Razorbacks Even Series Against Auburn Friday Night

Ryder Helfrick's two home runs, including the go-ahead shot in the 8th, lead Arkansas to 3-2 victory

Apr. 4, 2026 at 4:20pm

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The No. 17 Arkansas Razorbacks evened their SEC series against the No. 18 Auburn Tigers with a 3-2 win on Friday night. Ryder Helfrick hit two home runs, including the go-ahead two-run shot in the 8th inning, while Hunter Dietz struck out 11 batters over 7 innings on the mound for Arkansas.

Why it matters

This win keeps Arkansas in contention in the highly competitive SEC baseball standings, as they look to secure their third conference series win of the season. The Razorbacks and Tigers are both 5-6 in SEC play, so this series could have major implications for their postseason hopes.

The details

Helfrick's first home run in the 6th inning cut Auburn's lead to 2-1 before his decisive 8th inning blast put Arkansas ahead for good. Dietz was strong on the mound, allowing just 2 runs (1 earned) on 6 hits while striking out 11 without a walk. Ethan McElvain earned the save with 2 scoreless innings in relief.

  • The game was played on Friday, April 4, 2026.
  • First pitch for Saturday's series finale is scheduled for 2 p.m. on April 5, 2026.

The players

Ryder Helfrick

The Arkansas catcher hit two home runs, including the go-ahead two-run shot in the 8th inning, to lead the Razorbacks to victory.

Hunter Dietz

The Arkansas left-handed pitcher struck out 11 batters over 7 innings, allowing just 2 runs (1 earned) on 6 hits to earn the win on the mound.

Ethan McElvain

The Arkansas left-handed reliever recorded a 2-inning save, striking out 3 batters to close out the win.

Jake Marciano

The Auburn starting pitcher held the Razorbacks in check for the first 5 innings before Helfrick's home run in the 6th.

Alex Petrovic

The Auburn right-handed pitcher will start Saturday's series finale against Arkansas.

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What they’re saying

“Ryder Helfrick has been on a tear lately, and his two home runs tonight were huge in getting us this win against a tough Auburn team.”

— Dave Van Horn, Arkansas Head Coach

What’s next

The series will be decided in Saturday's finale, with first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m. on SEC Network+.

The takeaway

This back-and-forth SEC series between two ranked teams has been highly competitive, and Saturday's rubber match will be a pivotal game for both Arkansas and Auburn as they jockey for position in the conference standings and chase NCAA Tournament bids.