Arkansas baseball coach Dave Van Horn can check off another milestone in his storied career.
For the first time in his 23 seasons leading the Razorbacks, No. 2 Arkansas (26-3, 8-1 SEC) went on the road and swept No. 13 Vanderbilt (20-7, 4-5). A 6-4 extra-innings victory on Saturday secured the Hogs’ first series win in Nashville since 2010, and they completed the sweep with a 7-3 win on Sunday, highlighted by a five-run eighth inning.
The last time Arkansas swept Vanderbilt in Nashville was back in 1994. Now, the Razorbacks sit atop the SEC standings alongside No. 1 Tennessee, No. 3 Georgia, and No. 7 Texas.
Here are three key takeaways from Arkansas’ dominant weekend against Vanderbilt:
Arkansas Baseball’s Cam Kozeal Torments His Former Team
After transferring from Vanderbilt to Arkansas in the offseason, Cam Kozeal made sure his old team felt his impact.
The Razorbacks’ first baseman launched three home runs in the first two games and wrapped up the weekend with eight RBIs. His two homers in Friday’s series opener fueled Arkansas’ 9-0 victory. However, Kozeal downplayed any extra motivation against his former squad.
“When you play nameless and faceless opponents, things seem to take care of themselves,” Kozeal said. “You’re able to perform and able to play to the best of your abilities.”
Kozeal is hitting .378 this season with five home runs and 24 RBIs, nearly matching his freshman totals at Vanderbilt, where he hit five homers and drove in 28 runs.
Hogs Deliver Their Best Pitching Performance of the Season
After struggling with consistency in previous series, Arkansas finally saw both of its starting pitchers dominate against Vanderbilt.
Zach Root (4-1, 3.23 ERA) delivered a stellar outing Friday night, allowing just three hits and no runs over 7⅔ innings while striking out seven. It marked his second consecutive quality start following a tough SEC debut against Ole Miss.
“Four-pitch mix and was ahead a lot,” coach Dave Van Horn said of Root’s performance. “Even when he got behind, he caught back up and made them swing the bat. He wasn’t trying to just strike everybody out—just let his defense work, and they did a great job for him.”
oh hey, by the way… GACK'S BACK ☄️ pic.twitter.com/wHT7EZ2AOi
— Arkansas Baseball (@RazorbackBSB) March 30, 2025
Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn confidently declared Gabe Gaeckle “back” during his postgame talk with the team on Saturday. The sophomore right-hander delivered a strong performance, allowing two runs over 5⅔ innings while striking out seven without issuing a walk. His outing helped lower his season ERA to 5.93.
Despite early struggles from their preseason ace, Arkansas has remained one of the nation’s top teams. If Gaeckle continues to regain his form, it could spell trouble for the rest of the SEC.
Sunday starter Landon Beidelschies was solid, aside from one mistake—a three-run homer that accounted for all of Vanderbilt’s scoring against him in five innings. Meanwhile, relievers Aiden Jimenez and Ben Bybee were dominant out of the bullpen, combining for 7⅔ innings while allowing just one run.
Charles Davalan Might Be the Hogs’ Most Dangerous Hitter
In a lineup stacked with firepower, Charles Davalan continues to shine, delivering clutch performances against SEC competition.
During Sunday’s series finale, Davalan blasted two home runs, including a game-tying shot to left field in the eighth inning. Just two batters later, Logan Maxwell followed with another homer, giving Arkansas a lead it wouldn’t surrender.
Davalan is currently riding an 11-game hitting streak and leads the SEC with 44 runs scored. The Razorbacks’ leadoff man ranks fifth in the conference with a .402 batting average and is tied with Brent Iredale for second on the team with nine home runs.
What’s Next?
Arkansas travels to North Little Rock on Tuesday for a midweek matchup against Grambling before returning home to host Missouri in a three-game series starting Friday.
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