HawgBeat - D1Baseball postseason projection includes old foe for Arkansas
The latest Field of 64 includes an old rival for the Razorbacks.
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The Razorback baseball team has been scorching hot over the last two weeks, sweeping consecutive series and vaulting into a tie with Vanderbilt atop the SEC standings.
D1Baseball bumped Arkansas up to No. 3 in its Top 25 poll this week, and Wednesday's Field of 64 projection featured the Diamond Hogs as the No. 4 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.
The Razorbacks have been a top-eight national seed in all six D1Baseball projections, but the three teams slated to visit Baum-Walker Stadium have rotated in and out. This week's update includes two opponents that are no strangers to being projected to play in Fayetteville:
D1Baseball Field of 64 Fayetteville Regional projection (May 10)
1. Arkansas (4) (36-12 overall record)
2. Texas (33-17)
3. Washington (29-14)
4. Southeast Missouri State (26-23)
The Texas Longhorns (RPI: 26) are lingering in the middle of the Big 12 standings, but if things play out the way the D1Baseball crew expects, they will be the third-highest seeded team in the conference. Behind only regional hosts West Virginia and Oklahoma State, the Horns are a well-balanced team that could make for a fascinating opening weekend of the tournament.
The Washington Huskies (RPI: 47) are in a similar position as Texas in the Pacific 12 standings, but they have a huge opportunity to climb over the Oregon Ducks this weekend. At 13-10 in league play, they are hitting slightly better than their opponents and allowing fewer earned runs per game. If they secure a postseason bid, they would be the fifth of five teams from the Pac 12.
The Southeast Missouri State Redhawks (RPI: 153), like Texas, have squared off against the Razorbacks this season and have been a staple of D1Baseball's Fayetteville Regional projections. With a record barely above .500 and an RPI below 150, the Redhawks will need to get into the NCAA Tournament by winning the Ohio Vally Conference Tournament. As of Wednesday, they have a 1 1/2-game lead on UALR for the No. 1 seed.
Opposite the Fayetteville Regional is the Coral Gables Regional, hosted by the No. 13 Miami Hurricanes (RPI: 16). Rounding out that foursome are Oregon, Florida Gulf Coast and Sam Houston State.
Arkansas (RPI: 5) is almost certainly locked in as a national seed, and another series win in the final two weeks could cement it as a top-eight seed, which would mean a Fayetteville Super Regional if it advances past the first weekend. The Razorbacks are 28-3 at home this season, including 11-1 against SEC opponents, so the home-field advantage would be monumental as the seek a return trip to the College World Series.
Here is the Hogs' record breakdown against RPI teams:
No. 1-25: 7-3
No. 26-50: 7-4
No. 51-100: 9-2
No. 101-200: 8-2
No. 201+: 5-1
Next up for Arkansas are the South Carolina Gamecocks (RPI: 4), who will begin a three-game set at Baum-Walker Stadium at 6:30 p.m. Friday. The series opener will stream live on SEC Network Plus, accessible through the ESPN app.
*D1Baseball's Mark Etheridge, Kendall Rogers and Aaron Fitt assembled the postseason projections.
