Few names at any level of baseball carry as much respect as that of Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn. The three-time Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year and seven-time College World Series participant in his tenure with the Razorbacks heads into 2025 still seeking the one elusive milestone he has not reached in his illustrious career: a national championship.
Heading into 2025 after its sixth consecutive full season winning at least 43 games, Arkansas undergoes some roster retooling. The Razorbacks lost 1st Round MLB draft pick Hagen Smith and fourth-rounder Peyton Stovall. However, high-potential returners and transfers combine to lead what should once again be an SEC-contending lineup.
Arkansas’ pursuit of its eight trip to Omaha under Van Horn, and first national title, includes an early-season visit to Globe Life Field for the 2025 College Baseball Showdown’s second weekend.
Arkansas College Baseball Showdown Schedule
- vs. Kansas State – Friday, Feb. 21 at 8 p.m. ET
- vs. TCU – Saturday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. ET
- vs. Michigan – Sunday, Feb. 23 at Noon ET
How To Watch Arkansas At The 2025 Shriners Children’s College Showdown
The Shriners Children’s College Showdown is taking place at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, from Feb. 14-16. It is streaming live on FloCollege and the FloSports app.
Replays, highlights, and breaking news from the event will be on both platforms.
Arkansas Baseball Names to Know
Wehiwa Aloy
Following a Freshman All-American season at Sacramento State, Wehiwa Aloy transferred to Arkansas and brought a big bat with him in 2024. Aloy’s team-leading 14 home runs garnered the shortstop 2nd Team All-SEC honors.
Aloy was also the Razorbacks’ most prolific base-stealer with seven on seven attempts, capitalizing on his knack for getting on base. Aloy put together a 31-game streak of getting board. With a fielding percentage above .960, he’s also steady defensively, making him one of the Hogs’ most well-rounded contributors.
Gabe Gaeckle
Gabe Gaeckle earned Freshman All-American honors in 2024, debuting as a shutdown right arm in the Razorbacks bullpen. He closed out seven saves last season, part of his 42 ⅔ total innings of work.
Gaeckle struck out 57, allowed just 26 hits, and walked only 19 batters.
Cam Kozeal
Second baseman and designated hitter Cam Kozeal comes to Fayetteville by way of fellow SEC power Vanderbilt. As a freshman in 2024, Kozeal batted .284 with five home runs and 28 home runs.
BaseballAmerica describes Kozeal as being “tailored to spraying all parts with the field with drives.” He’s the publication’s No. 12-ranked prospects in the 2026 MLB draft.
Rocco Peppi
An All-Big West Conference honoree at Long Beach State, Rocco Peppi comes to Arkansas by way of Fresno State. Peppi hit .321 as a freshman for the LBSU Dirtbags in 2022. After very modest dips in his plate production in 2023, Peppi emerged as one of the most fearsome hitters in the Mountain West Conference last season at Fresno State with a .327 average, .602 slugging percentage and 14 home runs.
Peppi’s pop at the plate should make hm an immediate contributor to Arkansas offensively.
Nolan Souza
Freshman All-SEC selection Nolan Souza is back and looking to build off of his impressive debut season. In his first campaign, Souza – an infielder and designated hitter – hit seven home runs and slugged .509.
BaseballAmerica projects Souza as the No. 13 prospect in the 2026 MLB draft. Expect his production in 2025 to reflect the lofty expectations.
Arkansas College Baseball Showdown Opponents
Kansas State
Kansas State emerged as a breakout program in the 21st century. After having never been to the NCAA Tournament, the Wildcats have advanced to five postseasons since 2009 – including last season, when they advanced to the Charlottesville Super Regional.
Kansas State emerged from the Fayetteville Regional, so this College Baseball Showdown pairing comes with some added incentive for Arkansas.
Michigan
Michigan had a streak of three straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including a runner-up finish at the 2019 College World Series, interrupted in 2023. After two years of missing out on the tournament, the Wolverines look for a bounce-back in 2025.
TCU
With four consecutive College World Series appearances under former head coach Jim Schlossnagle, his departure for Texas A&M left a considerable void in Fort Worth. However, successor Kirk Saarloos coached TCU to the 2023 CWS in just his second year at the helm.
Missing the tournament in 2024 puts some pressure on the Horned Frogs to regain form in 2025.
Where Is The 2025 College Baseball Showdown?
The Shriners Children’s College Showdown and two-weekend Amegy Bank College Baseball Series presented by Kubota will take place at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, and feature some of the top teams in the nation.
The 2025 season will mark the fifth consecutive year of college baseball at Globe Life Field – home of the world champion Texas Rangers – and the second straight year the action will span three weekends.
When Is The College Baseball Showdown?
The first weekend of the festivities, the Shriners Children’s College Showdown will begin on Friday, Feb. 14 and will run through Feb. 16.
The following two weeks of action, the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series, will take place Feb. 21-23 and Feb. 28-March 2.
To keep the momentum going between the weekends, the series also will include four midweek games at Globe Life Field. Those contests will take place Feb. 18, Feb. 19, Feb. 26 and March 5.
All three weekends of games will be streamed live on FloCollege and FloBaseball. View the teams and schedule below.
What Teams Are Playing In the 2025 College Baseball Showdown?
Here’s a list of every team headed to Globe Life Field:
Shriners Children’s College Baseball Showdown
- Arizona
- Clemson
- Louisville
- Oklahoma State
- Ole Miss
- Texas
Amegy Bank College Baseball Series – Weekend 2
- Arkansas
- Kanas State
- TCU
- Michigan
Amegy Bank College Baseball Series – Weekend 3
- Auburn University
- Baylor University
- Ohio State University
- Oregon State University
Midweek Games
- *Texas State vs. Oklahoma State (Feb. 18)
- *Oklahoma vs. UT Arlington (Feb. 19)
- LSU vs. Dallas Baptist (Feb. 26)
- *Wichita State vs. Abilene Christian (March 5)
*Will not be broadcast live by FloSports.
Complete 2025 College Baseball Showdown Schedule
All Times Eastern
Friday, Feb. 14
Saturday, Feb. 15
Sunday, Feb. 16
Friday, Feb. 21
Saturday, Feb. 22
Sunday, Feb. 23
Wednesday, Feb. 26
Friday, Feb. 28
Saturday, March 1
Sunday, March 2
How To Watch The 2025 Amegy Bank College Baseball Series – Weekend 2
The 2025 Amegy Bank College Baseball Series – Weekend 2 is taking place at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, from Feb. 21-23. It is streaming live on FloCollege and the FloSports app.
Replays, highlights and breaking news from the event will be on both platforms.
How To Watch The 2025 Amegy Bank College Baseball Series – Weekend 3
The 2025 Amegy Bank College Baseball Series – Weekend 3 is taking place at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, from Feb. 28-March 2. It is streaming live on FloCollege and the FloSports app.
Replays, highlights and breaking news from the event will be on both platforms.
FloBaseball Archived Footage
Video footage from FloBaseball events will be archived and stored in a video library for FloBaseball subscribers to watch for the duration of their subscriptions.
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