SCHEDULED GAME TIME
Friday, 6:30 p.m., at Baum-Walker Stadium (11,531) in Fayetteville
RECORDS
Arkansas 14-2; Missouri 9-8
STREAKS
Arkansas won 10; Missouri won 3
LAST 10 GAMES
Arkansas 10-0; Missouri 5-5
COACHES
Arkansas: Dave Van Horn — 853-443 in 22nd season at Arkansas and 1,173-602 in 30th season overall in Division I.
Missouri: Kerrick Jackson — 9-8 in first season at Missouri and 85-103 in fifth season overall.
SERIES HISTORY
The series is tied 33-33-1, according to Missouri's records that date to a 1904 matchup. Arkansas lists a 23-15 series record in favor of the Razorbacks, but Arkansas' record book only dates to 1960.
LAST MEETING
Arkansas defeated Missouri 6-4 on March 27, 2022, in Columbia, Mo., to win a best-of-three-game series.
TELEVISION
The game will be streamed by SEC Network+. It can be accessed on WatchESPN.com and via the ESPN app (carrier login required). Brett Dolan (play-by-play) and Troy Eklund (analyst) will be on the call.
RADIO
Phil Elson (play-by-play) and Bubba Carpenter (analyst) will call the game on the Razorback Sports Network, which 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.
STARTING PITCHERS
Arkansas: LHP Hagen Smith — 2-0, 2.12 ERA, 0.76 WHIP in 17 innings.
Missouri: RHP Logan Lunceford — 1-0, 8.36 ERA, 1.71 WHIP in 14 innings.
TEAM COMPARISONS
Earned Run Avg.: Arkansas 2.74; Missouri 5.63
Runs Per Game: Arkansas 7.81; Missouri 8.06
Batting Avg.: Arkansas .296; Missouri .287
Opp. Batting Avg.: Arkansas .197; Missouri .272
Slugging Pct.: Arkansas .456; Missouri .485
On-Base Pct.: Arkansas .415; Missouri .406
Fielding Pct.: Arkansas .975; Missouri .972
FORECAST
According to the National Weather Service, Friday will be mostly cloudy with a high of 62 degrees and a low of 40 in Fayetteville. Northeast winds are expected at 5 to 10 mph.
WHAT TO KNOW
• The Razorbacks rank first nationally in strikeouts per 9 innings (13.9) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.84), second in WHIP (1.03) and third in ERA (2.74).
• Arkansas starter Hagen Smith needs five strikeouts to tie Blaine Knight (244) for fifth on the Razorbacks' all-time list. Smith has 40 strikeouts in 17 innings this season.
• RHP Ben Bybee is expected to be available for Arkansas. Bybee has not pitched this season due to mononucleosis.
• Arkansas outfielders Ross Lovich and Ty Wilmsmeyer transferred away from Missouri last season. Lovich's younger brother, Jackson, is the Tigers' first baseman. They have another younger brother, Eli, who is committed to play for the Razorbacks.
• Arkansas is ranked first and Missouri is unranked in the USA Today Baseball Coaches Poll.
• The Razorbacks were predicted to win the SEC and the Tigers were predicted to finish last in the SEC East by coaches.
• Arkansas has an 11-4 record against Missouri since the Tigers joined the SEC. The Razorbacks won series in 2014 (sweep), 2017, 2019 (sweep) and 2022. Missouri's only series win was 2-1 in Fayetteville in 2016.
• Arkansas pitching coach Matt Hobbs has ties to Missouri head coach Kerrick Jackson and pitching coach Tim Jamieson. Hobbs played for Jamieson at Missouri from 1999-2002 and coached under Jamieson (and alongside Jackson) from 2011-14.
• Hobbs is expected to be back in the dugout after he missed Tuesday's 4-2 victory over Oral Roberts with an illness.
• The Razorbacks and the Tigers are scheduled to play every year as part of the SEC’s scheduling format that begins in 2025.