Arkansas vs. Mississippi State NCAA Baseball Series Preview
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Arkansas vs. Mississippi State Series Schedule
Arkansas vs. Mississippi State is a three-game series this upcoming weekend. Below is a rundown of each game, including the time of first pitch and where you can watch.
- Fri. Mar. 13: Game 1 – 6 p.m. ET – SEC Network+ (ESPN)
- Sat. Mar. 14: Game 2 – 1 p.m. ET – SEC Network+ (ESPN)
- Sun. Mar. 15: Game 3 – 2 p.m. ET – SEC Network+ (ESPN)
Arkansas vs. Mississippi State Lineups
Arkansas’ offense has been a bit underwhelming so far this season, especially compared to other teams in the SEC:
- .295 AVG (12th)
- .385 OBP (14th)
- .473 SLG (15th)
- 21 HR (12th)
The Razorbacks are led by senior right fielder Zach Stewart, who is currently slashing .423/.500/.808 with three homers in 32 plate appearances. Other top hitters on the team include junior second baseman Camden Kozeal (.359/.440/.750, 6 HR) and junior catcher Ryder Helfrick (.328/.481/.603, 5 HR). These bats went cold in their last two games vs. Stetson, where they combined for only five runs, so they’ll look to get back on track.
Mississippi State has been the much better team in terms of run production:
- .356 AVG (1st)
- .465 OBP (4th)
- .601 SLG (3rd)
- 27 HR (5th)
The Bulldogs have a lineup filled with red-hot hitters, including first baseman Reed Stallman (.467/.600/.900, 3 HR), designated hitter Noah Sullivan (.405/.545/.833, 5 HR), and second baseman Drew Wyers (.478/.571/.783, 2 HR). This is a team that absolutely torched Lipscomb 26-0 in their last game. Needless to say, Arkansas pitchers will likely have their hands full in this series.
Arkansas vs. Mississippi State Pitchers
Arkansas Razorbacks
- Colin Fisher: 23.0 IP, 1.17 ERA, 3 BB, 30 K
- Gabe Gaeckle: 20.2 IP, 2.61 ERA, 6 BB, 27 K
- Hunter Dietz: 19.0 IP, 2.84 ERA, 5 BB, 34 K
Each of these pitchers had the Stetson series off, so they’re ready to go for Arkansas in this pivotal three-gamer against Mississippi State. Fisher pitched six scoreless innings against UT Arlington in his last start on Mar. 1. Dietz pitched seven scoreless vs. UT Arlington on Feb. 28. Gaeckle struggled in his last start, allowing four earned runs in 5.1 innings vs. UT Arlington on Feb. 27.
Mississippi State Bulldogs
- Tomas Valincius: 20.2 IP, 1.74 ERA, 6 BB, 26 K
- Ryan McPherson: 23.0 IP, 1.96 ERA, 5 BB, 28 K
- Duke Stone: 17.2 IP, 3.06 ERA, 2 BB, 24 K
Each of these pitchers has had enough days’ rest to start in this pivotal series. Stone went four scoreless innings against Lipscomb on Mar. 7. Valincius allowed two earned runs in four innings vs. Lipscomb on Mar. 6. McPherson gave up only one earned run in six innings vs. Lipscomb on Mar. 5. It’s setting up to be an intriguing matchup against Arkansas with these top arms available.
Arkansas Season Outlook
The Razorbacks will need to get their bats going if they’re going to compete with the top teams in the SEC. This upcoming series against Mississippi State to open up SEC action is huge. It’s important to get off to a strong start in conference play. Currently, Arkansas is 5th in odds to win the SEC, behind Texas, Georgia, Mississippi State, and LSU. Winning a home series vs. a team projected ahead of them would make a strong statement.
With pitchers like Fisher, Gaeckle, and Dietz leading the way, the Razorbacks have the pitching to go far in the College World Series. They just need to get more production from other hitters outside of Stewart, Kozeal, and Helfrick. With that said, the market believes in Arkansas, as they’re currently 7th in odds to win the College World Series.
Arkansas also came in at 7th in preseason polls. While it hasn’t been a bad start by any means, their recent two losses against Stetson were definitely a step back. They’ll have a chance to get things going again in a pivotal series vs. Mississippi State this weekend. I give the slight edge to Arkansas despite an offense that has struggled lately due to a strong trio of pitchers along with home-field advantage.
BetSaracen Sportsbook Offerings For Arkansas Baseball
Right now, BetSaracen has lines available for upcoming Arkansas Razorbacks baseball games starting Friday. The sportsbook offers a wide range of betting options, with special attention on local teams like Arkansas. Fans can find game lines, props, and other markets throughout the Razorbacks’ season, giving bettors plenty of ways to get involved as Arkansas takes the field.
