Arkansas baseball notebook: Hunter Dietz rebounds, Camden Kozeal clutch again

Dietz bounces back from rough first start, Kozeal delivers in the clutch for Razorbacks

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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Arkansas pitcher Hunter Dietz had a much-improved outing in his second start of the season, striking out 9 batters in 4 innings after a rough debut against TCU. Meanwhile, infielder Camden Kozeal continued his clutch hitting, delivering a game-winning RBI single in the 9th inning to lift the Razorbacks to a 7-6 win over Xavier.

Why it matters

Dietz's bounce-back performance and Kozeal's late-game heroics were crucial for an Arkansas team looking to build momentum early in the season. The Razorbacks are hoping Dietz can solidify the starting rotation, while Kozeal has emerged as a reliable clutch hitter in the lineup.

The details

Dietz struggled in his first career start against TCU, allowing 4 runs in 2 innings. But he was much sharper against Xavier, striking out 9 batters in 4 innings while relying heavily on his off-speed pitches. Kozeal, who hit a game-tying home run in the 9th inning against Texas Tech last weekend, delivered another crucial hit in the 9th to drive in the winning run against Xavier.

  • Dietz struck out 5 of the first 7 batters he faced on Saturday.
  • Kozeal hit a game-tying home run in the 9th inning against Texas Tech on Sunday.

The players

Hunter Dietz

An Arkansas pitcher who bounced back from a rough first start to strike out 9 batters in 4 innings against Xavier.

Camden Kozeal

An Arkansas infielder who has delivered several clutch hits late in games, including a game-winning RBI single in the 9th inning against Xavier.

Dave Van Horn

The head coach of the Arkansas baseball team, who praised Dietz's improved performance and Kozeal's clutch hitting.

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What they’re saying

“I really focused on getting my curveball to where I want it to be, and not the up and arm-side misses that I'd been having last week. I found a really good feel for it, and it was really good for me today. That was my main focus this week, and obviously just flush it, put it behind me and just go at it this week.”

— Hunter Dietz (arkansasonline.com)

“It says that he's very confident. He's got a lot of experience [from] last year and he's seeing the ball good. You've got to be good, but you've got to be a little lucky, too. You've got to hit balls where they're not.”

— Dave Van Horn, Arkansas head coach (arkansasonline.com)

What’s next

The Razorbacks will look to continue their momentum when they face off against Texas A&M in a three-game series starting on Friday.

The takeaway

Dietz's bounce-back performance and Kozeal's clutch hitting are positive signs for an Arkansas team that is aiming to build on its success from last season. If the Razorbacks can get consistent production from their pitching staff and timely hitting from players like Kozeal, they could be a force to be reckoned with in the SEC this year.