Image Courtesy: 247Sports
Projected Opening Day Starters:
Catcher: Hudson Polk, Junior
Pitcher: Hagen Smith, Sophomore (Game 1), Will McEntire, RS Junior (Game 2), Hunter Hollan, Junior (Game 3)
1B: Brady Slavens, Senior
2B: Peyton Stovall, Sophomore
SS: John Bolton, Junior
3B: Caleb Cali, RS Junior
RF: Jace Bohfren, Junior
CF:Tavian Josenberger,
LF: Jared Wegner, Grad. Senior
DH: Kendall Diggs, Sophomore
2/17 Texas (Arlington; College Baseball Showdown)
2/18 TCU (Arlington; College Baseball Showdown)
2/19 Oklahoma State (Arlington; College Baseball Showdown)
Hogs will go 2-1 in Arlington as they have a rematch of last season’s phenomenal regional final against Oklahoma State in their final game in Arlington.
Projected Record: 2-1
2/21 Grambling State
Projected Record: 4-2
2/24-26 Eastern Illinois
Projected Record: 7-2
3/1 Illinois State
Projected Record: 8-3
3/3-5 Wright State
Projected Record: 10-4
3/7 Army
Projected Record: 11-4
3/10-12 Louisiana Tech
After defeating La Tech in Ruston 2-1 in a series in 2021, the hogs should take care of the bulldogs again.
Projected Record: 13-5
3/14-15 UNLV
Projected Record: 15-6
3/17-19 Auburn
To open SEC play, Arkansas will host Auburn. After a fun, high-scoring series with Auburn a season ago “On the Plains”, Arkansas will look to continue their success at Baum-Walker Stadium.
Projected Record: 17-7 (2-1)
3/21 Southeast Missouri State
Projected Record: 18-7 (2-1)
3/24-26 at.LSU
In what could be one of the top series all year, Arkansas will be tested in Baton Rouge against an extremely talented team, with their former pitching coach, Wes Johnson.
Projected Record: 19-10 (3-3)
3/28 Omaha
Projected Record: 20-10 (3-3)
3/31-4/2 Alabama
Alabama took 2 out of 3 from Arkansas in Tuscaloosa a season ago in the Razorbacks’ SEC struggles to end last regular season, the hogs will be out for revenge against the Crimson Tide.
Projected Record: 23-10 (6-3)
4/4 Arkansas State
Projected Record: 24-10 (6-3)
4/6-8 Ole Miss
Arkansas will look to get revenge on the Rebels, who they lost to in a 2-0 decision in the College World Series Semifinals in June.
Projected Record: 25-12 (7-5)
4/11-12 Little Rock
Projected Record: 27-12 (7-5)
4/14-16 Tennessee
In what could be another national series of the year, Dave Van Horn’s Diamond Hogs battle with former assistant coach Tony Vitello and his Volunteers in a potential top ten match up.
Projected Record: 29-13 (9-6)
4/18 Central Arkansas
Projected Record: 30-13 (9-6)
4/20-22 at.Georgia
With positive pitching talent high between both squads, it will be a battle in Athens.
Projected Record: 32-14 (11-7)
4/25 at.Missouri State
Projected Record: 33-14 (11-7)
4/28-30 Texas A&M
Arkansas faces a talented Aggies team at home that also made it to the CWS Semifinals a season ago.
Projected Record: 35-15 (13-8)
5/2 Lipscomb (Little Rock)
Arkansas returns to central Arkansas to face an out of state opponent in Lipscomb. Arkansas overlooked a game in Little Rock in a 2-1 win a season ago against Central Arkansas so they will have to be more focused in that one.
Projected Record: 36-15 (13-8)
5/5-7 at.Mississippi State
Arkansas has won its last six games at Dudy Noble Stadium in Starkville, against a Mississippi State team that won a championship just 2 years ago. They look to do the same in 2023.
Projected Record: 37-17 (14-10)
5/12-14 South Carolina
It would be great for Arkansas to get a series win at home against a South Carolina team expected to be in the bottom half of the SEC East standings.
Projected Record: 39-18 (16-11)
5/18-20 at.Vanderbilt
Arkansas makes one of the toughest road trips in the SEC to Nashville to face Vanderbilt, a team being vastly underrated in pre-season rankings.
Projected Record: 40-20 (17-13)
5/23-28 SEC Tournament (Hoover)
I expect Arkansas to go 2-2 in Hoover and appear in the NCAA Tournament as a top 16 seed. The hogs should be in good position to make Omaha and the College World Series with their standing in the tournament.
Projected Record: 42-22 (17-13)
6/2-6/5 NCAA Regionals
6/9-6/12 NCAA Super Regionals
6/16-6/26 NCAA College World Series
