LEXINGTON, Ky. — It wasn’t pretty, but No. 12 Arkansas found a way to get it done Saturday afternoon.
The Razorbacks spotted Kentucky an 11-run comeback before responding with a pair of ninth-inning home runs to close out a wild 16-12 victory at Kentucky Proud Park.
The win gave Arkansas the series and wrapped up the regular season on a winning note.
It’s the kind of finish that’ll have Razorback fans talking for a while — for better or worse.
The Hogs came out swinging right from the jump. Following a 40-minute weather delay before the first pitch, Arkansas sent 16 batters to the plate in the top of the first inning, scoring 10 runs on eight hits that included four doubles and three walks.
The first 10 Razorback batters reached base before Kentucky’s third pitcher of the inning recorded the game’s first out.
Damian Ruiz got things going with a leadoff single and later ripped a three-run double in his second at-bat of the frame to make it 9-0.
Zack Stewart then doubled home the 10th run, capping one of the more remarkable first innings you’ll see in college baseball.
Stewart doubled again in the third inning, pushing Arkansas’s lead to 11-0.
The Razorbacks added a run in the fourth when Camden Kozeal scored on a wild pitch after a triple, stretching the advantage to 12-2.
That’s when things got interesting — and not in the good kind of way.
Kentucky scored 10 unanswered runs, nine of them in the bottom of the fifth inning alone, to pull even at 12-12.
Starter Tate McGuire gave up two runs in 2.1 innings before exiting. Relievers Cole Gibler and Steele Eaves then got touched up hard as the Wildcats stormed back to tie it.
Arkansas Steadies Ship in Late Innings
With the game tied and the regular season on the line, the Hogs needed someone to stop the bleeding.
Parker Coil and James DeCremer answered the call in a big way, combining for 4.2 scoreless innings with three strikeouts to give Arkansas’s offense a chance to retake the lead.
Kozeal delivered in the sixth, lacing a two-run single through the right side to put the Razorbacks back ahead 14-12.
That brought some breathing room, but the finishing touches didn’t come until the ninth.
Stewart launched a solo home run, his third in as many games and Souza followed with another solo shot to push the final to 16-12.
It was a fitting end to a game that felt like it had no business being as close as it got.
Stewart was the standout performer of the afternoon, going 4-for-5 with two doubles, a home run and four RBI to lead the team in hits.
Ruiz went 3-for-5 with three RBI and a double of his own. Kozeal was equally productive, finishing 3-for-5 with three runs scored and three RBI, which included his triple and his go-ahead single in the sixth.
Three different Razorbacks collected at least two hits and two RBI. Exactly the kind of lineup depth you want heading into a postseason run.
Hogs Lock Up No. 7 Seed for SEC Tournament
Saturday’s series win was Arkansas’s fourth SEC road series victory of the year, which hasn’t happened since the 2021 team went a perfect 10-for-10 in conference series play.
That puts the 2026 Razorbacks in select company.
With the victory, Arkansas locked up the No. 7 seed for the SEC Tournament in Hoover, Ala.
The Hogs will play the winner of Tuesday’s first-round game between 10th-seeded Tennessee and 15th-seeded South Carolina at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at The Hoover Met.
Arkansas finishes the regular season at 36-19 overall and 17-13 in SEC play. Kentucky dropped to 31-20 and 14-17 in conference games.
The Razorbacks survived a scare Saturday, but they’re still standing.
And that’s what matters most heading into Hoover.
