No. 4 Arkansas (5-1) is looking to end this weekend on a high note in the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, against the Michigan Wolverines (4-2). The Razorbacks seek to carry momentum from Saturday night’s gutsy 2-1 victory over the TCU Horned Frogs.
Arkansas defeated Michigan in the 2024 Kubota College Baseball Series on Feb. 25, 4-3, but not without some drama near the end. Trailing 4-0, the Wolverines scored three runs in the last two innings of the game. Michigan had the bases loaded with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, but RHP Koty Frank escaped the jam by getting the final batter to fly out. The Razorbacks committed four errors in the game, with two of the three runs they gave up being unearned.
This is just the second meeting in history between the two programs as the Wolverines look to get revenge for last year’s loss. The Hogs are looking to keep their hot start to the 2025 season even hotter with another victory over a Power 4 team. Here are three keys to the game the Hogs will need to get past the Wolverines.
Arkansas baseball vs Michigan: 3 Keys to victory
Keep making big plays of defense
The defense was a huge contributor on Saturday night against TCU with a good number of spectacular plays. LF Charles Davalan robbed C Karson Bowen of a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to keep it a one-run deficit. Another web gem was in the bottom half of the eighth when 1B Camden Kozeal turned a double play. He threw out 3B Preston Gamster at second to SS Wehiwa Aloy and raced over to cover the bag at first to get the second out just in time while crashing into 1B Isaac Cadena.
Defensive plays on the field are going to be just as big as last year in keeping runs off the board for Arkansas.
This leads into the next key…
Avoiding making costly errors
Despite the giant win and great defense, Arkansas made two crucial errors in the victory against TCU. The first was when 2B Gabe Fraser committed an error on a ground ball off the bat of LF Sam Meyers that allowed Chase Brunson to score the first run of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning. The second came in the bottom of the ninth with two outs and a runner on first with the Razorbacks leading, 2-1. Bowen stole second base and advanced to third on a throwing error by C Ryder Helfrick. RHP Christian Foutch closed out the game but not without a little drama near the end.
If the Hogs avoid costly errors in the field, they will be clear of giving up any big innings to a Michigan team that has some pretty powerful bats.
Put up crooked numbers on the board
Arkansas has only scored two runs in each of these two games in Arlington. The Razorbacks have had numerous opportunities to put up some big innings this weekend.
All four of the runs Arkansas has scored this weekend have come off the bat of one of the Aloy brothers. Wehiwa Aloy and Kuhio Aloy hit solo shots in the bottom of the sixth in Friday night’s 3-2 loss to the Kansas State Wildcats. Kuhio’s two-run double in the top of the seventh of Saturday night’s victory over TCU was all the Razorbacks needed to win their second one-run game of the season thanks to outstanding pitching by Zach Root, Landon Beidelschies and Foutch.
This pitching staff is doing an amazing job of keeping Arkansas in the game but still needs all the run support they can get.
The Razorbacks and the Wolverines square off at 11 a.m. at Globe Life Field for the final day of the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series. The game will be streamed on FloSports.com.