Courtesy of Oliver Grigg
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – No. 22 Arkansas (30-16, 11-10 SEC) and No. 17 Ole Miss (31-15, 11-10 SEC) clash in a pivotal SEC series this weekend at Baum-Walker Stadium. First pitch in the opener between the Razorbacks and Rebels is scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday, May 1, on SEC Network+ with Brett Dolan (play-by-play) and Troy Eklund (analyst) on the call.
Game two of the weekend series gets underway at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 2, on SEC Network+ with Dolan and Eklund in the broadcast booth. Arkansas and Ole Miss conclude the weekend with a 2 p.m. first pitch in the series finale Sunday, May 3, on SEC Network with Tom Hart (play-by-play) and Chris Burke (analyst) on the call from Baum-Walker Stadium.
The Razorbacks have won five consecutive weekend series against the Rebels (2021-25), including each of the last two weekend series played inside the friendly confines of Baum-Walker Stadium in 2022 and 2024. Arkansas and Ole Miss, both 11-10 in league play, are tied for sixth in the SEC standings with nine conference games remaining in the campaign.
Schedule
Friday, May 1
#17 Ole Miss vs. #22 Arkansas – 6 p.m.
Saturday, May 2
#17 Ole Miss vs. #22 Arkansas – 2 p.m.
Sunday, May 3
#17 Ole Miss vs. #22 Arkansas – 2 p.m.
On the Mound
Friday, May 1
Ole Miss – LHP Hunter Elliott (4-1, 4.82 ERA)
Arkansas – LHP Hunter Dietz (5-2, 3.62 ERA)
Saturday, May 2
Ole Miss – RHP Cade Townsend (4-1, 2.33 ERA)
Arkansas – LHP Cole Gibler (4-1, 2.91 ERA)
Sunday, May 3
Ole Miss – RHP Taylor Rabe (3-3, 4.24 ERA)
Arkansas – TBA
Tune In
The entire weekend series between the Razorbacks and Rebels can also be heard locally in Fayetteville on 92.1 The Ticket and the Ticket app with Phil Elson (play-by-play) and Bubba Carpenter (analyst) on the call from Baum-Walker Stadium. A full list of radio affiliates is available here.
History Lesson
Arkansas is 64-55 overall against Ole Miss since 1982, including a 29-23 record in games played in Fayetteville, Ark. In the Dave Van Horn era (2003-pres.), the Razorbacks are 39-45 overall and 17-19 at home against the Rebels.
The Hogs, 7-3 in their last 10 games and 13-7 in their last 20 games against Ole Miss, have not lost a home weekend series to the Rebels since 2019. In the last series between the two teams at Baum-Walker Stadium in 2024, Arkansas collected its first weekend series sweep of Ole Miss since 2002 and first sweep of the Rebels in Fayetteville since 1997.
Here’s The SEC Situation
With the second half of SEC play underway, Arkansas, currently 11-10 through 21 league games, must post a 7-2 record over its final nine games of the year to reach the 18-win mark in conference play for the ninth consecutive season.
Entering the 2026 campaign, the Razorbacks have won 18 or more SEC games in eight consecutive seasons (2017-25) and are one of only two teams in conference history to accomplish the aforementioned feat. LSU is the only other SEC program to record at least eight consecutive seasons of 18 or more SEC victories (10 from 1996-2005).
Dazzlin’ Dietz
Plagued by injuries during the first two years of his collegiate career, Arkansas’ Hunter Dietz is now fully healthy and quickly proving why he is one of the top left-handers in college baseball. Through 11 starts on the mound this season, the Trinity, Fla., native owns a 5-2 record with a 3.62 ERA and an SEC-leading 92 strikeouts in 59.2 innings of work.
After beginning the season as the Razorbacks’ game two starter, Dietz will make his fourth consecutive series-opening start Friday night against the Rebels. The left-hander has turned in a team-leading six quality starts this year, the most by a Razorback pitcher in a season since LHP Zach Root logged a team-high seven quality starts during the 2025 campaign.
1. UT Arlington (Feb. 28) – 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 SO
2. Stetson (March 7) – 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 12 SO
3. South Carolina (March 21) – 6.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 12 SO
4. #18 Auburn (April 3) – 7.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 11 SO
5. #8 Alabama (April 10) – 6.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 9 SO
6. Missouri (April 23) – 7.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 8 SO
Dietz has also recorded three double-digit strikeout efforts, tied for eighth most in a season by a Razorback pitcher:
1. Stetson (March 7) – 12 SO
2. South Carolina (March 21) – 12 SO
3. #18 Auburn (April 3) – 11 SO
With his next double-digit strikeout game, Dietz will move into a tie for seventh most in a season by a Razorback pitcher:
1. 11 – Hagen Smith, 2024
T2. 8 – Nick Schmidt, 2006
T2. 8 – David Walling, 1999
T4. 6 – Trevor Stephan, 2017
T4. 6 – David Walling, 1998
6. 5 – Jess Todd, 2007
7. 4 – Isaiah Campbell, 2019
T8. 3 – Hunter Dietz, 2026
T8. 3 – Zach Root, 2025
T8. 3 – Mason Molina, 2024
T8. 3 – Blaine Knight, 2017
