Category: Arkansas Softball

Morgan Leinstock named SEC Pitcher of the Week

Morgan Leinstock is the first Arkansas player to win the award since February 2023.

Arkansas senior pitcher Morgan Leinstock’s excellent weekend earned her recognition as the SEC Pitcher of the Week, the league announced Tuesday.

Leinstock, a senior transfer from Southern Mississippi, won two of Arkansas’ three games against No. 11 Missouri over the weekend. In the two wins, she pitched 13 2/3 innings, striking out 14 Tigers hitters while giving up just three runs on 10 hits, only one of which went for extra bases.

Leinstock pitched a complete game against Mizzou in the series opener, carrying a shutout into the fifth inning of Arkansas’ 5-2 victory. In Game 3, the series clincher, she limited the Tigers to just one run on five hits in 6 2/3 innings.

In capturing the Pitcher of the Week honor, Leinstock became the first Arkansas player to do so since Chenise Delce did it last year in February, before SEC play had started.

Arkansas, ranked No. 17 in the nation, has won three of its four SEC series to start the season. The Razorbacks travel to South Carolina later in the week to play at the 25th-ranked Gamecocks.

Razorbacks softball keeps hot stretch going with series win over Mizzou

After a modest start, Arkansas softball keeps chipping away at the best in the SEC.

For the second straight weekend, the Arkansas softball team proved it can hang with some of the best of the nation.

Better than that, the Arkansas softball team proved it can beat some of the best in the nation.

The 19th-ranked Razorbacks beat No. 11 Missouri on Sunday in Game 3 of the teams’ three-game set, 4-1. Mizzou and Arkansas split the first two games of the series and the Hogs’ series win was their second straight over a top-15 opponent.

Cylie Halvorson and Nia Carter hit back-to-back solo home runs in the fifth inning to give Arkansas a 2-1 lead. Then, for insurance in the sixth, Hannah Gammill popped an RBI single and Halvorson followed with an RBI double to seal things.

It was more than enough for Morgan Leinstock. Arkansas’ starter struck out seven in 6 2/3 innings in working around five hits and three walks.

Arkansas sits at 7-5 in SEC play, tied for fifth with Georgia, the team the Razorbacks beat in the weekend previous. The Hogs next to Columbia, South Carolina for a series against the 25th-ranked Gamecocks.

Razorbacks pull off largest road series win in history

Georgia isn’t No. 2 in the SEC. The Dawgs were No. 2 in the nation. Arkansas is turning a corner.

The Arkansas softball program has been so used to high-level success in the last half-decade or so that the 2024 season had felt like something of a disappointment.

If the weekend’s results are anything to go by, however, things may be headed back the positive direction for the Razorbacks.

Arkansas beat No. 2 Georgia on Monday in the series finale, 8-2, to take two of three from the Bulldogs in the set. By doing so, Arkansas sealed its eighth straight road SEC series win and set a record for highest-ranked team defeated in a series in history.

Overall, the Razorbacks are 26-9, but have a 5-4 record in SEC play, a mark good enough for sixth in the conference. Arkansas finished fifth last year and first-place in the two previous seasons.

The series clincher was sealed when the Hogs scored five runs in the seventh inning. Hannah Gammill cracked a three-run home run to finish the scoring in the frame and provide the ultimate final score. The home run was her second of the game as she hit a solo shot in the second, one inning after Raigan Kramer opened the scoring with one in the first.

Things don’t get much easier on the upcoming weekend. No. 13 Missouri visits Bogle Park for a three-game series starting Friday.

Hogs fall Sunday, drop series to Mississippi State

The Hogs are just 3-3 to start SEC play. They could use an injection of health.

The Arkansas softball team isn’t exactly playing its best right now.

Of course, the Razorbacks aren’t exactly healthy, either.

The 17th-ranked Hogs fell Sunday to No. 20 Mississippi, 15-7, in five innings to drop the series to the Bulldogs, two games to one. Arkansas is now 3-3 in the SEC overall and in danger of falling of the of Top 25 when the polls are released.

With pitchers Robyn Herron and Reis Beuerlein out for the weekend, Arkansas’ lack showed at the spot in the series finale. Mississippi State racked up 13 hits, six walks and was hit by a pitch twice in those five innings. They scored nine runs in the fourth inning, none of which were earned, to ice things.

Arkansas starter Morgan Leinstock made it just through one inning, giving up six runs, all earned, one six hits, including two home runs.

The good news for the Razorbacks is that their next three series in league play come against Georgia, Missouri and South Carolina, none of which are ranked and all of which were picked to finish behind Arkansas in the preseason.

First comes a one-off game against Central Arkansas on Tuesday at Bogle Park.

Johnson plates a run in the eighth to lift Arkansas softball over SEMO

Sophomore leadoff hitter Reagan Johnson ends the 6-5 Razorbacks win with a sacrifice fly.

Arkansas sophomore Reagan Johnson continues to swing a deadly bat in crucial situations for the No. 16 Razorbacks’ offense. But the speedy leadoff hitter switched roles on Sunday, becoming the run-producer, instead of the run-scorer.

Johnson lifted a 1-0 pitch to center field, bringing home freshman pinch-runner Nyjah Fontenot for the winning run in a 6-5 win over Southeast Missouri State in the finale of the Wooo Pig Classic at Bogle Park.

The Razorbacks (17-4) fell behind 5-0 in the top of the first, before bringing a single hitter to the plate.

Sophomore left-hander Robyn Herron (6-4) enter the game with two out in the first inning and completely shut down the Redhawks, limiting SEMO to just two hits, and striking out seven, in the final 6.1 frames.

Junior Bri Ellis got the Hogs on the board with an RBI-single in the bottom of the first.

Senior Hannah Gammill’s led off the second with a solo home run to left, her fifth of the season. Sophomore Hannah Camenzind the scored junior Spencer Prigge with a single up the middle. Freshman Kennedy Miller then cut the Arkansas deficit to 5-4, when she knocked in Johnson with a ground-out.

Prigge tied the score at 5-5 in the third, with a liner to right field, scoring junior Raigan Kramer. From there, the score stayed the same until the eighth.

Cylie Halvorson got things going in the final inning, reaching second base on a throwing error. Following Halvorson, After Gammill was intentionally walked, Fontenot came in to run for Halvorson. After Prigge delivered a perfect sacrifice bunt to advance Fontenot, Johnson stepped up to end it.

Johnson and Ellis each finished 2-for-4 with an RBI.

The Razorbacks will continue their 17-game homestand Thursday, when the face Nebraska in the first game of the four-day Razorback Rumble at Bogle. The Hogs and Huskers will begin at 5 p.m. and be available to stream on SEC Network+.

No. 16 Arkansas softball stays hot, sweeps a pair in Wooo Pig Classic

Arkansas Razorbacks softball outhit their opponents 16-6 over a two-game sweep on Friday.

The No. 14 Arkansas softball team outhit its opponents 16-6, including nine extra base hits, on Friday to sweep a pair of victories in the Wooo Pig Classic at Bogle Park.

The Razorbacks (16-3) shutout Southeast Missouri State in the first game, 5-0, then turned in a 6-2 win over Florida Atlantic. They are now 8-1 at home this season.

Senior slugger Hannah Gammill began the scoring with her fourth home run of the season, a solo shot in the third inning. Senior Cylie Halvorson then opened the fifth with another solo blast, before sophomore leadoff hitter Reagan Johnson doubled in sophomore Atalyia Rijo, to make it 3-0.

Junior Bri Ellis then continued her sizzling start to the season with a two-run single to right-center to make it 5-0.

Senior right-hander Morgan Leinstock (4-0) twirled a gem in the circle, scattering just three hits and striking out six. She sat down the side in order in three of those innings.

Sophomore lefty Robyn Herron (5-3) tossed her second complete game of the season in Game 2, giving up just three hits and one earned run, while fanning four Owls.

Freshman Kennedy Miller remained on fire at the plate, with her first multi-homer game as a Hog, After Ellis began the barrage with her team-leading seventh bomb of the year in the bottom of the first, Miller quickly made it 3-0 with a two-run tater over the left field fence.

The 5-foot-8 catcher from Georgetown, Texas, finished the game 2-for-3 with three RBIs.

Hannah Camenzind went a career-best 3-for-3 at the dish and slapped her first-career triple to left center in the third, knocking in Halvorson. Gammill then drilled a shot down the left field line to plate Camenzind for a 5-0 advantage.

Miller completed the scoring with a solo shot to left in the fifth.

Arkansas will hit the diamond again on Saturday to face South Dakota State at 3 p.m. The game will be available on the SEC Network+, with Dorian Craft and former Razorback Sydney Parr Lee on the call.

Arkansas freshman Kennedy Miller smacks RBI-double for the win

The Arkansas softball team continued to get clutch hits on Thursday to rally past South Dakota State, 4-3.

Freshman Kennedy Miller continues to impress during her first season at the collegiate softball level, again coming up with a key hit to help No. 16 Arkansas take down South Dakota State on the first day of the Wooo Pig Classic at Bogle Park.

After falling behind in the count 1-2, in the bottom of the fourth inning, the young catcher ripped an RBI-double to left-center field, plating senior Rylin Hedgecock for what would prove to be the game-winning run.

The 5-foot-8 Miller, a native of Georgetown, Texas, now leads the team with a .467 batting average, after beginning the year with 14 hits in her first 30 at-bats.

After the Jackrabbits took a 1-0 first-inning lead, Arkansas bounced back big in the bottom half of the inning.

Red-hot sophomore leadoff hitter Regan Johnson got things going with a quick single, followed by junior Bri Ellis‘ team-leading sixth home run of the year, a two-run blast to center. Senior Cylie Halvorson‘s sacrifice fly made in 3-1 after one.

South Dakota State (8-10) scored another run in the second, then tied it at 3-3 in the top of the fourth. Hedgecock lined a two-out double to get things rolling in the Arkansas fourth, which led to Miller’s heroics.

Senior Morgan Lienstock replaced sophomore starter Robyn Herron in the circle for the Razorbacks, after SDSU sophomore Keira Carollio led off the second inning with a homer.

Leinstock went 2.2 innings, allowing just one run, while striking out five. Sophomore lefty Hannah Camenzind (4-0) pitched the final 3.1 innings and retired all 10 batters she faced to earn the win.

Arkansas (14-3) will continue its current 17-game homestand with a doubleheader Friday, facing Southeast Missouri State at 3 p.m., then Florida Atlantic at 5:30 p.m. Both games will be available on the SEC Network+, with former Razorback Sydney Parr Lee and Dorian Craft calling the game.

Arkansas softball wraps weekend with a 10-0 rout of UT-Arlington

Arkansas finished the weekend, winning five of six games and outscoring its opponents, 49-7.

Despite a slight hiccup with a loss on Friday, the No. 14 Arkansas softball team completed a stellar weekend in the Razorback Invitation on Sunday with a five-inning, 10-0 rout of Texas-Arlington at Bogle Park.

The Hogs (13-3) wrapped up the weekend 5-1 in their home debut. After falling to Wichita State on Friday, they came back to trounce the Shockers 15-4 on Saturday. They posted shutouts in four of the six game, with three ending early, via the run-rule.

Arkansas outscored its opponents, 49-7, during the event, and has now scored 108 runs this season, while giving up just 30.

Razorback sophomore right-hander Reis Beuerlein (2-0) went all five innings in the circle on Sunday, allowing just two hits and striking out three. She sat down 12 straight batters at one point.

After two scoreless innings against the Mavericks, Arkansas exploded with eight runs in the third frame. Senior Hannah Gammill smacked a run-scoring double, and Lauren Camenzind followed with a two-run double to make it 7-0.

Junior Raigan Kramer, who led off the third with a bunt single and stolen base, then drilled her second hit of the inning with an RBI-triple down the left-field line to boost the lead to eight. Kramer, sophomore Reagan Johnson and freshman Kennedy Miller each had a pair of hits in the contest.

Junior Carlee Ratcliff capped the scoring in the fourth, when she blasted a two-run, pinch-hit home run to center field, sending the crowd of 3,019 home with a smile.

Arkansas will next host the Woo Pig Classic, beginning Thursday, with South Dakota State, Southeast Missouri State and Florida Atlantic coming to Fayetteville. The Razorbacks will begin facing South Dakota State at 4 p.m., which can been seen on ESPN+.

The following weekend, March 7-10, will be the Razorback Rumble, as Nebraska, South Alabama, St. Francis and Northern Iowa visit Bogle Park.

 

Column: For 24 hours the Arkansas athletic department was the most dominant in the country.

Has Arkansas athletic ever had a more dominant 24 hours than what we saw between Friday and Saturday night?

The 2023-24 athletic season has not been kind to Arkansas fans.

Arkansas football failed to make a bowl game for the first time since Coach Sam Pittman came to Arkansas. To add insult to injury, stars like KJ Jefferson, Raheim “Rocket” Sanders, and Chris “Pooh” Paul all left the program, two for SEC foes.

Arkansas Basketball had national championship hopes after beating currently No. 3 ranked Purdue in the preseason and knocking off No. 8 Duke in the ACC/SEC challenge. But the Hogs fell below .500 in conference play for the first time in the Musselman era and now need a miracle to make the NCAA Tournament.

Until this weekend, Arkansas fans haven’t had much to be happy about this athletic year, but Friday night sparked 24 hours of record-breaking and dominant performances across all sports.

It all started with Arkansas baseball’s game against Oregon State. Despite being pulled after just one Inning against James Madison, Lefty Hagen Smith pitched one of the best games anyone in Hog uniform has ever pitched. Smith stuck out 17 of 18 batters in a lineup that could rival any in the country. The Hogs went on to beat the Beavers 5-4.

Not to be outdone by their male counterparts, the other Diamond Hogs wanted to create history of their own. Left-hander Robyn Herron saw Smith’s performance Friday night and said, “Eh, I can do better than that,” and boy, if she didn’t, she came very close. Herron Pitched a no-hitter for the second time in Arkansas history, beating Illinois State 7-0. She struck out 11 of the 21 batters she faced.

Just because the season has been disappointing for the Hardwood Hogs doesn’t mean they can’t have a day of their own. Khalif Battle went off yesterday in Arkansas’ 88-73 win over Mizzou. The transfer from Temple scored a whopping 42 points. The performance is good for the second-highest single-game point total this century, behind only Rotnei Clarke’s record of 51 points in 2009.

Last but certainly not least, the GymBacks beat No. 6 Kentucky 197.400 to 197.150. The win is against the highest-ranked team Arkansas has beaten since 2016. Their score of 197.400 is also good for tying the 4th highest score ever for the GymBacks.

You can also add in the fact that Arkansas Track and Field swept the SEC Indoor Championships, but that’s just the norm for the most dominant track and field program in the country.

It would be hard to find another 24-hour period where the Arkansas athletic department was so dominant across multiple sports, and it couldn’t have come soon enough for Arkansas fans.

Arkansas softball sweeps a pair, gets revenge against Wichita State

Arkansas rebounds to run-rule Wichita State 15-4 in Razorback Invitational.

After losing to Wichita State, 4-1, on Friday night, the No. 14 Arkansas softball team redeemed itself in a big way on Saturday, pitching a perfect game in a 7-0 win over Illinois State, then run-ruling the Shockers, 15-4, in five innings.

The Razorbacks (12-3) also set a new attendance record with crowd of 3,549.

The Razorbacks are now 4-1 on the weekend, as part of the four-day Razorback Invitational at Bogle Park. The Hogs will wrap things up Sunday at 12:15 p.m., facing Texas-Arlington.

Sophomore left-hander Robyn Herron (4-3) was brilliant in the circle against the Redbirds, throwing 86 pitches for her first-career perfect game – sitting down 21 straight batters. She struck out 11 and did not allow a walk, and now has a 1.30 ERA on the season, with a team-high 44 strikeouts in 37.2 innings.

It was the second perfect game in program history, along with former Hog Mary Haff’s 5-0 seven-inning victory, with 14 strikeout game in a win over Maryland in 2022.

Sophomore Lauren Camenzind and junior Raigan Kramer powered the Arkansas offense, each hitting two-run singles, as Arkansas scored all its runs in the first three innings. Junior Bri Ellis cracked her fourth home run of the season on a second-inning solo blast, while senior Rylin Hedgecock continued her stellar work at the plate, going 2-for-3.

Senior right-hander Morgan Leinstock began in the circle for the Razorbacks in the nightcap, going 3.1 innings and allowing just one unearned, while striking out five. Three of the Shockers’ four runs were unearned.

Hannah Camenzind (3-0) came in with two outs in the fourth to finish off the Wichita State lineup, tossing 1.1 innings to earn the win.

Arkansas fell behind 1-0 in the top of the third, but quickly came back to take a 2-1 lead it in the bottom of the inning. Junior Bri Ellis blasted her fifth homer of the season, a two-run shot to left.

Wichita re-took a 3-2 lead in the top of the fourth, which only seemed to wake up the Razorback bats. Arkansas plated 13 runs in the bottom half of the inning to virtually put the game out of reach.

The Hogs batted around on nine hits in the inning, without a homer. The biggest blow came from sophomore Reagan Johnson, who drilled a two-run tripled to left.

Freshman Kennedy Miller, senior Cylie Halvorson and Kramer each had two base hits, as Halvorson knocked in a team-high four runs.