Arkansas rallies with big 5th inning to defeat Missouri State in the first game of Lawrence NCAA Regional

LAWRENCE, Kan. (KY3) - The rubber match of 2026 goes to the Hogs.

The No. 2-seeded Arkansas Razorbacks (40-20) advanced in the Lawrence Regional of the NCAA baseball tourney with a 9-5 victory over the No. 3-seeded Missouri State Bears (34-20) on Friday.

The Hogs scored eight straight runs after falling behind 3-0 early to the Bears. Arkansas used a six-run fifth inning to control the game. They sent 11 batters to the plate in the inning.

Arkansas starter Gabe Gaeckle recorded the win. Brock Lucas, who relieved Missouri State starter Max Knight, took the loss.

The two schools split two games in the regular season.

Missouri State will play No. 4-seed Northeastern in the losers’ bracket on Saturday at noon. Arkansas will battle top-seeded Kansas in the winners’ bracket at 5 p.m.

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