FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas needed to get a complete series against Missouri and win.
There was a path to the No. 1 ranking and while coach Dave Van Horn knows it doesn’t mean anything right now, he’d rather have it than not. It means the Razorbacks are winning and that’s what they did Sunday in a doubleheader sweep, 14-4 and 16-2.
In the process they set a program record for SEC play with a combined margin of 51-9 over the Tigers, who still haven’t won a league game.
The reason for the path to No. 1 is the only team ranked in front of them lost a game. At this point of the season, that’s enough to move up a spot. Van Horn clearly knows it’s only what happens in Omaha in the College World Series that ultimately matters.
The Razorbacks’ 51-run weekend in only 18 innings of offense against Missouri topped its 50-run weekend in 27 innings of offense during a series win at South Carolina in 1997.
Arkansas’ 50-run weekend against South Carolina in 1997 in Columbia, S.C., included a 30-7 win in the series finale, its most runs against an SEC opponent in program history.
Arkansas, winners of 13 of its last 15 games against the Tigers since 2017, has now won five consecutive weekend series against Missouri.
At 30-3 overall and 11-1 in SEC play, the Razorbacks have matched their best 33-game overall start to a season in program history (also 30-3 in 2024) as well as their best 12-game SEC start since 1992 (11-1) and 2024 (11-1).
With their series win against the Tigers, the Razorbacks have started SEC play with four consecutive series wins for the fourth time since joining the conference ahead of the 1992 season, also accomplishing the feat in 2009, 2021 and 2024.
Arkansas also clinched its 12th straight SEC home weekend series in a streak dating back to the start of the 2023 season.
Up next, Arkansas hosts in-state foe Arkansas State at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 8, on SEC Network in a midweek matchup at Baum-Walker Stadium before hitting the road for an SEC weekend series at nationally ranked Georgia from April 11-13.
Game 1 of DH: Arkansas 14, Missouri 4 (7)
Powered by Charles Davalan’s two-homer, seven-RBI game, Arkansas overwhelmed Missouri, 14-4, in game one of Sunday’s seven-inning doubleheader to clinch the series win. The outfielder, who hit a three-run blast and a grand slam, was one of seven Hogs to record multiple hits, as Arkansas scored 14 runs on 16 hits, six walks and two hit batsmen.
Wehiwa Aloy recorded a game-high four hits, including a double, and drove in a run, while Cam Kozeal went 2-for-2 with a double and two RBI. The Razorbacks scored in all but one inning, breaking the game open with a seven-run fourth.
On the mound, starter Gabe Gaeckle fired four innings of four-run ball (two earned) with six strikeouts before giving way to the bullpen. In relief, Aiden Jimenez (2.0 IP, 2 SO) and Steele Eaves (1.0 IP, 2 SO) combined for three shutout innings.
Jimenez earned his fourth win of the year and lowered his season ERA to 1.42 in 19.0 innings of work on the hill.
Game 2 of DH: Arkansas 16, Missouri 2 (7)
Cam Kozeal came through with two home runs and six RBI in the second game of Sunday’s seven-inning doubleheader to lead Arkansas to a 16-2 series-sweeping win.
The first baseman finished with three hits, including a double, a two-run home run and a grand slam, and was one of five Razorback batters to record multiple hits in the finale.
Kuhio Aloy (3-for-5, 2 2B, 3 RBI) and Carson Boles (1-for-2, HR, 3 RBI, 2 BB) also turned in big days at the plate.
Boles swatted his first home run – a three-run shot – as a Razorback and at the Division I level in the bottom of the first inning.
Arkansas blew the game open with five runs in the bottom of the first, two runs in the bottom of the second and five more runs in the bottom of the third to dismantle Missouri from start to finish.
The Hogs tallied 16 runs on 16 hits and nine walks, scoring their final four runs of the series in the bottom of the sixth to hit the 51-run mark for the weekend.
On the mound, started Landon Beidelschies twirled four innings of two-run ball (one earned) with a season high-tying seven strikeouts.
In relief, Christian Foutch (1.0 IP, 2 SO), Cole Gibler (1.0 IP, 2 SO) and Carson Wiggins (1.0 IP, 1 SO) combined for three shutout frames to secure Arkansas’ win and close out its third consecutive SEC series sweep.
Information for Arkansas Communications is included in this story.
