The Razorbacks are still dancing … barely.
After surviving one of the more nerve-wracking elimination games of the NCAA Tournament earlier Sunday, Arkansas now turns right back around and faces the No. 1-seeded Kansas Jayhawks in the Lawrence Regional Final at 5 p.m. Sunday evening.
It’s win or go home for the Hogs and they’ve done it the hard way to get here.
The second game of Sunday’s doubleheader at Hoglund Ballpark in Lawrence, Kan., will stream exclusively on ESPN+.
The Road to Game 6
Arkansas entered this NCAA Tournament as the No. 2 seed in the Lawrence Regional with a 41-21 overall record and a 17-13 mark in SEC play.
The Hogs started the weekend with a 9-5 win over Missouri State on Friday before dropping a 5-3 decision to Kansas on Saturday.
That loss sent the Razorbacks to the elimination bracket, where they faced No. 4-seeded Northeastern on Sunday.
That game against the Huskies was a wild one.
The Hogs came from behind to win 10-9 in a game that featured multiple lead changes and a tense ninth inning.
Zack Stewart and Reese Robinett both homered in the top of the ninth to push Arkansas ahead 10-6, but Northeastern rallied for three runs before the Razorbacks held on to win by one.
The victory keeps Arkansas’s season alive and sets up the rematch with Kansas.
What’s at Stake Against the Jayhawks
Kansas has been the class of the regional.
The Jayhawks entered Sunday’s action undefeated after beating Northeastern 6-3 on Friday and topping Arkansas 5-3 on Saturday. The Jayhawks carry a 44-16 record and went 22-8 in Big 12 play under fourth-year coach Dan Fitzgerald, who’s now 143-88 in Lawrence with a 65-49 mark in conference games.
The all-time series heavily favors the Razorbacks, who hold a 17-7 edge over Kansas in 24 meetings dating back to 1994. None of that history matters much Sunday evening.
Kansas won the most recent meeting just a day ago.
If the Jayhawks win again, they’re headed to the Super Regionals and Arkansas is done for the year. If the Hogs win, it forces a winner-take-all Game 7 on Monday.
The starting pitchers for Sunday evening’s matchup had not been announced as of this writing.
It’s worth noting that the Razorbacks have already played through an enormous amount of pitching on Sunday alone.
Getting through at least nine more innings with a taxed bullpen is a huge challenge.
How to Watch, Listen and Stream Arkansas-Kansas
- Who: No. 2 Arkansas Razorbacks (41-21, 17-13 SEC) vs. No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks (44-16, 22-8 Big 12)
- When: Sunday, May 31 | 5 p.m.
- Where: Hoglund Ballpark | Lawrence, Kan.
- TV/Stream: ESPN+
- Radio: Razorback Sports Network statewide and online in select broadcast markets at HitThatLine.com
- Fort Smith: ESPN Arkansas 95.3
- Hot Springs: ESPN Arkansas 96.3
- Harrison-Mountain Home: ESPN Arkansas 104.3
