NFL
By: Randall Slifer
Arkansas baseball kicks off its regular season at the Shriner’s Children’s College Showdown this weekend in Arlington, Texas. Arkansas elected to play four games this weekend to get in some extra work, which Dave Van Horn says is a win-win situation. This will allow some freshman pitchers to get innings in without pressure in a top-notch facility.
Arkansas Baseball’s big matchups this weekend are against Oklahoma State, No. 10 TCU, and Texas Tech. This weekend is about the team trying different approaches and honing what they do best and what they need to work on. It will be tough to predict the games, so let’s take a quick preview of all three:
Arkansas vs Oklahoma State
Starting Pitcher: Gabe Gaeckle
Dave Van Horn never takes Oklahoma State lightly; they are always a tough team to play. He described the team as “strong,” with a very solid outfield. The big question is how Gabe Gaeckle will come out in his first start this year. Gaeckle earned preseason All-SEC honors and will start strong this year. Gaeckle was recovering from a shoulder injury last year and did not return to form until halfway through the season. Once he became his 100% self, he was one of the most dominant pitchers in the country.
Arkansas vs No. 10 TCU
Starting Pitcher: Hunter Dietz
Hunter Dietz had big expectations in Arkansas as the number 5 left-handed pitcher out of high school. Dietz was injured, which forced him to redshirt, and he is now a redshirt sophomore. Dave Van Horn expects Dietz to live up to his expectations, and he showed it in the pre-season, earning him a start this weekend.
Arkansas Baseball facing off against a top-10 team this early is always a great position to be in. The big question for this game is how the bats will swing against TCU. Kuhio Aloy has been working with former Arkansas baseball players this pre-season, in hopes of taking another big step on the field and at the plate. Arkansas will need hitting firepower from Aloy, Helfrick, and Robinett, with the new transfers of Maika Niu, Zach Stewart, and TJ Pompey.
Arkansas vs Texas Tech
Starting Pitcher: Colin Fisher
Colin Fisher underwent an internal brace procedure on his elbow in 2024. Luckily, it was not Tommy John’s surgery, and it allowed him to come to full strength for the 2026 season. After high school, he was the No. 5 overall prospect and the No. 2 left-handed pitcher. As a freshman, he pitched very well, going 6-1 with a 2.67 ERA. He pitched 27 innings, recorded 27 strikeouts, and allowed only 9 runs. Dave Van Horn says he has been pitching very well in the preseason, which is why Cole Gibler will come in as a top-notch reliever rather than a starter.
Dave Van Horn has questions that he hopes will be answered this weekend. One thing Arkansas is looking for is how the defense plays and whether it can maintain its high defensive efficiency, as it did last year. The entire outfield is brand new, and there are notable new players in the infield.
He will also be looking at how the new pitching rotation and the relievers will perform over the weekend. He believes he has a very strong bullpen this year, unlike in previous years. If Arkansas Baseball can field a complete, heavy-rotation starting lineup with aces to take the middle and closing innings, it can be looking at hosting the regionals and super regionals again. As always, Go Razorbacks.
