The story so far through the first two games of Arkansas’ series with LSU has been offense production. In Saturday’s opener, both teams combined to record 23 hits with just three strikeouts in Arkansas’ 8-7 win.
Sunday would be no different, as both teams combined to hit 17 times, with each pitching staff grabbing five strikeouts each.
The difference would be one swing of the bat by LSU’s Georgia Clark. Clark broke a 4-4 tie in the top of the 7th inning by hitting a bases-loaded to double to plate three runs, giving the Tigers the 7-4 win on Sunday, forcing a rubber match on Monday night.
Arkansas grabbed control of the game early, but could not fight off a furious LSU comeback, as the Tigers scored six of their seven runs over the final two innings. LSU grabbed their first lead of the game on a three-run blast by Ali Newland, giving the Tigers the 4-3 lead over the Razorbacks. Newland would end the day with four RBI, as she put her squad on the board in the top of the 4th inning on an RBI double to left center to cut into Arkansas’ 2-1 lead.
The Razorbacks grabbed an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the 1st inning on a double by Kacie Hoffman. Hoffman took advantage of two earlier walks in the inning to Taylor Ellsworth and Danielle Gibson, scoring both runners on the double to right field.
Ellsworth would extend Arkansas’ lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the 5th inning on a solo home run, her sixth home run of the season. The Razorbacks responded to LSU’s three-run home run in the 6th on a single by Audrey LaValley to tie the game at 4-4 going into the final inning.
The Razorbacks would end the game on three straight groundouts following the three-run double by Newland in the 7th inning, ending the comeback effort.
Ellsworth, LaValley, and Hoffman had two hits each in the game, with Hoffman leading the team in RBI with two. Mary Haff took the loss in the circle for Arkansas, as she allowed three earned runs in 1.1 innings. Chenise Delce struck out five batters, and allowed seven hits and four earned runs in her start.
Arkansas looks to bounce back on Monday in game three of the series with LSU. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Bogle Park, and can be seen on SEC Network.
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