After dropping its second consecutive SEC series, No. 8 Kentucky baseball will welcome No. 2 Arkansas into Kentucky Proud Park for a weekend series.

The Bat Cats enter the weekend 16-5, which is first in the SEC East. The Wildcats have swept Georgia, Ole Miss, Auburn and Alabama while also taking a series win against Missouri, but have dropped their last two against Tennessee and South Carolina.

For the visiting Razorbacks, they also enter the weekend with a 16-5 record, which is first in the SEC West. The Razorbacks swept Missouri, LSU and Ole Miss while taking the series against South Carolina, Florida and Auburn. Arkansas’ lone conference series loss came after dropping two against Alabama.

Team comparison

When it comes to offense, the Wildcats enter the weekend with an SEC-leading .314 batting average in conference action while the Razorbacks are 12th with a .238. 

When it comes to on-base percentage, the Bat Cats remain in first at .408 in conference play. The Razorbacks move up a few notches to ninth in the SEC with a .351.

Looking at slugging percentage, Kentucky moves down to third in the SEC with a .568 slugging percentage. Arkansas also slides down a few spots to 11th with a .409.

The advantage shifts to the Razorbacks when it comes to the mound as they enter the weekend with an SEC leading 3.37 team ERA in conference play. The Wildcats are two spots behind at third with a 4.76 team ERA.

Looking at batting average against in conference play, Arkansas remains in first at .214 and Kentucky is right behind it in second at .226.

Offensive players to watch

Beginning with the visiting Razorbacks, the first name to watch out for is Peyton Stovall as he leads the teams with a .321 batting average, .408 on-base percentage and a .548 slugging percentage.

The next name to watch out for is Jared Sparague-Lott, who has posted a .279 batting average, .400 on-base percentage and a .508 slugging percentage in conference play. Looking at the whole season, Sparague-Lott has posted a .316 batting average, .451 on-base percentage and a .526 slugging percentage.

Rounding out the Razorbacks to watch out for at the plate is Hudson White as, thus far in conference action, he has posted a .268 batting average, .349 on-base percentage and a .304 slugging percentage. 

Arkansas will lean on Stovall’s team-leading production, Sparague-Lott’s slugging ability and White’s season-long consistency to lead its offensive attack.

Looking at the home Wildcats, Ryan Waldschmidt leads the team with a .422 batting average and a .524 on-base percentage in conference action. Waldschmidt has also posted a .723 slugging percentage in conference play.

The power for the Bat Cats has come from Ryan Nicholson, who has posted a team-leading .857 slugging percentage while also hitting to a .364 batting average and a .467 on-base percentage in conference action.

Rounding the Wildcats’ offensive players to watch is Nolan McCarthy, who has been on an extended hot streak during conference play, posting a .361 batting average, .398 on-base percentage and a .675 slugging percentage.

The Wildcats will look to Waldschmidt’s consistency, Nicholson’s power and McCarthy’s conference hot streak to guide their offensive attack at home.

Pitching matchups 

Every game one thus far, the Razorbacks have sent Hagen Smith to the mound and he has developed into not only one of the premier arms in the SEC, but also in the entire country.

During conference play, Smith has pitched to an SEC-leading 1.05 ERA while also leading the conference in strikeouts at 71 and earned runs as he has only surrendered five across 43 innings pitched in seven conference starts.

On Friday the Wildcats will also be sending statistically their best starter to the hill in Trey Pooser, who leads Wildcat starters with a 3.28 ERA, 35.2 innings pitched, 13 earned runs and 33 strikeouts in his six conference starts.

In game two, it appears the Razorbacks will send Brady Tygart to the mound and he has posted a 3.74 ERA in his seven starts as he has given up 14 earned runs in his 33.2 innings pitched and also struck out 36 batters.

Game twos for the Wildcats have belonged to Dominic Niman, who has posted a 5.14 ERA in 35 innings in which he has given up 20 earned runs and struck out 32 batters.

In the series finale it appears Arkansas will be sending Mason Molina to the hill as he has posted a 3.41 ERA and has surrendered 11 earned runs in 29 innings pitched and has also struck out 35 batters in his conference starts.

Series finales for the Wildcats have belonged to Mason Moore, who has pitched to 6.94 ERA as he’s given up 27 earned runs in 35 innings pitched while also striking out 30 batters.

With the stage now set for this top 10 matchup, Kentucky and Arkansas will take the field at Kentucky Proud Park for game one of the series on Friday, May 3, with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET.