Arkansas vs. James Madison: TV Details, Key Players, BetSaracen Odds
Arkansas baseball head coach Dave Van Horn is set to begin his 22nd season leading the Razorbacks on Friday against James Madison at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville.
Due to impending weather, Arkansas moved up first pitch for Opening Day one hour from 3 p.m. CT to 2 p.m., the team announced Thursday.
Ranked No. 3 nationally preseason by D1Baseball, the Diamond Hogs are led by lefty pitcher Hagen Smith, right fielder Kendall Diggs, right-handed pitcher Brady Tygart and plenty more pieces on a loaded roster with eyes set on the College World Series.
Starting on the mound for Arkansas on Friday will be Smith, who put together an All-American season in 2023 by making 18 appearances with 11 starts on the mound and posting an 8-2 record with a 3.64 ERA, a team-leading 109 strikeouts and a pair of saves in 71 2/3 innings of work during his outstanding sophomore campaign.
"We’ll go with Hagen Smith on Friday," Van Horn said Wednesday. "We’ll go with Tygart on Saturday, Molina on Sunday and Colin Fisher on Monday. In how many year, maybe never, I’ve been able to tell you a rotation, so hopefully they’ll stay healthy all year and we’ll be able to figure this one out."
Led by ninth-year head coach Marlin Ikenberry, James Madison will start right-hander Todd Mozoki on the mound for Friday's season-opener. As as sophomore in 2023, Mozoki made 11 starts and 15 total appearances for the Dukes. The 6-foot-1, 205-pounder posted a 4.89 ERA and 1-4 record across 57.0 inning pitched.
“This is a team that last year hit right at almost .300,” Van Horn said Wednesday. “Won a lot of games. They’re competitive, and I don’t feel like they would have scheduled to come here a couple years ago if they didn’t feel good about what they had in their program.”
Under Van Horn, the Razorbacks are 20-1 overall on Opening Day, including a 15-1 record when opening the season inside the friendly confines of Baum-Walker Stadium.
When kicking off the season at home, Arkansas has never lost an Opening Weekend series under Van Horn. The Diamond Hogs most recently won two-of-three games against Illinois State during Opening Weekend at Baum-Walker Stadium in 2022. The Hogs have also recorded 12 Opening Weekend series sweeps (2004, ’08, ’09, ’11, ’12, ’14, ’15, ’16, ’17, ’18, ’19, ‘20) when beginning their season in Fayetteville.
Here's details on how to watch/listen, betting lines courtesy of BetSaracen and HawgBeat's pick:
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How to Watch/Listen
Who: Arkansas Razorbacks vs James Madison Dukes
When: Friday, Feb. 16 at 2:00 p.m. CT
Where: Fayetteville, Arkansas — Baum-Walker Stadium
TV/Stream: SEC Network+ (Brett Dolan and Troy Eklund)
Radio: Learfield Razorback Sports Network (Phil Elson and Bubba Carpenter)
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SPREAD/TOTALS:
Moneyline:
Arkansas: -500
James Madison: +350
Spread:
Arkansas: -3.5 (-105)
James Madison: +3.5 (-125)
Totals:
Total Points:
OVER 12 (-110)
UNDER 12 (-120)
(Alternate lines, spreads and team totals are available on the BetSaracen mobile app.)
(Lines and odds are subject to change at any point after the publishing of this story. HawgBeat does not guarantee any bet as a winner or loser. You must be at least 21 years of age to use BetSaracen. If you have a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit 1800gambler.net)
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Arkansas Starting Pitcher
Junior LHP Hagen Smith
6'3", 225 pounds / Bullard, Texas / Bullard HS
2023 stats: 8-2, 3.64 ERA, 18 GP, 71.2 IP, 56 H, 30 R, 42 BB, 109 K
Arkansas' Projected Starting Lineup:
1. Hudson White, C
2. Kendall Diggs, RF
3. Wehiwa Aloy, SS
4. Ben McLaughlin, 1B
5. Jack Wagner, DH
6. Peyton Holt, 2B
7. Jayson Jones, LF
8. Jared Sprague-Lott, 3B
9. Ty Wilmsmeyer, CF
James Madison Starting Pitcher
Junior RHP Todd Mozoki
6'1", 205 pounds / Cokeysville, Maryland / Dulaney HS
2023 stats: 1-4, 4.89 ERA, 15 GP, 57.0 IP, 57 H, 38 R, 36 BB, 45 K
Notes
~ Arkansas second baseman Peyton Stovall will not be available for 4-6 weeks with a broken right foot.
~ Arkansas enters the 2024 season as a consensus top-five team in the country, earning top-five preseason rankings from all five major college baseball polls:
Perfect Game – No. 2
Baseball America – No. 3
D1Baseball – No. 3
NCBWA – No. 4
USA Today Coaches – No. 4
~ This weekend's four-game series between Arkansas and James Madison will mark the first meetings between the two programs. JMU went 31-25 overall in 2023, including a 15-13 conference mark in its first season competing as a member of the Sun Belt Conference.
~ Under head coach Dave Van Horn, the Razorbacks are 20-1 overall on Opening Day, including a stellar 15-1 record when opening the season inside the friendly confines of Baum-Walker Stadium.
~ Razorback ace and team captain Hagen Smith will start on the mound on Opening Day. The consensus preseason All-American is the first Arkansas pitcher to make consecutive season-opening starts RHP Blaine Knight in 2017-18.
Some notes courtesy of Arkansas Communications
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More of HawgBeat's Arkansas Baseball Coverage:
First pitch moved up for Diamond Hogs' season opener
Arkansas Baseball Notebook: Final Notes Before Opening Day
Scouting Report: Analyzing the James Madison Dukes
Arkansas Baseball 2024 Lineup Projection: CF Ty Wilmsmeyer
Arkansas 2B Peyton Stovall to miss time with broken foot