Hogs Drop Series against Gators in Game Two Loss

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – No. 4 Arkansas (19-9, 4-4 SEC) suffered its first SEC series loss of the 2026 campaign with a 7-4 game two setback against Florida (22-6, 5-3 SEC) Saturday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium.

The Razorbacks will look to salvage the series in tomorrow’s finale, which is set to begin at noon Sunday, March 29, on SEC Network with Dave Neal (play-by-play) and Kyle Peterson (analyst) on the call. Arkansas has not been swept by an SEC foe inside the friendly confines of Baum-Walker Stadium since a sweep by Alabama during the 2016 campaign.

For the second consecutive game, walks plagued the Razorback pitching staff. Starter Hunter Dietz, who worked four innings of three-run ball with four strikeouts, issued four free passes while the Arkansas bullpen combined to walk four.

The Hogs led, 3-2, through the first four innings of play despite their struggles on the mound. Reese Robinett’s RBI single in the bottom of the second put Arkansas on the board before a run-scoring wild pitch and Ryder Helfrick’s RBI sacrifice fly to right field in the third inning gave the Razorbacks their first and only lead of Saturday’s contest.

Florida took control of the game with a three-spot in the top of the fifth inning, knocking Dietz out of the game before breaking through against the Arkansas bullpen. In relief, Steele Eaves (1.0 IP, 2 R, 1 SO), Cooper Dossett (1.1 IP, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 SO), Jackson Kircher (0.2 IP, 2 R, 1 BB, 2 SO), Tye Briscoe (0.0 IP, 0 R, 1 BB) allowed four runs on three hits and four walks, while James DeCremer (1.0 IP) and Parker Coil (1.0 IP, 1 SO) closed out the game with two scoreless frames.

Offensively, six Hogs had hits in Saturday’s loss. True freshman Carter Rutenbar, who earned the start at first base, drew a pair of walks and scored a run, and fellow true freshman Christian Turner collected a pinch-hit double in the ninth.

Left-hander Colin Fisher (2-2, 2.70 ERA) will start on the mound for Arkansas in the series finale and go up against Florida right-hander Russell Sandefer (1-1, 3.97 ERA) as the Razorbacks look to avoid being swept at Baum-Walker Stadium.

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