SCHEDULED GAME TIME Friday, 6 p.m.
WHERE Dudy Noble Field (15,000) in Starkville, Miss.
RECORDS Arkansas 33-12, 14-7 SEC; Mississippi State 24-20, 6-15 SEC
LAST 10 Arkansas 5-5; Mississippi State 4-6
STREAK Arkansas lost 1; Mississippi State lost 3
COACHES Arkansas: Dave Van Horn — 829-435 in 21st season at Arkansas and 1,149-594 in 29th season overall in Division I; Mississippi State: Chris Lemonis — 164-87 in fifth season at Mississippi State and 305-178-2 in ninth season overall.
SERIES Mississippi State leads 57-56
LAST MEETING Mississippi State defeated Arkansas 5-3 in 12 innings on April 3, 2022, in Fayetteville.
RADIO Razorback Sports Network can be accessed through local FM and AM affiliates, via the Arkansas Razorbacks Gameday app, via the TuneIn app, via the Varsity Network app or on ArkansasRazorbacks.com. Blackouts may apply.
RADIO ANNOUNCER Phil Elson (play-by-play)
TELEVISION The game will be streamed by SEC Network-Plus and can be accessed on WatchESPN.com and via the ESPN app (carrier login required).
TV ANNOUNCERS Bart Gregory (play-by-play) and Charlie Winfield (analyst)
PITCHING MATCHUP Arkansas LHP Hagen Smith (6-1, 2.64 ERA, 1.22 WHIP in 47 2/3 innings) vs. Mississippi State RHP Cade Smith (1-1, 5.54 ERA, 1.54 WHIP in 26 innings)
FORECAST According to the National Weather Service, Friday will be mostly cloudy with a high of 80 degrees and a low of 66 degrees in Starkville. There is a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms during night-time hours. South winds could gust to 20 mph.
TEAM COMPARISONS
ERA: Arkansas 5.09; Mississippi State 6.62
Runs Scored Per Game: Arkansas 7.91; Mississippi State 7.68
Batting Average: Arkansas .283; Mississippi State .289
Opponent Batting Average: Arkansas .267; Mississippi State .263
Slugging Percentage: Arkansas .486; Mississippi State .513
On-Base Percentage: Arkansas .401; Mississippi State .403
Fielding Percentage: Arkansas .979; Mississippi State .963
NOTABLE Arkansas is No. 6 in the USA Today Baseball Coaches Poll, which is the poll of record for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette….The Razorbacks will be without starting outfielders Tavian Josenberger (hamstring strain) and Jared Wegner (broken thumb), and likely will be without starting second baseman Peyton Stovall (shoulder) during the series....Mississippi State coach Chris Lemonis fired his pitching coach, Scott Foxhall, on Monday. The Bulldogs rank last in the SEC with a 6.62 ERA. It's SEC-only ERA is 9.82.....Arkansas has won its last three series against Mississippi State and has not lost a series against the Bulldogs since 2018....Mississippi State's Hunter Hines has hit 21 home runs....The Bulldogs are 15-9 at Dudy Noble Field. The Razorbacks are 5-9 away from home, but 3-7 in true road games. Arkansas has lost four consecutive road games....With Arkansas' 8-7 victory over Texas A&M last Sunday, Dave Van Horn became the 30th NCAA coach to win 1,200 games at four-year universities. In addition to his 1,149 victories at the Division I level, Van Horn won 51 games and the Division II national championship at Central Missouri State in 1994.