Series Preview: Kentucky looks to secure NCAA Tournament bid against Arkansas
The final weekend of the college baseball season has arrived. Kentucky will be hosting Arkansas in the 10th and final SEC series of the season. The Bat Cats want to secure a fourth consecutive bid to the NCAA Tournament. A win or two at home will be needed to do that.
Kentucky (30-18, 12-15) enters the final weekend sitting at No. 12 overall in the SEC standings and on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament. The Bat Cats will be hosting the Hogs for a very important series and need just one win to get to that magic No. 13 that has historically equalled at-large bids for SEC teams when they get to a baker’s dozen league wins. Two wins would all but guarantee a bid. It’s officially go time.
This is what you should expect over at Kentucky Proud Park this weekend.
Jaxon Jelkin will pitch in a series finale for the first time this year
Kentucky is playing a Thursday-Saturday series this weekend. The Bat Cats want to keep Ben Cleaver and Jaxon Jelkin on the same schedule after successful outings against Tennessee and Florida. Both will be staying on Friday and Saturday. That means that Nate Harris will be shifting from Game 3 to Game 1 in his second start back after missing three SEC weekends with a shoulder injury.
- Thursday: Nate Harris (4-2, 5.72 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 39.1 IP, 36 K)
- Friday: Ben Cleaver (2-3, 3.57 ERA, 1.51 WHIP, 40.1 IP, 41 K)
- Saturday: Jaxon Jelkin (8-2, 3.57 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 80.2 IP, 92 K)
The sophomore will get the ball on Thursday night. Cleaver will remain on Friday and will pitch on Game 2 in a series like he did throughout the non-conference and the early part of the SEC schedule. Jelkin will pitch in a series finales for the first time all season. Kentucky is 2-7 in series finales in conference play. Maybe that will change this weekend with the ace on the mound.
Jelkin has gone at least seven innings six times in nine SEC starts and is off consecutive performances where he threw a combined 17 innings, allowed four earned runs, and compiled 23 strikeouts. Kentucky will save its best arm for the last game this weekend. That means UK’s ace could be pitching in the final attempt for win No. 13, he could be on the bump to help UK win this series, or he could be out there to secure a home sweep.
Kentucky’s best arm will be used in a spot where this pitching staff has struggled all year in the biggest series of the season.
Luke Lawrence continues to come up big
Luke Lawrence started his collegiate journey at Illinois State and hit .337 as a sophomore in 2024. That led to a bigger opportunity. The infielder transferred to Kentucky and became a plug-and-play starter at second base. UK has used Lawrence all around the infield and has benefitted from his offense. After slashing .306/.397/.425 with 16 extra-base hits and 12 stolen bases as a junior, the veteran is putting a career year together this season.
The left-handed batter is slashing .341/.450/.451 with 14 extra-base hits and 13 stolen bases. Lawrence ranks second on the team in hits (62), doubles (11), and RBI (37). This college baseball veteran has been Mr. Reliable for Kentucky all season and is fresh off a series where he hit 5-12 with two doubles and six RBI in his new lineup home at the No. 3 spot. Lawrence played a key role all weekend and Kentucky likely doesn’t get their one win in Gainesville without this play.
This web gem came just one at-bat after Lawrence allowed a hard grounder to roll through his legs. Kentucky might have gotten swept without this out. The veteran just continues to make some big plays for this baseball team. Some more big plays will likely be needed from No. 10 this weekend in his final series at Kentucky Proud Park.
This is a borderline Quad 1/Quad 2 series for Kentucky
Kentucky currently sits at No. 33 in RPI. That’s a two spot improvement from last week. The Bat Cats are 7-8 in Quad 1 after a 1-2 weekend in Gainesville. That’s more Quad 1 victories than any other bubble team. Add that with a top-20 non-conference RPI and that should travel on Selection Monday. Where UK could get in trouble is with the other three quadrants.
LSU is on the fringe of Quad 1/Quad 2. The Tigers sit at No. 57 and the cut-off line is No. 60. South Carolina is on the fringe of Quad 2/Quad 3. The Gamecocks sit at No. 119 and the cut-off line is No. 120. Losing either to the other quadrant makes the resume look different.
The Missouri home series loss is still a blemish that pops on paper. Kentucky would be in great at-large bid shape without that. The 6-6 mark against top-15 RPI teams will matter and should ultimately get Kentucky into this field as long as they can record one win against Arkansas this weekend. The Hogs sit at No. 27 in RPI. That is on the Quad 1/Quad 2 edge.
A series loss likely means that Arkansas is a Quad 1 series. A series win likely means that Arkansas is a Quad 2 series. Regardless, any win/wins will help the resume this weekend.
Both teams are very healthy entering this SEC matchup
Kentucky’s SEC availability reports have been littered with starters throughout the season. That won’t be the case this again this weekend . The Wildcats will only be without one relief pitcher.
Oliver Boone (9 appearances, 5.73 ERA, 2.09 WHIP, 11 IP, 14 K) is scheduled to miss another series after previously earning a start in the South Carolina series. Arkansas relief pitcher Carson Wiggins has not made an appearance this season.
The Hogs and Cats are both at full strength for this critical series.
Bio Blast: Arkansas Razorbacks
Arkansas baseball has made 12 College World Series appearances, 15 super regional appearances, own six SEC regular season titles, and two SEC Tournament titles. There have been 31 All-Americans. Andrew Benintendi (2015), Kevin Kopps (2021), and Wehiwa Aloy (2025) each brought home the Golden Spikes Award and Dick Howser Trophy as the best player in college baseball.
- 1Breaking
Holiday Hoops?
UK in talks for new, high-profile MTE
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UK-Gonzaga series
is over
- 3Hot
Miles Brown
4-star CB picks UK
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Early Exit
at SECT for Bat Cats
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UK in contact with former UGA guard
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Despite all of this success, one thing is missing from the trophy case in Fayetteville. The Hogs are still looking for that elusive first national championship.
Dave Van Horn is in his 24th season as the head baseball coach at Arkansas. The 65-year-old led Nebraska to consecutive College World Series appearances in 2001 and 2002 before relocating to Arkansas. He’s approaching win No. 1,000 in Fayetteville and was the national runner-up in 2018. The only thing missing on his resume is the national championship. Arkansas is one of the most consistent programs in the SEC but it is still one that is trying to get over the hump.
Arkansas (34-18, 15-12) enters this weekend in the No. 8 spot in the SEC standings and on the No. 2 seed line in bracket projections. The Hogs are a lock to make the tournament, but have serious work to do over this weekend and next week in Hoover if they want to secure a hosting spot on Selection Monday.
This baseball team has won three consecutive SEC series and is 15-6 since a five-game losing streak from March 27-April 2. The Hogs are playing their best ball of the year entering this weekend trip to Lexington. The pitching staff ranks No. 41 nationally in ERA (4.57) and the offense ranks No. 26 nationally in home runs (83). This is a team that can hit for power and ride pitching to victory. Arkansas plays SEC baseball and should be a threat in any regional they are placed in for the NCAA Tournament.
Who To Watch For
— Hunter Dietz (LHP | 6-6, 235): The big lefty will start on Thursday night for Arkansas. Dietz only threw 1.2 innings over his first two seasons at Arkansas but has emerged into a frontline starter for the Hogs in 2026. The redshirt sophomore leads the team in wins (seven), innings (72.2), and strikeouts (108). Dietz owns a 3.22 ERA and 1.18 WHIP. This has clearly been the best pitcher for Arkansas all season and is the team’s best chance to advance deep into a ballgame.
— Ryder Helfrick (C | R/R | 6-1, 210): This junior cleared 100 career starts this season and has hit 33 home runs during his collegiate career. Helfrick is slashing .294/.439/.583 with 21 extra-base hits and 45 RBI to go with a tremendous walk rate (21.5%). The No. 3 hitter gets on base and produces runs.
— Camden Kozeal (SS | L/R | 5-10, 205): The former Vanderbilt transfer was an All-SEC performer at first base in 2025 who has moved to shortstop this season and is batting second in the lineup. Kozeal leads the team in doubles (16), home runs (16), RBI (60), runs (48), hits (62), total bases (128), and slugging percentage (.627). This junior is a very dangerous hitter.
— Ethan McElvain (LHP | 6-4, 250): Another big lefty, McElvain is a Vanderbilt transfer who has become this bullpen’s best arm. The junior leads the team in saves (five) and owns a 1.38 ERA and 1.00 WHIP across 26 innings. Opponents are hitting just .173 off McElvain with a 34.5 percent strikeout rate. Late inning comebacks could be hard to find if McElvain has the ball.
— TJ Pompey (3B | R/R | 6-4, 215): The Texas Tech transfer earned Freshman All-American honors in 2024 and is putting together a career year as a junior at Arkansas. Pompey is hitting .279 with 14 home runs and 13 stolen bases while batting at the bottom of the lineup. This right-handed bat gives the Hogs some real pop at the bottom of the order.
How To Watch: No. 12 Arkansas at Kentucky
The final SEC series of the season has arrived. Kentucky has a ton on the line this weekend. There will be two night games at Kentucky Proud Park before a series finale on Saturday afternoon. One win could be all that is needed to secure another NCAA Tournament bid.
All three games can be found on ESPN+ if you are unable to make it out to the park.
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