Opening Day for college baseball in Arkansas delivered plenty of drama, heroics, and a taste of what fans can expect this season, as Arkansas State, Lindenwood, and Arkansas Pine Bluff all took the field for doubleheaders on Friday, February 13, 2026. From clutch home runs to dazzling pitching debuts, the diamond was alive with action as teams sought to set the tone for their campaigns.
At Slayton Family Field in Jonesboro, the Arkansas State Red Wolves made a statement, sweeping Stony Brook in a doubleheader that showcased power, poise, and resilience. The opener saw Arkansas State edge the Seawolves 9-8 in a nail-biter, before shutting the visitors out 4-0 in the nightcap. Graduate pitcher Chase Richter set the tone early in game one, working 4.2 impressive innings. He allowed just two hits and one run while striking out seven, keeping Stony Brook’s bats quiet and giving his team a chance to build a lead.
The offensive fireworks were ignited by Lane Walton, who launched a three-run homer in the fourth inning of game one to put the Red Wolves up 8-0. Walton’s hot bat would become the story of the day, but the Seawolves weren’t about to go quietly. Stony Brook punched back with a run in the fifth and then exploded for five more in the sixth, suddenly slicing the Arkansas State lead to just two. The pressure mounted, but Ashton Quiller’s single in the eighth, followed by a stolen base and a clutch RBI hit from Patrick Engskov, provided the insurance run that ultimately made the difference.
With the game on the line in the ninth, Kole Turner took the mound for Arkansas State. He entered with two outs and slammed the door, earning the save and sealing a dramatic 9-8 win for the Red Wolves. Stony Brook’s Micha Worley was tagged with the loss in a game that saw both teams flex their offensive muscles.
If game one was a slugfest, game two belonged to the pitchers—at least for Arkansas State. Jack Nelson started for the Red Wolves and was nothing short of dominant, retiring the first 10 batters he faced in order and giving up just one walk while facing 19 total. Once again, it was Lane Walton who provided the spark at the plate. Walton smashed a solo home run in the first inning, then repeated the feat in the third, sending another shot over the right-center fence to double the lead.
The Red Wolves added two more in the fifth, thanks to Walton’s RBI double that scored Derek Martinez and a fielding error that allowed Walton to circle the bases and score. On the mound, Houston Tomlinson made his collegiate debut, tossing 2.2 innings and striking out two. When the pressure was on in the final frame, Brett Foss entered with the bases loaded and calmly struck out the final batter in five pitches, notching the save and preserving the 4-0 shutout. Hunter Colagranda took the loss for Stony Brook, who simply couldn’t solve the Arkansas State pitching staff in the nightcap.
Meanwhile, in Pine Bluff, the Lindenwood Lions and Arkansas Pine Bluff Golden Lions squared off in a doubleheader that saw both teams flash potential and grit. Lindenwood took game one 6-1, capitalizing on six UAPB errors and pounding out 10 hits. Jake Radosevich led the way, going 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI, while Kam Edwards and Will Geary each chipped in with multi-hit performances. Charlie Isom-McCall delivered a key two-run double in the eighth, and Aaron Jungers slammed the door in relief, tossing three scoreless innings with five strikeouts to earn the save. Josh Newell picked up the win, spinning six innings of four-hit, zero-earned-run ball.
Game two was a back-and-forth affair, with four lead changes and over 20 combined hits. Lindenwood’s Will Geary was the offensive star, collecting three hits in four at-bats, scoring a run, and swiping two bases. Filip Sarota and Charlie Isom-McCall each had two hits, with Sarota adding an RBI. Tyler Ellis contributed two RBIs as the Lions built a 6-4 lead after a four-run fifth inning. But UAPB stormed back with four unanswered runs over the final four frames, fueled by timely hitting and aggressive baserunning.
Luke Walsh took the loss for Lindenwood after yielding the go-ahead run in the seventh. Ethan Smith started and gave up four runs on six hits across 4.2 innings. For UAPB, Joe Adams was a spark plug, stealing home in the second inning and knocking an RBI triple in the fourth. Blake Coleman’s two-run homer in the same frame helped swing momentum. Despite Lindenwood’s efforts, the Golden Lions added an insurance run in the eighth, and the Lions couldn’t mount a comeback in the ninth, falling 8-6.
The series between Lindenwood and Arkansas Pine Bluff is far from over, with game three scheduled for Saturday at 2:00 p.m. and the finale set for Sunday at 1:00 p.m. Both teams will be hungry to claim the series and build early-season momentum.
For Arkansas State, the doubleheader sweep offers a confidence boost and a showcase of both established veterans and rising newcomers. Lane Walton’s trio of home runs and clutch hitting set the bar high, while the pitching staff’s ability to deliver under pressure bodes well for the Red Wolves as they look ahead to conference play. The team’s official social media channels buzzed with highlights and praise, reflecting the excitement around the program’s strong start.
Lindenwood, despite the split, displayed resilience and depth, with several players stepping up in key moments. The Lions’ ability to respond to adversity—both on the mound and at the plate—suggests they’ll be a tough out as the season progresses. Arkansas Pine Bluff, for their part, showed they can capitalize on opportunities and battle back, making the most of their home opener and setting the stage for a competitive series.
As the college baseball season gets underway, Arkansas fans have plenty to look forward to. From power-hitting displays and shutdown pitching to dramatic late-inning heroics, Opening Day set the tone for what promises to be an exciting spring on the diamond. With series still in progress and plenty of baseball left to play, all eyes will be on these squads as they chase their early-season ambitions and look to make their mark in 2026.