Category: Arkansas Softball

Arkansas softball hires new hitting coach with Oklahoma ties

Arkansas softball to add Utah assistant DJ Gasso

Patty Gasso has built a softball empire at Oklahoma, recently winning a seventh National Championship.

One of her sons is coming to Fayetteville to help the bats at the plate.

According to D1 Softball, DJ Gasso is expected to join Arkansas as the new hitting coach. Gasso held the same position on the Utes’ staff for three seasons, where he helped the team make significant progress in their offensive statistics, averaging six runs a game this season. Under his guidance, four hitters from the team earned All-Conference status in 2022

The Utes Coaching Staff, which included Gasso, was awarded Coaching Staff of the Year by D1Softball for leading the team to the WCWS this past summer. The Utes’ team average increased to .327, ranking them fifth-best in the NCAA in 2023, 60 points higher than before Gasso joined the coaching staff.

Before his time with the Utes, Gasso served on his mother’s coaching staff at Oklahoma, where he worked alongside his brother JT.

Gasso will be taking over a lineup that hit 69 home runs last season. However, during the Regionals against Oregon, the team’s bats went cold. It will be intriguing to witness the upcoming showdown when Oklahoma and his mom’s team officially become part of the SEC.

Hannah Gammill added to USA Softball team for Japan All-Star Series

USA Softball announced Arkansas softball slugger, Hannah Gammill, will join the U.S. Women’s National Team for the 2023 Japan All-Star Series.

USA Softball announced Arkansas softball slugger, Hannah Gammill, will join the U.S. Women’s National Team for the 2023 Japan All-Star Series from August 4-7.

In three seasons at Arkansas, Gammill has established herself as the heart and soul of the Razorbacks. After being named an All-American her sophomore season, she was named as one of the top 50 players to watch by USA Softball coming into the 2023 season. 

The team, consisting of 16 players, will compete in a three-game series against Japan, the world’s second-ranked team. The games will be held in Fukushima, Iwakuni, and Yokohama. The Japan All-Star Series WNT comprises 12 players from NCAA Division I universities spread across five athletic conferences (AAC – 1, ACC – 1, Big 12 – 4, Pac-12 – 5, SEC – 5). 

This squad is the second WNT roster to be announced for the 2023 season, in addition to the previously announced World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) World Cup roster that will represent the U.S. in Dublin, Ireland in July. 

The Women’s National Team Selection Committee (WNTSC) selected athletes based on their performance at collegiate levels and WNT events, trials, and camps. 

Additional rosters for the 2023 season will be announced later this year.

Mississippi State hurler transfers to Arkansas

Arkansas continues to add to its pitching arsenal in softball, as Mississippi State transfer Reis Beuerlein joined the Razorbacks.

Courtney Deifel continues her raid of SEC rivals this offseason.

On Tuesday, Mississippi State pitcher Reis Beuerlein committed to the Razorback softball program.

Beuerlein was steady for the Bulldogs in 2023, compiling a 3.13 ERA in 76 innings worked. She struck out 69 and opponents only mustered a .269 average against her.

In high school, she was ranked the No. 62 player in the country by Extra Innings softball.

With the loss of Chenise Delce, Deifel knew she was going to have to find someone to replace that production in the circle.

She joins a transfer portal class of Nia Long (Iowa), Morgan Leinstock (Southern Miss) and Bri Ellis (Auburn).

Rylin Hedgecock not just an All-American, but nation’s Most Improved Player

Hedgecock’s season saw her hit the third most home runs in school history.

It took four years for Rylin Hedgecock to become a starter for Arkansas. But it was that improvement that everyone noticed.

The Razorbacks’ designated player, already named an All-American, was named the nation’s Most Improved Player by D1Softball on Monday. Hedgecock hit .335 with a .459 on-base percentage and a .774 mark slugging with 21 home runs, 62 RBI and 41 runs.

Her home-run mark was fifth in the nation and her RBI total ranked ninth and both marks are third in the Arkansas record book for a single season.

The Georgia native started to show signs in 2022 when she started 14 games. Her breakout came against Oregon in the NCAA Tournament when her bases-clearing knock lifted Arkansas over the Ducks, 7-3.

The Razorbacks made the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight season behind Hedgecock’s play at the plate and were the No. 11-seed in hosting the Fayetteville Regional.

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Former Auburn star Ellis chooses Arkansas late Sunday

Former Auburn first baseman Bri Ellis chose to transfer to Arkansas and Courtney Deifel on Sunday.

Bri Ellis has one of the most powerful bats in SEC softball.

She will be swinging it for Arkansas next spring, as the first baseman announced on Twitter late Sunday night that she was transferring to Courtney Deifel’s Razorbacks.

Ellis was the SEC Freshman of the Year in 2022 when she hit 20 home runs and batted .302.

Last season she only hit 14 home runs but played in all 62 games and led the team with 47 RBI.

She joins a transfer portal class that includes Nia Carter and Morgan Leinstock.

Razorbacks land pitcher for rotation next year out of transfer portal

Arkansas needed another arm after losing Chenise Delce.

Morgan Leinstock is going to be a Razorback.

The former Southern Mississippi and Arizona State pitcher announced her commitment to Arkansas from the transfer portal on Thursday. She played the last three seasons for the Golden Eagles.

Leinstock was Southern Miss’ best player last year, leading the team with 2.56 earned-run average and 185 strikeouts in 183 innings. Opposing batters hit just .232 against her as she also racked up 17 complete games and four saves.

An Arizona native, Leinstock started her career at ASU in 2020, but pitched in just one game.

Arkansas lost ace Chenise Delce to exhausted eligibility in the offseason, so the Razorbacks needed another arm on the staff. Leinstock fits the bill.

The Razorbacks were the No. 11-seed in the NCAA Tournament this year, hosting the Fayetteville Regional. The season marked the third straight Arkansas had won 40 games or more and finished in the top four in the SEC.

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Arkansas lands top recruit out of transfer portal from Iowa

Nia Carter hit almost .500 with the Hawkeyes last year.

Nia Carter is what you might call a table-setter.

An extremely good table-setter.

The former Iowa outfielder announced Arkansas as her destination from the transfer portal on Monday. She hit .479, the third best mark in Division I, last year for the Hawkeyes and will have one season of eligibility left.

Carter’s 101 hits were 22 more than Arkansas’ leading hitter, Reagan Johnson, had in 2023 and her 45 runs would have ranked her second on the Razorbacks.

For her season, Carter was named a third-team All-American. She’ll team alongside Johnson and Raigan Kramer in the Arkansas outfield to give the Hogs one of the best in the country.

“We’re excited the Big Ten’s hits leader is going to be a Razorback,” Arkansas coach Courtney Deifel said. “Nia has proven year in and year out to be one of the most electric players in the game. Her dynamic offense will quickly win over our incredible fan base, and we’re so thrilled she’s chosen Arkansas as her final home.”

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Arkansas outfielder named Freshman All-American

As far as individual seasons, Reagan Johnson had one of the best in school history for the Razorbacks.

Reagan Johnson may have been Arkansas’ best player this season.

She’s only a freshman.

Johnson, an outfielder from Texas, led the Razorbacks in batting average, hits, runs, stolen bases and triples en route to Freshman All-American honors bestowed by D1Softball on Tuesday.

Johnson hit .378 with 79 knocks, 47 runs, 18 steals and four triples. She was named a finalist for National Freshman of the Year back in April and her 79 base hits are the third highest total in school history, regardless of class.

Her single-season steal mark is seventh, her run total is 10th and her batting average is sixth.

Arkansas finished the year 40-19 and hosted the Fayetteville Regional in the NCAA Tournament. The Razorbacks were eliminated by Oregon.

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Arkansas’ softball season is over after surprise defeats to Oregon

Arkansas was eliminated from its own NCAA Tournament Regional on Sunday by Oregon.

The Arkansas softball team spent most of the last three seasons as one of the nation’s best teams.

But the two straight Super Regional appearances by the Razorbacks will stop at just that number.

Oregon, the No. 2-seed in the Fayetteville Regional, beat Arkansas, 14-4, on Sunday to go a perfect 3-0 in the tournament and advance to Supers. The win came a day after the Ducks sent Arkansas to the loser’s bracket with a 10-4 win.

The Razorbacks’ trailed just 5-4 entering the fifth inning, but Oregon dropped nine in the frame to force the run-rule finish.

Arkansas’ season came to end 40-19 record. The last two seasons the Razorbacks lost 11 games each year.

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Arkansas softball vs Oregon – How to watch, stream NCAA Tournament

An Arkansas win in the first game would set up another in the evening with the winner headed to Super Regionals.

The crowd Bogle Park on Saturday will be raucous. They’ll also be hoping for two games instead of one.

That’s because Arkansas, the top-seed in the Fayetteville Regional of the NCAA Tournament, will attempt to battle back from the loser’s bracket against Oregon. First pitch of the initial game is scheduled for 1 p.m. If the Razorbacks win, the two teams will play again later in the day with the winner advancing to the Super Regionals.

Oregon beat Arkansas on Saturday, 10-4, then the Hogs turned around and elimated Notre Dame, 5-0, to set up Sunday’s game. Or games.

If the Ducks were to win, the advancement into the Supers would be their first such since 2018, though they did make it to that round every year from 2010 until 2018.

If Arkansas wins, it would be the Razorbacks’ third straight appearance in the round and fourth in school history.

Here’s how to check out the game if you’re not headed to campus after lunch.