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Lawrence Price | krikyalotto.com | April 6, 2026

Four-HR games, historic wins and more highlight college baseball's busy start to April

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College baseball started April off with a bang, even in the thick of conference play.

Multiple teams collected noteworthy series victories, while top player performances came in from all parts of the country. Check out some of the best moments from the weekend. 

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Arrambide lifts LSU to series win with four-homer game

LSU and Tennessee lived up to the preseason hype in the first two contests of the series, headlined by a go-ahead grand slam on Friday and a pitching masterclass by a freshman on Saturday.

Even though neither team has performed up to past years’ expectations so far in the season, it arguably became the SEC rubber match to watch on Sunday with the series tied 1-1. 

And LSU designated hitter Cade Arrambide didn’t disappoint, shining and blasting four home runs in the Tigers' 16-6 win over the Volunteers in extras. He finished with seven RBI thanks to a grand slam in LSU’s 10-run frame in the 12th inning. It’s the most in a single game in program history and the first in the SEC since 2023.

Arrambide’s first three homers were solo shots, all building up to the climax. He hit the first to right center in the fifth inning and the second to left in the seventh.  

He struck out looking in the ninth on a strike three call coach Jay Johnson strongly disagreed with, leading to his ejection. None of it seemed to faze the sophomore, drilling his third to right center in his 11th inning at-bat.

He blew the hinges off of Lindsey Nelson Stadium in the 12th. Up 7-6 with bases loaded, Arrambide crushed a no-doubter back to right field to swing the Tigers' lead to 11-6. Tennessee right fielder Reese Chapman didn’t move from his outfield post, watching it ricochet off the scoreboard and back onto the field.

Arrambide ended the game 5-6 with four homers, seven RBI and five runs.

No. 1 UCLA extends win streak to 23 with Crosstown series sweep

UCLA baseball

No. 1 UCLA has demolished its 2026 season schedule so far — a freight train wouldn’t be enough to describe them. Entering last Thursday, they hadn’t lost since Feb. 24, mowing through unranked foes and proving ranked opponents that there’s levels to this. 

But the Bruins' upcoming opponent, in-state rival and No. 12 Southern California, appeared to provide a new test. The Trojans featured one of the lowest ERA in the country (2.75). It was also the first meeting between the crosstown rivals where both teams were ranked since 2015.

UCLA took care of business once again, though, sweeping Southern Cal and improving its win streak to 23 straight wins. It is the longest win streak in program history, which dates back to 1920.

The Bruins’ power defined the series, leaning on their bats to take care of business. UCLA led 5-4 entering the eighth inning of Game 1, and proceeded to hang seven runs in the eighth to beat the Trojans 12-4.

They trailed 7-4 after five of Game 2, but plated four in the sixth. Even though Southern Cal tied it in the eighth, first baseman Mulivai Levu responded later in the inning with a double and scored on a wild pitch to give UCLA the lead and eventually the win, 9-8.

The finale was lopsided, thanks to Bruins hitting five home runs and two three-run innings. UCLA remains undefeated in Big Ten play and is averaging 10.1 runs per game.

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Historic weekends and wins across SEC

LSU-Tennessee was just a snapshot of the crazy results coming out of the Deep South over the weekend. Here’s a few more.

No. 5 Georgia sweeps No. 4 Mississippi State on the road

Time to party like it's 2004.

No. 5 Georgia swept No. 4 Mississippi State in Starkville for the first time in 22 years. It also marked UGA’s first SEC road series win over a top-5 opponent since at least 1990 — the definition of a statement win. 

It was a strong showing on all fronts for Georgia, outlasting Mississippi State in Game 1, 10-9, winning the pitchers' duel in Game 2, 3-1, and capturing the series sweep with a walk-off win on Saturday.

Third baseman Tre Phelps was named co-SEC Player of the Week, batting .421 with three homers, eight RBI and six runs scored. He also had a game-saving catch in the ninth inning of the first game to protect Michigan’s lead.

Mizzou secures ranked road series win since 2021

Missouri took down No. 24 Kentucky over the weekend, a huge win for the program to earn its first road series win over a ranked opponent in five years.

Mizzou and Kentucky split the first two games of the series, setting the table for a popcorn-worthy rubber match on Sunday that Mizzou feasted in.

Trailing 2-1 after four innings, Mizzou poured in a four-run fifth to take a 5-2 lead. Every player batted at least once in the frame, doing most of their damage through singles, walks and Kentucky miscues. Mizzou went quiet at the plate after the fifth, but the pitching staff picked up the load. The Tigers limited Kentucky to two hits between the fourth and ninth innings.

Although Mizzou has struggled to find its footing in SEC play with a 3-9 conference record, the weekend gives them momentum heading into the depths of April.

Kansas hits four home runs in 9th to walk off Utah

Kansas baseball

The Jayhawks found themselves down 12-9 against Utah in the series opener, just three outs separating them and a loss. 

Seven batters and five runs later, Kansas pranced around Hoglund Ballpark in celebration, walking off the Utes, 14-12, mashing four home runs to all parts of the field.

It all started with the bottom half of the order. Center fielder Tyson Owens, in the sixth hole, and designated hitter Max Soliz Jr. mashed back-to-back blasts to start the frame, both to deep center. Utah immediately turned to left-hander Ian Lenius to stop the bleeding, but the Jayhawks' momentum prevailed. Although the freshman recorded two outs, he gave up a homer to third baseman and nine-hitter Dylan Schlotterback and single to second baseman Cade Baldridge.

A tied ball game with the winning run on first and Kansas’ home run leader Tyson LeBlanc readying for his at-bat, the Utes made one last move to slow down Kansas, calling on righty Dylan Gazaway.

Yet, LeBlanc ended the senior’s outing three pitches in, hitting a laser to right field that got out of the ballpark in a hurry. The homer capped off the shortstop’s 4-5 day at the plate, racing around the bases to meet his teammates at home with hugs, chest bumps and a Gatorade shower.

The Jayhawks went to sweep Utah, improving to 9-3 in conference play and second in Big 12 standings. 

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UCSB's Jackson Flora cementing argument as top arm in the country

The nation’s top college pitcher currently doesn’t reside in the SEC’s Deep South or ACC’s East Coast, but instead on the West Coast at UC Santa Barbara.

It’s junior right-hander Jackson Flora, who’s shredded through nearly each lineup he’s faced, whether in the Big West or not. Backed by a heater that trickles into the triple digits or bending breaking balls, he owns the best ERA in the country at 0.69 and hasn’t given up a run in 34 consecutive innings. 

His latest masterclass came in the Gauchos' series opener against Cal Poly on Thursday. He threw a complete game shutout, striking out nine and surrendering just four hits over 118 pitches. 

Flora’s game continues to elevate as the season continues, building his case for multiple national awards. 

in August 2024 as a Digital Editorial Intern. He has held numerous internships in the past few years, including ones at the Kansas City Star, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, TNT Sports and more. Additionally, he was a 2023 Oscar Pope Lift Every Voice Fellowship recipient. Price is a Spring 2024 graduate of Northwestern University with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism. You can follow him on Twitter .

The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NCAA or its member institutions.

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