FAYETTEVILLE -- Dave Van Horn said he thinks the No. 1 Arkansas Razorbacks have plenty left in the tank and lots of room to grow as the halfway point of the college baseball season has passed.
The University of Arkansas (29-3, 11-1 SEC) takes a 10-game winning streak into a SEC West weekend series at No. 17 Alabama. The opener is tonight at 6 at Sewell-Thomas Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
The Razorbacks are off to the best 32-game start and the best SEC start in school history, but Van Horn said he sees various areas the team can improve.
The 22nd-year coach was asked if he was concerned about the Hogs "peaking too early" after Wednesday's 8-2 win over San Jose State that extended their winning streak at Baum-Walker Stadium to a school-record 23 games.
"You can ask the players, I don't think we're near what we're going to be," Van Horn said. "I think we can be a lot better than we are.
"Maybe not on the mound so much, but offensively one through nine I think our lineup can be stronger. We're tough outs and we take walks and we have runners on, but we have guys that are going to swing the bat better. I really believe that, so I wouldn't even think we're close to peaking yet."
The Razorbacks are tied with Texas A&M (29-4, 8-4), their closest pursuer in the SEC West, with 29 wins for the most in college baseball.
They will match up ace lefty Hagen Smith (6-0, 1.76 ERA) against Alabama right-hander Ben Hess (3-2, 6.03) in tonight's opener.
The Crimson Tide (22-11, 4-8 SEC) won their first 11 games for new Coach Rob Vaughn and were 14-1 before cooling off. Alabama was swept last weekend at Kentucky by a combined score of 23-3 before falling 5-4 to South Alabama on Tuesday for a four-game losing skid heading into tonight.
"I know they got off to an extremely hot start," Van Horn said. "They've got some good players that were still in the program when he got the job. [Vaughn] brought some with him. They got into the portal and got some, and they've been solid. I've heard nothing but good things about him."
Arkansas has won 11 of the past 16 games in its series with Alabama, but the Crimson Tide won the last series at Tuscaloosa in 2022 to touch off a four-game winning streak in the all-time series.
The Razorbacks won two of three last season in Fayetteville.
"I can remember from last year, they're a really talented team," Arkansas junior Peyton Stovall said. "They were an older team. I don't know if they are this year, but it's going to be tough.
"It does not matter who you play in the SEC, going on the road in the SEC is super tough. You look at Auburn's record, the record doesn't show it, but they're a very good ball club. Being able to go there and take two out of three is tough and so it's going to be a challenge."
The series will be part of the A-Day Weekend centered around the Crimson Tide's spring football scrimmage. Quarterback Jalen Milroe will throw out the first pitch for tonight's game.
The Crimson Tide are led offensively by third baseman Gage Miller (.417, 13 home runs, 41 RBI), who ranks 21st in Division I batting average, outfielder Ian Petrutz (.349, 4, 28), shortstop Justin Lebron (.327, 5, 18) and outfielder TJ McCants (.308, 12, 36), who won a national championship while at Ole Miss.
Stovall (.377, 4, 21) took over the hitting lead for Arkansas with a 4-for-4 performance Wednesday. He has reached base safely in all 20 games he has played.
Other top hitters for the Hogs are Nolan Souza (.349, 6, 22), Peyton Holt (.339, 9, 7), Will Edmunson (.317, 1, 9), Ben McLaughlin (.303, 5, 26), Jared Sprague-Lott (.296, 3, 14), Wehiwa Aloy (.296, 9, 34) and Kendall Diggs (.284, 6, 22).
Today's game
NO. 1 ARKANSAS AT ALABAMA
WHEN 6 p.m. Central
WHERE Sewell-Thomas Stadium,
Tuscaloosa, Ala.
RECORDS Arkansas 29-3, 11-1 SEC; Alabama 22-11, 4-8
STARTING PITCHERS Arkansas LHP Hagen Smith (6-0, 1.76); Alabama RHP Ben Hess (3-2, 6.03)
SERIES Alabama leads 53-48
TV None
RADIO Razorback Sports Network
STREAMING SEC Network-Plus