The No. 12 Arkansas softball team continued its hot start with a 7-3 victory over Ohio at the Paradise Classic in south Florida on Friday.
The Razorbacks (3-0) got a splendid start from senior right-hander Morgan Leinstock, who was making her Arkansas debut after transferring from Southern Miss. The Scottsdale, Ariz., native tossed 6.2 innings, striking out seven and holding the Bobcats to just five hits.
It was the Razorbacks second 10-hit game in their first three games, as Reagan Johnson continued her torrid start. The sophomore outfielder tied her career-high with four hits in as many at-bats, while also scoring two runs and stealing two bases.
Arkansas jumped on the board early, when Johnson scored on an RBI-double by junior Bri Ellis in the first inning. Senior Rylin Hedgecock then knocked her own RBI-double to make it 2-0.
The Hogs increased the lead to 6-0 in the second, beginning with senior Nia Carter‘s two-run single, notching the first of her three RBIs of the game. After a sacrifice fly by senior Hannah Gammill, Hedgecock’s second consecutive hit plated the sixth run.
The lead went to 7-0 in the third, when Carter singled in junior Raigan Kramer.
After Ohio rallied for three runs in the bottom of the seventh, sophomore lefty Hannah Camenzind came in to record the final out of the game.
Arkansas will conclude the tournament on Saturday with a doubleheader against Penn State at 8 a.m., followed by a showdown with Michigan State at 10:15 a.m. Both games will be available to stream on FloSoftball.