Arkansas Softball uses long ball to defeat South Carolina

Arkansas scored all eight runs on four home runs in Saturday’s win over the Gamecocks, clinching the series.

It was business as usual for the “Bogle Bombers” on Saturday.

The No. 5 Arkansas Razorbacks (38-8, 16-4 SEC) defeated South Carolina (25-26, 2-18 SEC) by scoring all of their runs via the longball, en route to an 8-4 victory to claim the series at Bogle Park in Fayetteville.

The Razorbacks went down in order in the first inning but bounced back in their next frame to grab the early lead. [autotag]Danielle Gibson[/autotag] led off the inning by crushing the second pitch of the at-bat into the crowded berm in right field to give Arkansas the 1-0 lead.

The “big inning” came in the 4th, when six runs scored on two swings of the bat. [autotag]Taylor Ellsworth[/autotag] and Danielle Gibson reached base to open the inning, and came home on a three-run homer to right field, extending the Razorback lead to 4-0.

The fun did not stop there, as two more Razorbacks would reach base to give [autotag]KB Sides[/autotag] an equal opportunity. For the second time in the inning, an Arkansas batter would crush a three-run bomb. Sides’ home run would break the game open for Arkansas, as they jumped in front , 7-0.

South Carolina scored their first run in the top of the 5th inning with a leadoff home run of their own, and Arkansas would respond by scoring their final run of the game on Malkin’s second home run of the game, ending the inning with an 8-1 lead. For Malkin, it was her third multi-home run game of the year, and her first since hitting two against Auburn on April 8.

Over the final two innings, the Gamecocks would score three runs to cut the Razorbacks lead in half, but would come up short in the final inning.

Malkin, Sides, and Gibson led the team in hits with two, with Malkin scoring four runs. [autotag]Mary Haff[/autotag], [autotag]Callie Turner[/autotag], and [autotag]Chenise Delce[/autotag] combined to strikeout 10 batters on the day, allowing just five hits and three earned runs.

The finale of the three-game series is set for a 10:30 a.m. CDT first pitch at Bogle Park.

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