FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Razorbacks didn’t need the full nine innings on Friday. No. 17 Arkansas made short work of No. 24 Oklahoma, posting a 12-2 run-rule victory in the series opener at Baum-Walker Stadium to improve to 33-17 overall and 14-11 in SEC play.
It wasn’t one big moment that decided this one, it was several.
Big innings, big home runs and a starting pitcher who went the distance made sure the Sooners (30-17, 12-13 SEC) didn’t stick around long enough to mount a comeback.
The Hogs grabbed control early and never looked back, winning their fifth straight series opener in the process.
With games remaining Saturday and Sunday, Arkansas can clinch the final SEC home series of the season with a win in either contest.
Dietz delivers career first
If there’s one story that framed Friday’s win, it’s what Hunter Dietz did on the mound.
The left-hander finished what he started, throwing all seven innings and becoming the Razorbacks’ first complete-game pitcher of the year.
He allowed just two runs — only one earned — while striking out seven.
The performance moved Dietz to 7-2 on the season and gave him his team-leading eighth quality start. He’s now thrown 72.2 innings this year with a 3.22 ERA and 108 strikeouts, a number that leads the entire SEC.
Hitters are batting just .221 against him in 2026, a figure that tells you how hard it’s been to square him up all season.
Dietz’s complete game wasn’t just a personal milestone.
It also kept the bullpen fresh heading into the final two games of what could become a series-clinching weekend for Arkansas.
Ruiz gets Hogs going in first
Oklahoma scored first, pushing a run across in the top of the first inning. But the response from Arkansas was immediate and forceful.
The Hogs scored five runs in the bottom half of the opening frame, with Damian Ruiz providing the biggest blow with a two-run home run that punctuated the five-run burst.
Sooners starter LJ Mercurius couldn’t survive the inning, getting knocked out after just 1.1 innings of work after allowing five runs on six hits and a walk.
With the lead in hand and Dietz dealing, the Razorbacks had the kind of cushion that lets a starting pitcher work freely and attack the strike zone.
Peck’s first career homer extends lead
Arkansas kept adding to its advantage in the fifth inning when Alexander Peck stepped to the plate and hit his first career home run, a two-run shot that pushed the lead to 7-2.
What made the moment notable is that Peck hadn’t even started the game.
He entered as a defensive replacement for Carter Rutenbar in the second inning before making his mark with the bat.
It’s that kind of depth that’s helped the Hogs stay competitive throughout a long SEC schedule.
Kozeal’s grand slam puts game away
The Sooners had little chance of recovering once Camden Kozeal stepped in with the bases loaded in the sixth.
The Razorback shortstop connected on a grand slam, his 15th home run of the year, to push Arkansas ahead 11-2 and take any remaining drama out of the afternoon.
Kozeal finished Friday’s game with three hits and four RBI, raising his season RBI total to 57.
He’s been one of the most productive hitters in the SEC this season and Friday was another reminder of why he’s such a key piece of what Arkansas does offensively.
Niu brings run rule home
Maika Niu put a bow on things in the bottom of the seventh with a one-out solo home run that triggered the run rule and officially ended the game at 12-2.
It was the Razorbacks’ 10th run-rule win of the season and their third against an SEC opponent — a sign of how dominant this lineup can be when everything clicks.
What’s next for Arkansas
The Hogs will send right-hander Gabe Gaeckle (5-3, 4.35 ERA) to the mound Saturday for a 2 p.m. first pitch on SEC Network+.
Brett Dolan will handle play-by-play duties with Troy Eklund as the analyst. Oklahoma counters with left-hander Cameron Johnson (6-1, 2.96 ERA), setting up what figures to be a much tighter pitching matchup than Friday’s opener.
A win Saturday gives Arkansas the series title and the final home SEC series championship of the 2026 regular season.
The Hogs have plenty of motivation to close this one out quickly.
