Hogs Erase Early Deficit in Win in Lawrence Regional Opener

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Down by three, No. 14 Arkansas (40-20) scored eight unanswered runs, including six runs in the fifth inning, to pull past Missouri State (34-20) 9-5 Friday evening at Hoglund Ballpark in its NCAA Lawrence Regional opener.

With the win, the Hogs advance to play No. 13 Kansas (43-16), the No. 15 national seed and Lawrence Regional host, at 5 p.m. Saturday, May 30, on the ESPN family of networks with Victor Rojas (play-by-play) and Connor Wanhanen (analyst) on the call. The Jayhawks defeated Northeastern 6-3 in Friday’s first game to advance to the winners bracket game.

Friday’s win against Missouri State also marked Arkansas’ 40th victory of the 2026 campaign. The Razorbacks are the only SEC team and one of two programs nationally with 40-plus wins in each of the last nine full seasons (2017-pres.).

Gabe Gaeckle started on the mound for Arkansas in its Lawrence Regional opener and fired four innings of three-run ball with seven strikeouts. Missouri State tagged the Razorback right-hander for a pair of runs, including a leadoff home run, in the top half of the first and grew its advantage to 3-0 on a run-scoring sacrifice bunt in the top of the fourth.

Missouri State starter Max Knight was effective in his four innings of one-run ball with seven strikeouts, but Arkansas broke through against the Bears’ bullpen when he departed after just 78 pitches. The Hogs took control of the ballgame in the bottom of the fifth with six runs, including five against losing pitcher Brock Lucas (0.1 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 2 BB).

Arkansas brought 11 batters to the plate in its six-run frame, which began with Damian Ruiz’s single up the middle. After Ryder Helfrick’s RBI double and Zack Stewart’s RBI groundout, TJ Pompey delivered the go-ahead RBI knock to left to put the Razorbacks ahead 4-3 before Maika Niu, Reese Robinett and Ruiz would extend the lead to four later in the inning.

Niu was the offensive hero in Friday’s win, finishing 4-for-4 with two doubles and four RBI. Along with Ruiz (2-for-5, RBI) and Helfrick (2-for-5, 2B, RBI), the Razorback center fielder, who also added an RBI single in the sixth inning and an RBI double in the eighth to make it a 9-5 game, was one of three Arkansas players with multiple hits in the regional opener.

The Hogs would never relinquish their advantage thanks to Steele Eaves (2.0 IP, 1 SO), Parker Coil (1.1 IP, 2 R, 2 SO) and Ethan McElvain (1.2 IP, 1 SO). The trio emerged from the bullpen and combined for five innings of two-run ball with four strikeouts in relief of Gaeckle to seal the win as Eaves improved to 6-1 and McElvain collected his team-best sixth save.

Arkansas will turn to ace Hunter Dietz (7-3, 3.40 ERA) in tomorrow’s winners bracket game against Kansas. The left-hander will go up against Jayhawk right-hander Mason Cook (5-1, 4.26 ERA) with a spot in the regional final on the line.

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