Razorback Baseball: Arkansas finds out their seeding, regional opponents

On Monday morning, the NCAA selection committee announced its 16 regional hosts for this year’s baseball tournament and its other teams selected for the tournament. As expected, the Arkansas Razorback Baseball team was announced as a regional host after missing out last season with an 18-12 record in conference play.

No. 3 national seed

1 Arkansas (41-16)
2 TCU (37-22)
3 Arizona (33-24)
4 Santa Clara (35-18)

Winner of the Fayetteville regional will face the winner of the Indiana State regional (14 seed).

NCAA Tournament Schedule

• Regionals: Friday-Monday, June 2-5
• Super regionals: Friday-Sunday, June 9-11 or Saturday-Monday, June 10-12
• First day of MCWS games: Start Friday, June 16
• MCWS finals: Saturday-Monday, June 24-26
• Final championship game: Monday, June 26

Each regional tournament will be double-elimination, from June 2-5. Winners of the regional round advance to the super regionals, from June 9-11 or June 10-12.

Adversity doesn’t stop these Hogs

The injuries began to pile on preseason when Jaxson Wiggins, a sure Friday night starter, went through Tommy Johns surgery. That came after losing sure Friday night starter, Peyton Pallette to the same injury a season ago.

Other pitchers that have missed the remainder of the season to injury include Koty Frank and Dylan Carter. The Razorbacks avoided a catastrophic loss when Brady Tygart went down with a strained UCL injury, too. He would return nearly eight weeks later but be dominant as ever.

Tygart has pitched 13 and 1/3 innings with 3 ER, 2 HR, 4 BB and 15 K.

Other significant injuries Dave Van Horn and his staff have navigated through included LF Jared Wegner, CF Tavian Josenberger, and 2B Peyton Stoval. Luckily, others have performed during the respective absences to make incredible fielding plays. LF Mason Neville and Hunter Grimes didn’t light it up at the plate but made exceptional plays on the outfield whether it be diving catches or bang bang plays at the plate.

When called upon, DH Kendall Diggs has also made huge plays when being placed in RF. There was a terrific play in right where he made a huge diving out in the first play of the Texas A&M series.

In relief of Stovall, Peyton Holt has made the transition look exceptionally easy. Since being thrusted into the lineup beginning in the Mississippi State series the Greenwood, (Ark.) native has been electric. He’s currently boasts a .444 BA with 9 RBI, 1 HR and scored 11 runs in 45 plate appearances.

Holt has also made incredible web gems like this one:

I’ve enjoyed Holt this year. He’ll be in #TheShow in the next 3 years.

Hot take: Holt would’ve been SEC Player of the Year if he started a month earlier.

The Greenwood, Ark. native has been absolutely insane. pic.twitter.com/y5HCppjMXH

— Jacob Davis (@JacobScottDavis) May 26, 2023

Diggs and Dingers

There may not be another designated hitter in the country that’s been as clutch as Diggs. The Olathe, (Kan.) native is 7-16 (.438) at the plate with the bases loaded including two grand slams and 24 RBI.

The elite DH also has two walk-off homers as well. If he comes up with the game on the line he’ll be money on keeping his Hogs alive.

Is this team built to win it all in Omaha?

What this team has done with all things up against them as still share a piece of the SEC regular season title is a testament to the program that Van Horn has built at Arkansas. Recruiting has been absolutely phenomenal over the past six classes and the Razorback are beginning to reap the benefits of it.

The question is will this be the season Arkansas breaks through and wins a College World Series? This could be the team that does it due to their resiliency and fight every single night.

This roster isn’t the most talented, the hardest hitting or the deepest on the bump. But, they have the heart and sometimes that’s all it takes.

TEAMWORK.