Arkansas Baseball Opens 2026 Season at Globe Life Field with Challenging Arlington Slate
Seventh-ranked Arkansas baseball begins its 2026 campaign with four games in four days at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, headlined by a three-team stretch in the Shriners Children’s College Showdown and a Monday meeting with Tarleton State in the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series.
Season-opening schedule and context
The Razorbacks will take the field for the first time at 7 p. m. ET Friday, Feb. 13, against Oklahoma State. Arkansas then faces No. 10 TCU at 7 p. m. ET Saturday, Feb. 14, and closes the three-day tournament against Texas Tech at 2: 30 p. m. ET Sunday, Feb. 15. A follow-up game against Tarleton State is set for 2 p. m. ET Monday, Feb. 16.
This marks Arkansas’ fifth trip to the Arlington event and continues a strong recent record at Globe Life Field. The program has posted a 9-3 mark at the ballpark, including an unblemished 3-0 showing in 2021 and 2-1 records in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
Pitching matchups to watch
Friday’s opener will feature Oklahoma State left-hander Hudson Barrett for the Cowboys and Arkansas right-hander Gabe Gaeckle for the Razorbacks. Gaeckle posted a 4-2 mark with a 4. 42 ERA in 2025, while Barrett made a brief but effective return after Tommy John surgery, showing a 1. 93 ERA in limited innings.
Saturday’s contest projects Arkansas lefty Hunter Dietz to oppose TCU lefty Mason Brassfield. Dietz has minimal listed spring workload from 2025 but will be a key piece in the rotation battle. Brassfield was 5-1 with a 3. 56 ERA last season and represents a veteran Saturday opponent.
Sunday’s matchup lists Arkansas left-hander Colin Fisher on the bump; Fisher was 3-0 with a 4. 62 ERA in 2025. Texas Tech counters with right-hander Connor Mohan, who posted a 1-2 record with a 7. 34 ERA last season. Monday’s starter for Arkansas is to be announced.
What to expect from the roster and coaching staff
Head coach Dave Van Horn enters his 24th season in Fayetteville and remains a steadying presence for a program that has been the winningest in the nation since 2017, compiling 383 victories in that span. The Razorbacks come off a 50-15 overall season in 2025 and a 20-10 mark in SEC play, extending a run of consistent 40-plus-win campaigns.
Offensively and defensively, Arkansas will lean on veteran leadership and the depth that has driven repeated postseason berths, including a 12th College World Series appearance in program history last year. Early-season ballparks and nonconference showdowns like this weekend often set the tone for rotation decisions and bullpen roles, making every inning valuable for younger players vying for regular-season jobs.
Key storylines and takeaways
1) Rotation pecking order: With multiple experienced arms and several candidates vying for prominent roles, the weekend will be decisive for shaping the early-season rotation and bullpen hierarchy.
2) Measuring up against top competition: Games against nationally ranked TCU and a solid Texas Tech staff give Arkansas a chance to benchmark itself against Power Five opponents before SEC play begins.
3) Momentum and continuity: Coming off another 50-win season, Arkansas will aim to start strong and maintain the consistency that has marked the program over the last eight full seasons.
Broadcast and attendance notes
All three games in the Shriners Children’s College Showdown will be available on a subscription streaming service, while the Monday matchup with Tarleton State will not be streamed. Local radio coverage will carry the weekend slate for fans who prefer audio, and Globe Life Field’s capacity and neutral setting typically draw a mix of Razorback supporters and regional college-baseball fans.
Announcements and booth assignments are set for the weekend; listeners and attendees should check local listings for radio frequencies and pregame information. For Arkansas, the Arlington weekend offers an early, high-profile test and a chance to reinforce why the program has been a national standard in recent years.
