Arkansas Sweeps No. 8 Alabama on the Road, Soaring in RPI

The Razorbacks' surprising series victory over the Crimson Tide has them back in the NCAA Tournament picture.

Apr. 12, 2026 at 11:26pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting an abstracted baseball game between Arkansas and Alabama, with the players' forms broken down into sharp, overlapping shapes in a vibrant color palette.Arkansas' surprising road sweep of Alabama showcases the program's resilience and ability to compete with the SEC's elite.Camden Today

The Arkansas Razorbacks baseball team followed coach Dave Van Horn's advice to 'sweep somewhere down the road' after being swept by Florida, delivering a stunning road sweep of No. 8 Alabama this past weekend. The Hogs used late-inning rallies, strong pitching performances, and the return of key transfers to take all three games from the Crimson Tide, snapping Alabama's 18-game home win streak in the process. The series victory has vaulted Arkansas up over 20 spots in the RPI, putting them firmly back in the NCAA Tournament picture at the halfway point of SEC play.

Why it matters

Arkansas baseball was in real danger of missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time under coach Dave Van Horn, as their RPI had bottomed out at 99th a month ago. This sweep of a top-10 opponent on the road has completely turned their season around, boosting their RPI to 35th and putting them firmly back in the field of 64. The Razorbacks have proven they can compete with the best teams in the SEC when healthy and firing on all cylinders.

The details

The Razorbacks used a six-run eighth inning to take the series opener, then routed Alabama 15-6 on Saturday to clinch the series. In the finale, Camden Kozeal's two-out double in the eighth inning provided the decisive run in a 3-2 victory. Key to the Hogs' success was the return of injured left fielder Damian Ruiz and the resurgence of slumping third baseman TJ Pompey, who combined to go 7-for-14 with 7 RBIs on the weekend. The Arkansas pitching staff also bounced back, with starter Tate McGuire delivering 3 solid innings in the series finale and reliever Gabe Gaeckle escaping a bases-loaded jam to preserve a tie game in the 7th inning.

  • On April 12, 2026, Arkansas completed the sweep of No. 8 Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
  • A month ago, Arkansas' RPI had bottomed out at 99th, putting their NCAA Tournament hopes in jeopardy.

The players

Dave Van Horn

The head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks baseball team, who has led the program to consistent NCAA Tournament appearances over the past two decades.

Damian Ruiz

A left fielder for Arkansas who returned from injury to contribute key hits in the series against Alabama.

TJ Pompey

A third baseman for Arkansas who broke out of a slump with a big offensive performance against Alabama, homering in both Friday and Saturday's games.

Tate McGuire

A junior right-handed pitcher who made his first career SEC start in the series finale against Alabama, delivering 3 solid innings.

Gabe Gaeckle

A junior pitcher who came up huge in relief, escaping a bases-loaded jam in the 7th inning to preserve a tie game and allow Arkansas to rally for the win.

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What they’re saying

“'If you get swept, you've got to find a way to sweep somewhere down the road. You've got to make up for it.'”

— Dave Van Horn, Head Coach, Arkansas Razorbacks

“'It couldn't have come at a better time, obviously. We know what we're capable of. It's hard winning in this league … There's no margin for error. I feel fortunate to win today. The players hung in there and fought, and the pitchers did a great job of getting out of a couple jams.'”

— Dave Van Horn, Head Coach, Arkansas Razorbacks

What’s next

The Razorbacks face a tough upcoming schedule, including a series against 4th-ranked Georgia and matchups with several other highly-ranked opponents. They'll need to continue their strong play to solidify their NCAA Tournament resume.

The takeaway

This series sweep of Alabama has completely turned Arkansas' season around, vaulting them back into the NCAA Tournament picture after they had fallen dangerously close to the bubble. The Razorbacks proved they can compete with the best teams in the SEC when healthy, and this momentum could propel them to a strong finish and potential regional hosting bid.