Van Horn remains committed to playing early season tournament in Arlington each season

BY DUDLEY E. DAWSON

FAYETTEVILLE – While Arkansas’ baseball program will open its season a week from today against visiting Washington State at 3 p.m., it will also be visiting a home-like facility the following weekend.

That’s when the Razorbacks will make their traditional trip to play a trio of games at the Texas Ranger’s Globe Life Field in Arlington.

Arkansas will play Kansas State Friday at 7 p.m., TCU on Saturday at 7 and Michigan Sunday at 11 a.m. in what is being called the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series this season this season.

It’s an event that Van Horn has already agreed to participate in during the 2026 season as well.

“I have committed to come as much as they want us,” Van Horn said. “It is real easy for for our fans to head down South and so easy for the thousands and thousands of alumni in there Metroplex area and just alums in Texas to come on up.

“I don’t think we have played a game in there with as less as at least 18,000 people and that was right after covid.”

Van Horn was one of eight coaches participating in the Amegy zoom press conference on Thursday and also served as a NIL-raising Razorback trivia host later in the day at Goat Lab Brewery.

He knows his team will face great competition and the games will definitely be played since Globe Life Field has a retractable roof.

“I think the big thing for us is that we know we are going to play for sure and a big thing as well is it is about five hours south of us and it is a little bonding time for us.

“We take a bus and hang out. It has just been a good experience for us. Even when you lose games, you feels like you are getting better.

“You get a workout in on Thursday and you know you are going to play three games against three really good teams.”

Van Horn remembered back to a 2022 tournament in in Round Rock, Texas, where the weather wasn’t ideal.

“Like I said last year, it’s always sunny and 72 in there,” Van Horn said. “You know if you schedule at home or even an outdoor stadium anywhere this time of year, it can still be a little iffy.

“We went a tournament in Central Texas a few years back and we played Stanford and the actual temperature was 33 and the feel like it temperature was 20, the wind was howling and it was miserable.

“And to make it even worse, we got beat (5-0).”

He notes the trip to Arlington is also a recruiting benefit.

“It’s just a great experience and to be able to recruit to a little bit and tell kids that you are going to play in a big league stadium is always nice,” Van Horn said.

“You go into this environment and you get to take one trip before you get into conference play and this is it.

“It’s been amazing and it is just good for our players to play in front of that atmosphere and like I said, it is a bonding thing for us as well.”

It doubles as Arkansas’ only road trip before SEC action begins.

“We have four non-conference weekends and the one we spend on the road has been at this tournament for four years in a row now.,” Van Horn said. “We have enjoyed it.”

Arkansas has the opportunity to face Kansas State and TCU, two teams that helped eliminated the Razorbacks at home in the last two NCAA Tournaments.

“I hope our guys are just focused in on trying to beat Washington State on the 14th and that weekend, but I’m excited to play those guys,” Van Horn said.

“The Big 12 has been really good the last two years and forever. I had the opportunity to coach in that league for five years.

“…I’m sure they are excited to just one, play in a big league parked and as far as who we are playing, obviously we haven’t discussed any of that so I don’t have a feel on that.

“I think that, more than anything, we are going to get to play and that’s the most exciting part of it.”

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Arkansas, which opens with four games in four days against Washington State, added to its preseason honors on Friday.

Starting pitcher Gabe Gaeckle as named a second-team All-American by the National College Baseball Writers Association while fellow hurlers Zach Root and Christian Foutch were named to the third teams.

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The Razorbacks are set to scrimmage Friday at 2:30 p.m. and have plans for a Saturday doubleheader beginning at 11:30 a.m.

Photo by John D. James