Threatening weather forces Razorbacks to Move Up Friday's Game

Arkansas shifts Friday’s baseball opener against Stetson to 1 p.m. as storms threaten evening weather in Northwest Arkansas.

Arkansas Razorbacks Kuhio Aloy celebrating in game against Oral Roberts. | Arkansas Communications

The start time for Friday’s baseball game between No. 9 Arkansas and Stetson has changed because of weather concerns.

The series opener between the Razorbacks and Hatters will now begin at 1 p.m. Friday instead of the originally scheduled 6 p.m. start. Officials made the change after forecasts showed stronger chances of storms later in the evening.

Arkansas enters the four-game series with a 10-3 record, while Stetson arrives with a 5-8 mark.

The rest of the weekend schedule at Baum-Walker Stadium remains unchanged.

Saturday: 2 p.m.

Sunday: 1 p.m.

Monday: Noon

Coaches and staff decided to move Friday’s start earlier to avoid weather that could interrupt the game.

Van Horn Expected Weather Issues Earlier in Week

The possibility of moving the game came up shortly after Arkansas finished a midweek win over Oral Roberts.

Hogs coach Dave Van Horn said at the time that staff members were watching the forecast closely and expected a decision soon.

“I think the issue is Friday’s game,” Van Horn said. “Nothing’s set in stone yet, but it looks like the later you go in the day, the worse it gets.”

The veteran coach added that the original evening start might not hold if the forecast continued to trend toward storms.

“We’ll look at it tomorrow and then we’ll look at it again on Thursday,” Van Horn said. “… I’m the decision maker, but I wouldn’t doubt if that six o’clock game didn’t turn into an early afternoon game.”

By midweek, that possibility became reality.

Officials shifted the first pitch to early afternoon in hopes of getting the opening game played before the worst weather arrives.

Forecast Calls for Storms Later Friday

Weather projections from the National Weather Service played a major role in the decision.

Meteorologists expect rain and possible thunderstorms to build throughout Friday in Northwest Arkansas. The chances increase significantly later in the day.

Forecast models show about a 90% chance of showers and thunderstorms Friday night, which could have made an evening game difficult to complete.

Moving the contest up five hours gives the teams a better chance to finish the opener before storms reach the area.

College baseball schedules often shift during spring months because of changing weather patterns. Early-season series regularly require adjustments to avoid heavy rain or lightning delays.

Arkansas officials chose the earlier start time to limit those risks.

Weekend Forecast Looks Better for Rest of Series

While Friday carries the biggest weather concern, the outlook improves after a cold front passes through the region.

Rain chances are expected to decrease throughout Saturday as the system moves away from Northwest Arkansas.

Sunday’s forecast currently calls for sunny conditions, giving the Razorbacks and Hatters a strong chance to play without interruptions.

Monday’s finale also appears manageable, with mostly sunny skies expected and only about a 20% chance of rain.

If conditions hold, the rest of the four-game set should be played close to the original schedule.

The series marks another early-season test for Arkansas as it continues its nonconference schedule before SEC play arrives later in the spring.

The Razorbacks are coming off a 10-2 victory over Oral Roberts earlier in the week and will look to keep momentum going against Stetson.

Adjusting the first pitch time is simply part of managing a long baseball season.

By moving Friday’s opener earlier, Arkansas hopes the series can begin without weather delays and keep the weekend schedule on track.