No. 4 Arkansas (6-1) gears up for its first midweek game of the season with a Tuesday evening showdown against the Grambling Tigers (4-3) at Baum-Walker Stadium. The Razorbacks went undefeated against midweek competition last year for the first time since 2005.
Arkansas dominated Grambling last year on Feb. 25 in run-rule fashion, 21-1, where the Hogs crushed two grand slams. The Razorbacks reached on 20 base hits and 10 walks in the beatdown and gave up the Tigers’ only run in the top of the seventh. Arkansas is a perfect 11-0 all-time against Grambling and looks to remain undefeated against a team that is favored to win the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
With that being said, here are three keys to the game the Razorbacks will need to get past the Tigers.
Arkansas baseball vs Grambling: 3 Keys to Victory
Score a lot and quickly
Arkansas is looking to make quick work just like last year’s contest against Grambling. The Razorbacks are not only going to have to reach on base hits but also use free passes in the form of walks. This is going to be a game where the Razorbacks have to keep the line moving against the Tiger bullpen. Leaving runners on base has been a consistent problem for the Hogs, but they should not have any issues here.
See what other talent you have in the bullpen
Guys like LHP Hunter Dietz are due to see some time on the mound and make their first appearance of the season. Dietz appeared in just two games last season for Arkansas until re-aggravating an injury to his throwing arm. If he is 100%, he will have the chance to show how good his stuff is.
Southpaw Cole Gibler and RHP Carson Wiggins are also probably going to see some extended amount of time on the bump to keep loose going into this weekend. RHP Aiden Jimenez may also take on a couple of frames to show what he can do this season. This is an opportunity for a lot of these arms to show out.
This leads into our next key…
See what other talent you have on the bench
Freshman INF Gabe Fraser is definitely going to see some more time on the field. Perfect Game ranked the Huntington Beach, Calif. native as the No. 144 overall prospect and the No. 37 shortstop in the class of 2024. He’s appeared in two games this season but has the chance to really hit the ground running as a freshman. INF Reese Robinett is probably going to see some time over at first base while showcasing his power at the plate.
A position player who has yet to see a game is JUCO transfer C Elliott Peterson. Peterson was the All-Region IX Player of the Year in 2024 after swinging for a NJCAA-leading .517 batting average with 15 home runs and 91 RBI in 59 games at Southeast Community College. He was a perfect 25-for-25 on stolen base attempts and posted a .994 fielding percentage with two errors in 363 total chances.
The Razorbacks and the Tigers will square off on Tuesday at Baum-Walker Stadium for the Hogs’ first midweek game of the season. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m., and the matchup will be streamed on SEC Network+.