#3 Arkansas Begins 2024 Campaign with Four-Game Series against James Madison
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Razorback baseball is back.
Third-ranked Arkansas begins the 2024 campaign – its 102nd season of competition – with a four-game series against James Madison on Feb. 16-19 at Baum-Walker Stadium. First pitch between the Razorbacks and Dukes on Opening Day is now scheduled for 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16, after it was moved ahead one hour due to inclement weather in the forecast.
Arkansas enters the year on the heels of a historic 2023 season after SEC Coach of the Year Dave Van Horn and the Hogs posted a 43-18 overall record, claiming their fourth overall SEC championship and their second in the last three seasons. The Razorbacks are the only SEC program, and one of just two teams in the country, with 40-plus wins in each of the last six full seasons.
Opening Weekend Schedule
Friday, Feb. 16
James Madison vs. #3 Arkansas – 2 p.m. – SEC Network+ – Listen – Live Stats
Saturday, Feb. 17
James Madison vs. #3 Arkansas – 2 p.m. – SEC Network+ – Listen – Live Stats
Sunday, Feb. 18
James Madison vs. #3 Arkansas – 1 p.m. – SEC Network+ – Listen – Live Stats
Monday, Feb. 19
James Madison vs. #3 Arkansas – Noon – SEC Network+ – Listen – Live Stats
On the Mound
Friday, Feb. 16
James Madison – RHP Todd Mozoki (2023: 1-4, 4.89 ERA)
Arkansas – LHP Hagen Smith (2023: 8-2, 3.64 ERA)
Saturday, Feb. 17
James Madison – LHP Max Kuhle (2023: 0-0, 7.04 ERA)
Arkansas – RHP Brady Tygart (2023: 3-1, 3.20 ERA)
Sunday, Feb. 18
James Madison – RHP Ryan Murphy (2023: 5-4, 4.89 ERA)
Arkansas – LHP Mason Molina (2023 at Texas Tech: 6-2, 3.67 ERA)
Monday, Feb. 19
James Madison – TBA
Arkansas – LHP Colin Fisher (2023: N/A)
Tune In
Brett Dolan (play-by-play) and Troy Eklund (analyst) will have the call of all four games on SEC Network+. The entire series 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-by-play) and Bubba Carpenter (analyst) on the call.
A full list of radio affiliates is available here.
History Lesson
This weekend’s four-game series between Arkansas and James Madison will mark the first meetings between the two programs. JMU went 31-25 overall in 2023, including a 15-13 conference mark in its first season competing as a member of the Sun Belt Conference.
In the Polls
Arkansas enters the 2024 season as a consensus top-five team in the country, earning top-five preseason rankings from all five major college baseball polls:
Perfect Game – No. 2
Baseball America – No. 3
D1Baseball – No. 3
NCBWA – No. 4
USA Today Coaches – No. 4
Season-Opening Hogs
Under head coach Dave Van Horn, the Razorbacks are 20-1 overall on Opening Day, including a stellar 15-1 record when opening the season inside the friendly confines of Baum-Walker Stadium.
When kicking off the season at home, Arkansas has never lost an Opening Weekend series under Van Horn, most recently winning two-of-three games against Illinois State during Opening Weekend at Baum-Walker Stadium in 2022. The Hogs have also recorded 12 Opening Weekend series sweeps (2004, ’08, ’09, ’11, ’12, ’14, ’15, ’16, ’17, ’18, ’19, ‘20) when beginning their season in Fayetteville.
H. Smith
Razorback ace and team captain Hagen Smith will start on the mound on Opening Day. The consensus preseason All-American is the first Arkansas pitcher to make consecutive season-opening starts RHP Blaine Knight in 2017-18.
Smith was a consensus All-American in 2023 after making 18 appearances with 11 starts on the mound and posting an 8-2 record with a 3.64 ERA, a team-leading 109 strikeouts and a pair of saves in 71 2/3 innings of work during his outstanding sophomore campaign. The Bullard, Texas, native also limited opposing hitters to a .217 batting average.
A semifinalist for last year’s Golden Spikes Award and the College Baseball Foundation’s National Pitcher of the Year Award, Smith was one of two starting pitchers, along with LSU’s Paul Skenes, to receive All-SEC first-team honors one season ago. He became Arkansas’ first starting pitcher to earn All-SEC first-team accolades since Ryne Stanek in 2013.
Smith enters the 2024 campaign as a preseason All-SEC first-team honoree, as well as a preseason All-American by Baseball America (first team), D1Baseball (first team), NCBWA (second team) and Perfect Game (first team). Baseball America, D1Baseball and Perfect Game have also tabbed the Razorbacks’ ace as the SEC Preseason Pitcher of the Year.
For complete coverage of Arkansas baseball, follow the Hogs on Twitter (@RazorbackBSB), Instagram (@RazorbackBSB) and Facebook (Arkansas Razorback Baseball).
