’s ballgame will stream on SEC Network+ with Brett Dolan (play-by-play) and Troy Eklund (analyst) on the call, and the weekend series will conclude Sunday afternoon on SEC Network+ with Josh Haley (play-by-play) and Eklund in the broadcast booth.
The entire weekend series between the Razorbacks and Bulldogs 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 (play-byplay) and Bubba Carpenter (analyst) on the call. A full list of radio affiliates is available here.
History Lesson
Arkansas is 38-30 overall against Georgia, including a commanding 22-8 record in games played in Fayetteville. Under head coach Dave Van Horn (2003-pres.), the Razorbacks are 25-22 overall and 14-7 at home against the Bulldogs.
Entering the weekend, Arkansas has won four consecutive weekend series against Georgia inside the friendly confines of Baum-Walker Stadium (2010, 2012, 2017 and 2021). The Hogs have not lost a series to the Bulldogs at home since 2008.
Here’s The Situation
With the second half of SEC play ahead, Arkansas must post a 10-5 record over their final 15 league games of the year to reach the 18-win mark in conference play for the ninth consecutive season. Entering 2026, the Razorbacks have won 18-plus SEC games in eight consecutive seasons and are only the second team in conference history to accomplish the feat.
LSU is the only other SEC team to record at least eight consecutive seasons of 18-plus SEC victories (10 from 1996-2005).
Dazzlin’ Dietz
Plagued by injuries during the first two years of his collegiate career, Arkansas’ Hunter Dietz is now fully healthy and quickly proving why he is one of the top left-handers in college baseball. Through his first nine starts of the season, the Trinity, Fla., native owns a 3-2 record with a 3.61 ERA and an SEC-leading 78 strikeouts in 47.1 innings on the mound.
After beginning the season as the Razorbacks’ game two starter, Dietz will make his second series-opening start of the campaign Thursday night against the Bulldogs. The left-hander has logged a team-high five quality starts this season:
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
Dietz has also turned in 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).
