Arkansas had only eight outs left. They don’t score at least two runs, they lose to fourth-seeded Southeast Missouri State at home.
In their own regional. Again.
Whew.
The Razorbacks, hosts of the Fayetteville Regional in the NCAA Tournament, scored three runs in the fifth inning to rally past SEMO and stay on the winner’s side of the bracket on Friday. A bases-loaded walk with two outs in the frame provided the Hogs the game-winning run.
Arkansas players not named Reagan Johnson and Nia Carter – she who knocked in the tying and scored the winning run – had a difficult time at the plate. Those two players had two hits each, but the rest of the Razorbacks lineup had only two among them. Kennedy Miller, who drew the go-ahead walk, was the only other player to reach twice.
Southeast Missouri jumped out quickly, knocking Morgan Leinstock out before the second inning finished. They rocked her for four singles, which was exactly how many outs she recorded, and two runs. Coach Courtney Deifel followed with Robyn Herron and things settled.
Herron gave up three hits and hit a batter in her more than five innings of work, but most importantly, she kept SEMO from scoring again, allowing for Arkansas’ comeback.
The Razorbacks advanced to play Arizona, which knocked off Villanova in the other first-round game, on Saturday. The two ‘A’ states split two games in the regular season.