Hogs start long, long homestand today against Grambling

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — For the first time since 2003, the Razorbacks will play a midweek home opener at Baum-Walker Stadium.

No. 9 Arkansas kicks off an almost unprecedented 18-game homestand against Grambling on Tuesday, Feb. 21.

First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. on SEC Network+ with Brett Dolan (play-by-play) and Troy Eklund (analyst) on the call.

The Hogs have not played a midweek home opener since Dave Van Horn’s first season at the helm in 2003.

Arkansas hosted Creighton on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2003, at what was formerly known as Baum Stadium and defeated the Bluejays, 9-5, in Van Horn’s first game as head coach.

Schedule

Grambling vs. No. 9 Arkansas at 3 p.m.

On the Mound

Grambling LHP Jacorey Boudreaux (0-0, 9.00 ERA) vs. Arkansas RHP Ben Bybee (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Tune In

Brett Dolan (play-by-play) and Troy Eklund (analyst) will have the call of tomorrow’s midweek home opener on SEC Network+. Fans can catch all the action through the ESPN app.

The game can also be heard at HitThatLine.com or ESPN Arkansas 95.3 in the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs and 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home with Phil Elson and former Razorback Bubba Carpenter on the call.

In the Polls

Arkansas remained ranked by all six major college baseball polls following the opening week of the season:

Perfect Game – No. 3
USA Today Coaches – No. 6
Collegiate Baseball – No. 7
NCBWA – No. 7
D1Baseball – No. 9
Baseball America – No. 11

Road Warriors

It has been 282 days since Arkansas’ last home game. The last time the Hogs played inside the friendly confines of Baum-Walker Stadium was in a 5-0 loss in seven innings to SEC East foe Vanderbilt on May 15, 2022.

The Razorbacks have played 19 consecutive games away from home since then, traveling to five different states in that span — Alabama, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Nebraska and Texas.

Home Sweet Home

Tuesday’s home opener against Grambling will mark the start of an 18-game homestand, the Hogs’ longest stretch of consecutive games at home since 1982.

That season, Arkansas played 22 straight games at George Cole Field to begin the year and finished the campaign with a 40-15-2 overall record.

1982 also marked head coach Dave Van Horn’s first — and only — season as a Razorback.

A standout infielder, Van Horn earned All-Southwest Conference honors, including Newcomer of the Year accolades, and was selected as the Hogs’ most valuable player that season.

Poppin’ Off

Arkansas outfielder Jared Wegner was named the SEC Player of the Week following a huge weekend in the College Baseball Showdown to begin his Razorback career.

Wegner slashed .545/.643/1.365 (6-for-11) with four extra-base hits, including two home runs, and eight RBI over three games at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.

Wegner had at least one hit, reached base at least twice and scored at least one run in all three games, leading the Hogs to wins over Texas and TCU.

In Friday’s season-opening win against Texas, the graduate transfer from Creighton went 1-for-3 with a walk and run scored.

He followed up that performance with a 3-for-4 night against TCU on Saturday, recording a double, a home run and three RBI against the Horned Frogs.

His finish to the weekend was even louder. The Kearney, Neb., native went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, a triple, a home run and a weekend-high five RBI in Arkansas’ run-rule win over Oklahoma State on Sunday afternoon.

Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.