Category: Arkansas Softball

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.

No. 14 Arkansas softball team splits pair in Razorback Invitational

Arkansas softball now 10-3 after splitting a pair in Razorback Invitational.

The No. 14 Arkansas softball team made short work on Texas-Arlington Friday, needing just six innings to dismantle the Maverick, 9-0. But the late game didn’t have quite the same luster, falling to Wichita State, 3-1, on the second day of the Razorback Invitation at Bogle Park.

The Razorbacks (10-3) got stout pitching performances from sophomore left-hander Hannah Camenzind (2-0) and sophomore righty Nikki McGaffin, who combined on the six-hit shutout. Camenzind scattered four hits and struck out a career-high five Mavericks, keeping her record unblemished this season.

McGaffin tossed the final inning, allowing just one hit and effectively working around a runner at third base.

The Arkansas bats were cool early, as the Hogs led by just one run after three innings. After making some adjustments at the plate, the bats lit up and led to eight more runs in the final three frames.

Senior Cylie Halvorson smashed a pair of solo home runs – tying her career-high – to lead the hit parade. Rylin Hedgecock continued her torrid start to the season, going 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs batted in and two runs scored, while freshman catcher Kennedy Miller slugged one of her nine hits this season, an RBI-triple in the fifth. Even Camenzind showed her versatility on the field as a two-way player, going 2-for-2 and knocking in two runs.

Hedgecock put the Hogs up, 1-0, in the second, scoring on Miller’s sacrifice fly to left. A two-out rally in the fourth led to two more Razorback runs, including Camenzind’s RBI single up the middle.

Halvorson led off the fifth with a homer to center field, followed by Miller’s triple that boosted the lead to 6-0. Halverson then delivered another deep shot to right-center in the sixth.

In the nightcap, senior left-hander Robyn Herron took her third tough loss of the season, going 3.2 innings and giving up just two runs on four hits, and striking out three Shockers. Senior righty Morgan Leinstock finished off the final 3.1 innings, holding Wichita State to a single run on five hits, while fanning five.

Sophomore leadoff hitter Reagan Johnson extended her hitting streak to seven games and also notched her seventh multi-hit game of the season, with two more hits, while scoring the Hogs’ lone run. Miller also stayed hot in Game 2 with a pair of hits.

Arkansas looks to bounce back on Saturday, taking on Illinois State at 3 p.m., followed by a rematch with Wichita State at 5:30 p.m.

No. 14 Razorback softball team opens home tourney with a win

Arkansas softball defeated Illinois State on Thursday in the Razorback Invitational.

The No. 14 Arkansas softball team finally got to play on its home field Thursday, turning in another shutout in front of 2,824 loyal fans – the largest opening-day crowd in program history – at Bogle Park,

The Razorbacks plated four runs in the bottom of the first inning, powered by Hannah Gammill‘s three-run blast to center, to take the early control, en route to a 7-0 victory over Illinois State on the first of the four-day Razorback Invitational.

Three Arkansas pitchers combined to hold the Redbirds scoreless, while scattering five hits. Sophomore right-hander Reis Beuerlein (1-0) opened the game in the circle for the Hogs, slinging four scoreless innings. She gave up three hits and struck out one.

Fellow sophomore righty Nikki McGaffin entered in the fifth, retiring three of the four batters she faced, including a strikeout. Senior Morgan Leinstock came in to pitch the final two frames, limiting the Redbirds to just one hit.

Seven Razorbacks recorded at least one hit in the game, with sophomore Reagan Johnson again leading the offensive attack. The Karnes City, Texas, product went 2-for-4 on the day, making it her seventh multi-hit game of the season, and her fourth in a row. Senior Rylin Hedgecock had a perfect day at the plate, going 2-for-2 with an RBI and a walk.

Arkansas is back in action on Day 2 of the Razorback Invitational, on Friday at Bogle Park. The Razorbacks battle UT-Arlington at 3 p.m. before facing off with Wichita State at 5:30 p.m. No streaming will be available throughout the weekend, but fans are encouraged to follow along on social media and via live stats, at ArkansasRazorbacks.com.

Arkansas softball team back home to host Razorback Invitational

No. 14 Razorback softball team to host Invitational this weekend.

After opening the season with a pair of successful weekend road tournaments, the Arkansas softball team finally gets to play in front of the home crowd at Bogle Park.

No. 14 Arkansas (8-2) is hosting the annual Razorback Invitational this weekend and will open play Thursday at 4 p.m. against Illinois State. They will play the Redbirds twice over the four-day event, as well as a pair of games against both, Texas-Arlington and Wichita State.

“They are really strong,” Razorbacks Head Coach Courtney Deifel said of the opposing teams in the event. “We are playing them for a reason. It’s another non-con weekend where we’re going to be challenged.”

The Hogs will play a pair of games Friday – UTA at 3 p.m. and Wichita State at 5:30 p.m. – and two more on Saturday, facing Illinois State at 3 p.m. and the Lady Shockers again at 5:30 p.m. They will wrap things up with Arlington on Sunday, beginning at 12:15 p.m.

“We love playing at home,” Deifel said with a huge grin. “We have one of the best stadiums, with one of the best fields … and some of the best fans in the country. I’m excited that we are home this weekend, and I’m excited that we’re home for three weeks in a row.”

Arkansas will host the Woo Pig Classic next weekend, facing the likes of South Dakota State, Southeast Missouri State and Florida Atlantic. The following weekend, the Hogs will host Nebraska, South Alabama, St. Francis and Northern Iowa in the Razorback Rumble.

After the 17-game homestand, Arkansas will begin the SEC slate at Auburn on March 15.

The Razorbacks began the season two weeks ago, going 4-1 in the Paradise Classic in South Florida, then went 4-1 again in Arizona’s Bear Down Fiesta last weekend. That event included a split of two games against powerhouse No. 23 Arizona.

Deifel, who is in her ninth season at the helm, and the winningest coach in program history, is happy with her team’s early performance, but knows there is always room for improvement.

“I just feel like we’ve done a really good job, defensively, and we’ve got so many tools, offensively,” she said, “but I don’t think we have fired, from one through nine. I do think that last Saturday and Sunday we did take a step in the right direction. I don’t think we are there yet, but I definitely like the steps we have taken.

“The big thing is knowing that potential, knowing what this lineup could be, with different ones stepping up in big moments. We know our best softball is still ahead of us. When we all start firing together it’s going to be a really dynamic lineup.”

Sophomore lead-off hitter Reagan Johnson has begun the season with her bat on fire, leading the team with a .462 average, including a team-high 18 hits and six stolen bases.

Junior Auburn-transfer Bri Ellis has brought the power to the lineup, with a team-high three home runs, while slugging at a .759 percent clip. Collectively, the Razorbacks hit seven total home runs in Arizona, while outscoring their opposition 26-8 over the five games.

In the circle, the Arkansas pitching staff has been stellar. In 36 innings pitched last weekend, the staff did not give up a home run in a location known as a hitter’s “launching pad.”

“I was really proud of how they competed this past weekend, in an environment where the ball flies,” Deifel said. “I just thought our pitchers and our defense did a really good job of limiting the other offenses.”

Senior right-hander Morgan Leinstock and lefty Robyn Herron have been sensational slinging the ball. Leinstock (3-0) has tossed 19.2 innings with a 1.07 ERA and 22 strikeouts, while Herron (3-2) has thrown 27 innings with a 1.30 ERA and 30 strikeouts. Neither has allowed a home run.

The Razorbacks are 7-1 in home openers under Deifel, and are seeking their eighth straight home-opening win, dating back to 2017.

Leinstock’s one-hit gem leads Razorback softball over Omaha

Right-hander Morgan Leinstock went all seven innings Sunday, allowing just one earned run and striking out eight.

Arkansas senior right-hander Morgan Leinstock allowed just one base hit Sunday in a 5-2 complete-game victory over Omaha, wrapping up the Bear Down Fiesta in Arizona.

It was a homecoming of sorts for Leinstock (3-0), a Southern Miss transfer, who is originally from nearby Scottsdale, Ariz. She allowed just one earned run to the Lady Mavericks and struck out eight of the 27 batters she faced.

The No. 13 Razorbacks (8-2) went 4-1 over the weekend, including a two-game split with host Arizona.

Leinstock retired the first seven Omaha batters she faced, before allowing a third-inning walk. She was flawless, other than a slight hiccup in the fifth, with the Razorbacks already up 5-0. She hit a batter, then allowed a one-out walk. Her lone hit allowed was a 2-run double by Omaha’s Lynsey Tucker.

In 13 innings this weekend, Leinstock went 2-0, allowing just that one hit and striking out 15. In 19.2 total innings this season, she has a stellar 0.71 ERA with 22 strikeouts.

Arkansas collected 10 hits on the day, with sophomore Reagan Johnson, and seniors Hannah Gammill and Rylin Hedgecock recording two knocks each.

The Razorbacks jumped ahead 2-0 in the bottom of the second, as junior Bri Ellis led off the inning with a single, then came home on senior Cylie Halvorson‘s two-run blast to right-center field.

The Hogs put three more up in the third to boost the lead to five. Johnson got the rally started when she led off with a bunt single, and immediately stole her sixth base of the season. After junior Raigan Kramer singled, senior Nia Carter reached on a fielder’s choice to load the bases. Johnson then scored on Ellis’ sacrifice fly to make it 3-0.

Kramer came home on another sacrifice fly by Halvorson. Gammill followed with a single and scored on another base hit from Hedgecock, to make it 5-0.

The Hogs outscored their opponents 26-8 over the weekend, while smashing seven home runs. And despite Hillenbrand Stadium’s reputation for being hitter-friendly, Razorback pitchers combined to give up just five earned runs in Tucson, spanning 36 innings, without allowing a homer.

The red-hot Johnson finished the weekend with three-straight multi-hit games, giving her a team-high six multi-hit performances this season.

Arkansas will make its home debut on Thursday, facing Illinois State in the first of a four-day Razorback Invitational. First pitch at Bogle Park is slated for 4 p.m.

Arkansas softball gets revenge, topples host Arizona in Tucson

Lefty Roby Herron continues to shine in the circle with win over Arizona.

A day after losing a heart-breaker to host Arizona in the Bear Down Fiesta, the No. 13 Arkansas softball team returned the favor on Saturday, handing the Wildcats their first loss of the season.

The Razorbacks (7-2) entered the event’s second day with an breezy 9-2 win over Omaha, before exacting some revenge in a 3-2 win over Arizona (9-1).

Across both games on Saturday, Arkansas outhit its opposition 20-11, and allowed just four runs over 14 innings of play.

Omaha actually jumped in front of the Hogs 2-0 in the first inning of Game 1, but couldn’t contain the red-hot Arkansas bats. Junior Bri Ellis led off the second inning with her third home run of the weekend, a shot to left-center field, cutting the lead to one. The Razorbacks took control with four runs in the fourth and four more in the seventh.

The Hogs racked up six hits in that fourth frame, including a huge three-run bomb to left by senior Rylin Hedgecock.

Sophomores Rylee Cloud and Reagan Johnson led off the seventh with back-to-back doubles. Seniors Nia Carter and Cylie Halvorson then both added run-scoring doubles later in the inning, to put the game on ice.

In Game 2, sophomore left-hander Robyn Herron (3-2) continued her blazing start in the circle, cooling off the Wildcat bats for the second straight day.

After holding Arizona to just one run on two hits in 6.1 innings on Friday, the Florida native went all seven innings against the home team on Saturday. She held the Cats to just two runs on five hits, striking out three along the way. Herron has already tossed 27 innings this season, with a slim 1.30 ERA and 30 strikeouts.

The Hogs shot out to a 2-0 first-inning lead this time around, as Johnson and junior Raigan Kramer both reached base, then pulled off a double steal to start the rally. Johnson scored on Carter’s fielder’s choice and Kramer came home on a a fielding error.

After Arizona cut the lead to 2-1 in the second, senior Hannah Gammill blasted her second home run of the season in the fourth inning, to make it 3-1.

The Wildcats then cut the lead back to one with a sacrifice fly in the fifth, but Herron proceeded to shut them down the rest of the way, giving up just one meaningless hit over the final two frames.

The Razorbacks will wrap up the weekend in Tucson on Sunday, facing Omaha again at 10 a.m. The game will be available to stream on FloSoftball.

Arkansas will then return to Bogle Park for its home opener on Thursday, facing Illinois State at 4 p.m., in the first of the four-day Razorback Invitational.