Although then No. 17 and now No. 12 Arkansas baseball (34-18, 15-12 SEC) earned a significant SEC weekend series victory over the then No. 24 and now unranked Oklahoma Sooners (31-18, 13-14 SEC) at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas, this series continued to expose that the Razorbacks need more reliable starting pitchers on the mound behind their ace Hunter Dietz, though one cannot overlook Gabe Gaeckle as possibly ready to become the second reliable starter.
In Game 1, with Dietz on the mound, the Hogs played, as they normally do when he starts, like a team capable of defeating any team in the nation, and when he is on the mound, they can beat any team in the country. Arkansas won a 12-2 run-rule victory in seven innings over Oklahoma in Game 1. However, in Game 2, Dave Van Horn's team needed a dramatic seven-run eighth inning to defeat the Sooners, winning 12-8. Even though the Hogs were fortunate to win the game, which clinched the weekend series, their pitching continued to reveal weaknesses that threaten their ability to win Van Horn's elusive first national championship.
The Hogs' pitching in Game 3 allowed the Sooners to score 15 runs on 13 hits. Although Oklahoma is a quality team, it is not the type of team one should surrender 15 runs to, especially for a team that views itself as a true contender for a national championship. The Razorbacks lost Game 3 to the Sooners 15-10. Cole Gibler, who got the start for the Hogs, had a performance that epitomized how awful the Razorbacks' pitching was in Game 3. He went 2.0 innings, allowed five runs, three hits, two walks, threw a wild pitch, and recorded four strikeouts. After he exited the game, Van Horn used six more pitchers who combined to give up nine runs.
Arkansas baseball had the offensive firepower against the Sooners
When a team scores 34 runs in a series, that team should sweep its opponent. In Games 1 and 2, the Hogs scored 12 runs in each. Arkansas scored more than enough runs to surpass an Oklahoma offense, but, as previously mentioned, the Razorbacks' pitching was horrible in Game 3.
Kuhio Aloy continues to peak at the right time for the Hogs, as he had two hits, one a homer, scored one run, and drove in one run in five at-bats. Whenever the Razorbacks need reliable power, they know they can turn to Cam Kozeal. Kozeal had two hits, one a homer, scored two runs, and delivered three RBIs in five at-bats. Even as excellent as Kozeal was, TJ Pompey was even better. In four plate appearances, he produced three hits, two of which were home runs, scored two runs, and drove in four runs.
The Arkansas Razorbacks will begin a three-game series against the Kentucky Wildcats (30-18, 12-15 SEC) in Lexington, Kentucky, on Thursday. These are the final three games of the regular season for the Hogs. Fans unable to attend the games can watch them on the SEC Network+ (SECN+).
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