FAYETTEVILLE — Through two games, Arkansas’ super regional with North Carolina State has played out like the last three super regionals the Razorbacks have hosted.
In 2015, 2018 and 2019, Arkansas won comfortably in Game 1 before being shut down the following day.
The Razorbacks won Game 3 in all of the series — against Missouri State, South Carolina and Ole Miss — to advance to Omaha.
Arkansas finds itself needing a Game 3 win again Sunday. After beating NC State 21-2 on Friday, the Razorbacks could not solve Wolfpack starting pitcher Sam Highfill and lost 6-5 when a seventh-inning rally fell short Saturday.
These meaningful games are nothing new to Arkansas, although none have meant as much as Sunday’s will mean. During the regular season the Razorbacks were 6-0 in finales that determined the winner of a series, and Arkansas also won its third game against Nebraska to advance past the Fayetteville Regional.
“They play pretty well when it comes down to winning a series,” Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said Saturday. “So I think (Sunday’s) going to be a great ball game and I look forward to it.”
Several of this year’s Razorbacks have been part of multiple teams that were good when a series — or the season — was on the line. Dating to 2019, Arkansas has a 12-2 record when Game 3 determines the winner of a series, including in the postseason.
In addition to beating Nebraska, the Razorbacks won decisive games in series against Alabama, Auburn, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee.
“You have to be confident and you have to think you’re going to win,” Van Horn said May 9 after the Razorbacks rallied to win a series over Georgia with a 5-3 victory in the finale.
“There’s a definite mindset in our locker room.”
NC State (34-18) has not faced as many high-stakes games as Arkansas. NC State is 1-2 this season when a third game determined the winner of a series.
The Wolfpack won Game 3 at Wake Forest, and lost finales against Miami and Notre Dame.
Designated hitter Charlie Welch said the Razorbacks are “full of confidence” entering Sunday’s game. He said the team won’t do anything different than before other big games it played this year.
“It's all about winning the series, two games,” Welch said. “We know what we've got to do. Nothing changes just because it's super regionals. Nothing changes — just another game."