FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas baseball had to navigate its NCAA Tournament journey on the road last season, winning the Stillwater Regional and the Chapel Hill Super Regional on its way to Omaha.
That marked the first NCAA postseason without a regional in Fayetteville since 2016.
However, postseason baseball looks primed to return to Baum-Walker Stadium this year.
Arkansas is slated to be the No. 3 national seed come Selection Monday according to the latest projections from D1Baseball.
That makes the Razorbacks a near lock to host a regional come next week, and some Hog fans are already making sure they have a seat in the house.
Arkansas fans started lining up outside of Baum-Walker Stadium Thursday night and Friday morning, a full week before regional action even begins in Fayetteville.
"I just think that people are going to look at us and think we're crazy, but we're rabid Hog fans," said Rick Bawiec, one of the Razorback fans who has set up camp in the Hog Pen line. "We all love the Hogs and baseball is really kicking butt right now so we're here. We're supporting them and hope they do well."
Bawiec says that he and his friends will usually camp out for Hog Pen seats a day or two before a big series, but decided to get set up even earlier because of the excitement of a first home regional since 2021.
"You know, it's regionals, the Hogs are a top-8 seed... likely," Bawiec said. "This is going to be one of those kinds of games that's going to be packed... So we had to get out here as early as we can to get our spot in line."
Arkansas will find out its NCAA Tournament draw during the Selection Show on Monday, which will get underway at 11 am CT on ESPN2.