2025 NCAA Baseball Super Regional Preview: Arkansas vs. Tennessee

Series Overview

#5 Arkansas Razorbacks

• Overall: 46-13
• Conference: 20-10
• RPI: 3
• SOS: 19

#17 Tennessee Volunteers

• Overall: 46-17
• Conference: 16-14
• RPI: 13
• SOS: 15

We got ourselves a good old-fashioned SEC powerhouse matchup for this Super Regional. Two 46-win teams in the SEC. While the Razorbacks had the better overall conference record, the Volunteers outperformed them in the SEC tournament. 

These two teams squared off in the regular season for a three-game series where Arkansas took two of three. Each game was close though. The Razorbacks lost 10-7 on a Thursday night, but came back and won 8-6 and 8-4 in the next two games. This should be a real fun series. 

Team Strengths & Weaknesses

Arkansas Razorbacks

Throughout the 2025 season, the Razorbacks looked like Omaha contenders through and through. This team went 20-10 in conference play and showed a balanced attack on both the mound and in the lineup. 

Offensively, this team ranked 14th in runs scored per game, seventh in home runs, eighth in slugging percentage, 16th in batting average, and sixth in wRC+. They aren’t just good offensively, but loaded with star power and a lot of 2025 MLB Draft prospects.

Shortstop Wehiwa Aloy leads that group as he’s slashed .355/.440/.686 with 18 doubles, 20 home runs, and 64 RBI. Charles Davlan hasn’t been far behind him and often doesn’t get talked about enough as a physical presence in this lineup.

On top of that, they have the likes of Kuhio Aloy, Ryder Helfrick, Justin Thomas Jr., Brent Iredale, and Cam Kozeal, who have all done damage all season long. It’s really hard to find a weak spot in this lineup.

Things are just as good on the mound. This is a team that’s posted a combined team ERA of 3.95. They rank seventh in runs allowed per game, fifth in K%, 11th in BB%, and eighth in FIP. Pretty dang good. 

Zach Root, Gabe Gaeckle, and Landon Beidelschies have been locking down the rotation for the most part this year. Root has been super consistent, posting 113 strikeouts in 85.2 innings, but the rest of the rotation has hit some struggles.

While the rotation has lacked some consistency, the bullpen has been absolutely electric. Dylan Carter, Will McEntire, Coil Parker, and so many others have been reliable arms to help hold the lead for the Razorbacks late in games. 

This is just an entertaining team, and it’s easy to see why they’ve been top five all year long. They’ll give the Volunteers another big test.

Tennessee Volunteers

Our preseason #2 overall team had somewhat of an up-and-down season, even though they are loaded with talent. A soft-ish non-conference schedule had teams riding the Volunteers bandwagon pretty high. 

Then the SEC play hit, and Tennessee really struggled to maintain consistency due to bullpen struggles and a lot of defensive questions. 

The big positive to this team, as we all know, is the offense. They have hit 128 long balls and have a TEAM slugging percentage of .553. That is just crazy. 

Like Arkansas, the lineup is loaded with tons of 2025 MLB Draft talent, which first baseman Andrew Fischer highlights. He’s an animal at the plate, and it feels like he’s hitting a long ball every time he comes to the plate. He’s got 24 home runs on the year. 

Gavin Kilen and Dean Curley are the other two draft guys who have played huge roles for this team. Then they’ve got Hunter Ensley, freshman phenom Levi Clark, Reese Chapman, and many others. This offense can easily go toe-to-toe with Arkansas.

The pitching staff has been a bigger question mark, despite having a team ERA of 3.93. Liam Doyle and Marcus Phillips have been steady contributors in the rotation, but a lot has been up in the air outside of those two. 

The Volunteers got hot in the SEC tournament and regional play, and I think a lot of that has to do with the return of AJ Russell and the breakout of Brandon Arvidson. Both have been very good down the stretch and have helped Tennessee answer the pitching questions. This staff is outstanding now. 

Recent Regional Performance

Arkansas Razorbacks

Dominance by Arkansas in the Fayetteville regional, and are we surprised? The Razorbacks made it an easy clean sweep, beating North Dakota State and Creighton twice, outscoring their opponents 26-6. 

You could argue that this was one of the easiest paths to a super regional, but we said that about a lot of other regionals, like Vanderbilt’s, and they couldn’t make it out of it.

Arkansas kicked off its NCAA Regional run with a 6-2 win over North Dakota State, powered by Cam Kozeal’s four-RBI day and a dominant bullpen effort. 

After falling behind early, the Hogs quickly responded and never looked back, with Parker Coil and Landon Beidelschies combining for 5.1 scoreless innings to shut the door. 

Kozeal led the charge at the plate with three hits, including a two-run homer, while Wehiwa Aloy added his team-leading 18th double to keep Arkansas rolling into the winner’s bracket.

Game two was more of the same dominance. Arkansas erupted for five home runs, including two each from Wehiwa Aloy and Ryder Helfrick, in a 12-1 win over Creighton to punch their ticket to the Fayetteville Regional final. 

The Hogs jumped ahead early behind Cam Kozeal’s third homer in as many games and never looked back, with Aloy and Helfrick putting on a power display and combining for four bombs and eight RBI. 

On the mound, Zach Root delivered six scoreless innings, and the bullpen sealed the deal as Arkansas tied its single-season home wins record.

They’d punch their ticket to the Super Regionals with an 8-3 win over Creighton, powered by a lights-out pitching duo and another homer-heavy offensive showing. 

Gage Wood struck out a career-high 13 over six innings, and Gabe Gaeckle followed with three perfect frames and seven more punchouts as the pair combined for 20 Ks and zero walks. 

Logan Maxwell homered twice and drove in three runs, while Ryder Helfrick added his third homer of the weekend and took home Fayetteville Regional MVP honors as the Hogs secured their 11th Super Regional appearance and a program-record 35th home win.

Tennessee Volunteers

Despite losing one game to Wake Forest, Tennessee showcased the same dominance that Arkansas did in their regional. Game one for them started against Miami (OH). 

Tennessee started off with a dominant 9-2 win over Miami (OH), thanks to a sharp outing from Liam Doyle and a balanced offensive showing. 

Doyle racked up 11 strikeouts over six strong innings, allowing just one run and earning his 10th win of the year while inching closer to the program’s single-season K record. 

Offensively, eight different Vols chipped in, with Reese Chapman leading the way with three RBIs, including a solo shot, as Tennessee extended its regional win streak to 13 games and moved into the winner’s bracket.

Tennessee secured their appearance in the regional final for the sixth straight year with a 10-6 win over Cincinnati, riding a four-run sixth inning and another strong start on the mound. 

Marcus Phillips tied a career high with eight strikeouts over six-plus innings to earn the win, while the Vols’ infield and catcher Cannon Peebles combined for 11 hits, eight runs, and nine RBIs. 

Dean Curley drove in four, Gavin Kilen tallied four hits, and Andrew Fischer’s two-run double helped break the game open as Tennessee extended its NCAA regional win streak to 14 games.

The Vols would stumble in game one of the regional final, losing 6-7 to Wake Forest, but would make a huge statement victory in game two of the regional final with an 11-5 win. 

They erupted for seven runs in the fourth inning. Freshman Manny Marin had a breakout game, going 3-for-3 with a three-run homer, while Andrew Fischer launched his team-leading 24th home run to cap the decisive inning. 

The Vols leaned on a full bullpen effort, with Liam Doyle slamming the door with five strikeouts to earn the save and break the school’s single-season strikeout record. Tennessee has now won five straight regionals.

MLB Draft Players to Watch

Arkansas Razorbacks

SS Wehiwa Aloy

There really isn’t much to complain about in Aloy’s game. He’s an absolute stud. He’s grown into a ton of power and has truly showcased he has the abilities to be a top 20 prospect in this entire draft.

There are some concerns with the hit tool still, as he possesses strikeout, whiff, and chase rates higher than you’d like to see. But it is hard to deny the power given his exit velo numbers and ability to get barrel to ball.

OF Charles Davalan

I was trying to think of who Davalan reminded me of in last year’s draft, and I kept thinking of North Carolina’s Casey Cook. They might be slightly different players, but in terms of being guys who just got overlooked as there was a draft stud on their team (Vance Honeycutt for Cook, Wehiwa Aloy for Davalan).

Davalan does just about everything right on the offensive side of the ball. He hits the ball hard, has a good feel for the strike zone, a solid patient approach, and doesn’t get fooled often. He’s been a force at the top of the lineup for the Razorbacks and could do the same in pro ball.

LHP Zach Root

Root made a name for himself in two strong seasons at ECU before transferring to Arkansas. He’s got a unique, somewhat funky delivery and a fast arm, with a deep off-speed mix that ranks among the best in the country.

While his fastball sits in the low 90s and has touched 97, it’s his change-up that stands out, showing advanced feel, command, and late fading action. His cutter/slider hybrid has quietly become a major weapon, generating tons of whiffs despite being his least-used pitch. 

RHP Gage Wood

Originally a two-way guy out of high school, Wood’s arm quickly stole the spotlight and turned him into a key bullpen piece. He throws a lively fastball in the mid-90s that’s touched 97 and gets tons of swings and misses, especially in 2025, before a shoulder issue slowed him down. While he’s still working on commanding his secondaries, all three off-speed pitches show promise, if he can tighten those up. 

RHP Gabe Gaeckle

Gabe Gaeckle has been a key contributor to the Arkansas Razorbacks baseball team. In his freshman year (2024), he made 22 relief appearances, achieving a 3–3 record with a 2.32 ERA and leading the team with seven saves over 42.2 innings. He struck out 57 batters and held opponents to a .167 batting average, earning him unanimous Freshman All-American and Freshman All-SEC honors.

He’s transitioned into a hybrid role, making 16 appearances with nine starts. There is tons of upside in this arm for the 2026 MLB Draft. 

Tennessee Volunteers

2B Gavin Kilen

Gavin Kilen is a polished left-handed hitter who brings a strong feel for the strike zone and rarely chases. He’s hitting for more power this year without sacrificing contact, posting a .355 average with 15 homers and a 1.131 OPS. He’s just a super impressive player overall and has done everything he needed to do to raise his draft stock in 2025.

LHP Liam Doyle

Liam Doyle is an absolute madman on the mound. He might pitch with more fire and passion than anyone in college baseball. The fastball is elite. It is an absolute electric factory. It gets 20+ inches of vertical carry on it and has tons of run. He’s gone mostly to the heater all year long, but he does have a splitter and two breaking balls to pair with it.

He’s a likely easy first-rounder despite his secondaries not being fully polished. The stuff and command are quite good. 

1B/OF Andrew Fischer

After breaking out as a freshman at Duke, Andrew Fischer kept raking after transferring to Ole Miss, proving his power plays in the SEC. He’s a physical lefty with big-time juice, especially to the pull side, and absolutely punishes fastballs with his swing.

While the glove may limit him to a corner spot long-term (he’s likely destined for first base), Fischer’s bat is loud enough to carry him wherever he ends up defensively.

2B/3B Dean Curley

Dean Curley has emerged as one of the top infield prospects in college baseball. He’s a physical, pro-ready shortstop with big bat speed, plus raw power to the pull side, and the ability to stay in the strike zone, posting an 85% contact rate against fastballs in 2025.

Defensively, Curley has the arm strength, soft hands, and instincts to stick at shortstop, though his arm accuracy can be a bit streaky at times.

RHP Marcus Phillips

Marcus Phillips, a 6’4″, 246-pound right-handed pitcher for the Tennessee Volunteers. He’s posted a 4–4 record with a 3.71 ERA over 77.2 innings, while striking out 93 batters and holding opponents to a .229 batting average. Scouts praise his fastball, which grades at 65, and his changeup at 60, though his control remains an area for improvement.

RHP AJ Russell

AJ Russell is a towering 6’6” righty with some of the most eye-popping pitch data in the country, even while working back from a non-invasive Tommy John procedure.

His fastball jumps out of a low release height with heavy armside run and elite metrics, missing bats at a high clip. Pair that with a sweepy, high-spin slider and the makings of a change-up, and if Russell returns healthy in 2025, he’s got early-round draft upside written all over him.

RHP Nate Snead

Nate Snead is a wiry, high-octane righty from the Midwest who’s been one of the most electric bullpen arms in college baseball over the past two seasons. His sinker has touched 100 mph with nasty movement, and he’s added a sharp cutter and an improving curveball to keep hitters guessing.

While command and consistency with his breaking stuff remain a work in progress, Snead’s arm talent and velocity give him clear late-inning upside at the next level.

Predictions

Man, this is a tough one to predict. It feels like no matter who you pick, it could be the right or wrong answer. Both teams are strong and well-balanced. As I mentioned earlier, my biggest concerns with Tennessee have been the bullpen and defense, but they’ve seemed to shore up a lot of those issues.

My brain says ride the hot hand and take the Volunteers, but my gut says Arkansas is going to pull this thing off. I’m going with the Razorbacks in three.