Tag: Kacie Hoffman

Arkansas Softball lands slugger from Transfer Portal

Arkansas Softball lands Duke’s leading batter from last season, which will help rebuild a depleted roster heading into 2023.

The leading batter from one of the ACC’s top programs becomes the newest member of the “Bogle Bombers”

Kristina Foreman, a graduate transfer from Duke, has committed to Arkansas the program announced Saturday.

โ€œShe is a proven competitor that has performed and produced at an elite level through her time at Duke,” says head coach [autotag]Courtney Diefel[/autotag] in a press release. “She brings a great deal of experience and power to our already dynamic lineup. On top of that, she is an incredibly impressive student and leader, and there is no doubt she will make an immediate impact on our program.โ€

Foreman will look to build on the Razorbacks program record in 2022, where they hit 109 home runs. They have lost most of that production due to graduation, however. Power bats such as [autotag]Danielle Gibson[/autotag], [autotag]Linnie Malkin[/autotag], [autotag]Hannah McEwen[/autotag], [autotag]Taylor Ellsworth[/autotag], and [autotag]KB Sides[/autotag] have since left the program. However, Foreman will fit in with those returning, such as [autotag]Hannah Gammill[/autotag] and[autotag] Kacie Hoffman[/autotag].

Foreman led the Blue Devils in average (.368) and RBI (56) in 48 starts primarily at second base. She earned a spot on the ACC Tournament team, as well as second-team All-ACC honors. She was a part of the first team in program history to earn a trip to the NCAA Super Regionals in 2022.’

[mm-video type=video id=01g5ksj9ybf14yg543xd playlist_id=01fc3h383th881vsf1 player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g5ksj9ybf14yg543xd/01g5ksj9ybf14yg543xd-1dbea5d55e038c2548c54d2435542da8.jpg]

[vertical-gallery id=9587]

Hooked ’em! Arkansas takes game one of Super Regionals from Texas

Arkansas Softball is just one win away from a trip to OKC following a series-opening win over Texas on Thursday.

Fans that attended the opener of the Fayetteville Super Regional at Bogle Park were spectacular, and Arkansas Softball rewarded them with a victory.

Behind a strong offensive push in the later innings, the Razorbacks claim game one of the best-of-three Super Regional with Texas, beating the Longhorns, 7-1.

The Razorback defense got out of a jam in the top half of the 5th inning, which swung much-needed momentum towards the Arkansas bats. The Razorbacks were able to grab three runs.

After allowing two hits and an intentional walk in the inning, [autotag]Chenise Delce[/autotag] became locked in a battle with Texas power-hitter Bella Dayton, which ultimately ended in a ground out to [autotag]Audrie LaValley[/autotag] at 2nd base, keeping the Longhorns off of the scoreboard.

That was the play that Arkansas needed to get going offensively. The bats finally struck gold in the bottom half of the inning, as Arkansas left a total of seven runners stranded on base without a run to show for it through the first four innings. That changed with [autotag]Hannah Gammill[/autotag] stepped in the batter’s box.

After [autotag]Hannah McEwen[/autotag] reached on a leadoff double, and [autotag]Danielle Gibson[/autotag] was intentionally walked, Gammill hit a bloop single over the head of Texas’ Alyssa Washington to score McEwen to give Arkansas the 1-0 lead.

[autotag]Linnie Malkin[/autotag] kept the streak going by hitting a single to center field to load the bases for [autotag]Kacie Hoffman[/autotag]. Hoffman hit a ground ball to 2nd base, which looked to set up a routine out with a throw home. However, the throw was wide, which allowed Gibson and Gammill to score to extend the Razorbacks’ lead to 3-0.

The Razorbacks added four insurance runs in the 6th inning. Gammill grabbed her second RBI of the day by scoring McEwen on a single, and she later scored on a single by Malkin.

History repeated itself in the inning, as Hoffman would again hit a ground ball in the infield, which turned into a Texas error. The wide throw to 1st base from Texas’ Mia Scott allowed two more runs to score, pushing Arkansas’ lead to 7-0.

Texas scored their first and only run in the bottom of the 7th inning. With the bases loaded, Texas’ Mia Scott hit a grounder to 2nd base, which Arkansas used to get the out at 2nd, allowing the run from 3rd base to score. Bella Dayton flew out to McEwen in the next at-bat to close the game.

Arkansas was led offensively by Hannah Gammill’s three-hit, two-RBI night. Hannah McEwen also had three hits in the game while Linnie Malkin and former Longhorn [autotag]Taylor Ellsworth[/autotag] picked up multiple hits.

In a complete game performance, Chenise Delce struck out six Longhorns while allowing six hits and walking one batter.

Game two of the Super Regionals is set for 5:30 p.m. CDT on Friday at Bogle Park. The game can be seen on ESPN2. An Arkansas win will send them to Oklahoma City for the program’s first-ever trip to the Women’s College World Series.

[listicle id=8826]

Rivalry rekindled: Arkansas Softball set to host Texas for a spot in the WCWS

A rivalry series for a shot at the Women’s College World Series? Count us in.

The rivalry between two former Southwest Conference foes begins a new chapter on Thursday, that in the form of softball.

The Arkansas Razorbacks, winner of the Fayetteville Regional, is set to host the winner of the Seattle Regional, Texas, in the Super Regionals this weekend at Bogle Park for a shot to compete in the Women’s College World Series.

The Razorbacks defeated Oregon on Sunday, 9-3 to close a perfect 3-0 weekend in their home-standing regional led by a four home run game from the likes of Danielle Gibson, Kacie Hoffman, Linnie Malkin, and KB Sides. Despite there being four home runs hit, the leader at the plate was [autotag]Rylin Hedgecock[/autotag], as she hit a three-RBI double in the 6th inning, an inning where the Razorbacks scored six runs to put the game away.

For Texas, they were one of five teams to win their regional despite not hosting. Competing in the Seattle Regional hosted by Washington, Texas defeated the Huskies twice over the weekend to advance to the Super Regionals. After defeating Washington 8-2 on Saturday, the Longhorns fell to the Huskies, 2-1 to set up a winner-take-all game seven.

In the final game of the weekend, the score was deadlocked at 0-0 until the 5th inning when Bella Dayton doubled down the left field line to score two runs, giving Texas the 2-0 lead. The Longhorn’s final blow came when Jenae Jefferson hit a solo home run in the top of the 7th to extend the lead to 3-0. That home run really came at a great time, as the Huskies scored two runs in the bottom half of the inning to trim Texas’ lead to 3-2, but ultimately ran out of outs and taking the defeat.

The Razorbacks and Longhorns begin their three-game set on Thursday evening at 6 p.m. CDT at Bogle Park. The game will be televised on ESPN 2.

[listicle id=8820]

Arkansas Softball signs team-wide NIL deal with Wright’s Barbecue

The team-wide deal with Wright’s Barbecue in Johnson and Bentonville is the second such deal that Arkansas Softball has inked this season.

Since the new Name, Image, and Likeness policy was put into place by the NCAA last July, many student-athletes across the nation have received benefits by promoting a business through social media and other outlets.

For athletes at the University of Arkansas, one of the big names in “NIL” opportunities has been Wright’s Barbecue in Johnson and Bentonville.

Wright’s Barbecue has teamed up with 40 Razorback athletes through various gift card and merchandise deals, as well as royalty deals through two baseball players in [autotag]Robert Moore[/autotag] and [autotag]Michael Turner[/autotag]. Moore and Turner’s deals include special menu items that fans can purchase at Baum-Walker Stadium including “Turner’s Oppo Taco”, a walking taco named after Michael Turner, and Robert Moore’s “Big Bob Brisket.”

Wright’s Barbecue has struck yet another deal with members of Arkansas athletics, the entire softball team.

Tweets from athletes such as [autotag]Mary Haff[/autotag], [autotag]Hannah Gammill[/autotag], and [autotag]Kacie Hoffman[/autotag] began circulating following the Razorbacks’ SEC Tournament Championship win last Sunday over Missouri, which proclaimed that they were now “Wrights Athletes.”

Jordan Wright with Wright’s Barbecue tells Razorbacks Wire that the idea for the NIL deal came from attending a youth softball game.

“We ran into (head coach) Courtney Diefel and Hannah Gammill at my daughter’s softball game and I was like, we need to get this done for you all,” says Wright. “Y’all are having a great season and it would be fun for all players before regionals started. They all jumped on board.”

Wright’s Barbecue is a staple among Razorbacks fans and athletes alike. With the NIL rule now being used as a factor in promoting business, Wright’s wants to give back to the student-athletes who regularly patronize their restaurants.

“We like to be proactive and ask athletes to do deals instead of fielding requests all of the time,” says Wright. “We want to make it easy for athletes to get deals, not harder.”

This is the second such NIL opportunity that Arkansas Softball has inked. Last month, Everett Buick GMC partnered with Arkansas Softball in a team-wide deal that promotes more visibility in women’s sports through Buick’s “See Her Greatness” campaign.

[mm-video type=video id=01g126e2j5e6vxwhcxdd playlist_id=none player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g126e2j5e6vxwhcxdd/01g126e2j5e6vxwhcxdd-e16c0be95a1a32f3b17fbf4233f016ac.jpg]

[listicle id=8749]

Arkansas Softball wins SEC Tournament, earns no. 4 seed in NCAA Tournament

For the first time in program history, the Arkansas Razorbacks are SEC Tournament Champions!

The Arkansas Razorbacks wrapped up a special regular season on Saturday evening by defeating Missouri, 4-0 in the SEC Softball Tournament Championship Game at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium in Gainesville, Fla.

Arkansas had played well in all areas leading up to the championship game, only allowing one run in two previous games, which included the host Florida Gators. Missouri had played well defensively as well, not allowing a run in wins over two top-seeded teams in Alabama and Tennessee, as well as Auburn.

But one of the nation’s top offenses prevailed again, leading Arkansas to their first-ever SEC Tournament Championship.

Three of Arkansas’ four runs came on RBI singles. After Arkansas led off the inning with two singles, [autotag]Danielle Gibson[/autotag] put the Razorbacks on the board with a single to score [autotag]KB Sides[/autotag] to give Arkansas the 1-0 lead.

[autotag]Marlene Friedman[/autotag] followed suit in the 2nd inning by driving home [autotag]Kacie Hoffman[/autotag], who led off the inning with a triple. The final RBI single of the game came in the 5th inning by [autotag]Hannah McEwen[/autotag] to give Arkansas the 3-0 lead. Arkansas’ final run was scored on a wild pitch later in the 5th to solidify the win.

In all, Arkansas outhit Missouri, 11-2. In the circle, [autotag]Chenise Delce[/autotag] struck out five batters and issued zero walks in the complete game effort.

Once the dust settled, Arkansas’ postseason fate was learned. The Razorbacks will host the Fayetteville Regional as the national No. 4 seed, which means that if the Razorbacks come out victorious in this regional, they will host the Super Regionals next weekend. Arkansas welcomes Oregon, Wichita State, and Princeton to Bogle Park for the 2022 regional.

Arkansas is paired with the Seattle Regional, hosted by no. 13 seed Washington. Teams included in the regional are Washington, Texas, Weber State, and Lehigh.

How did the series win over Kentucky affect Arkansas in the latest polls?

Did Arkansas receive a boost following a series win over a top-15 team? The answer will surprise you.

As Rodney Dangerfield famously said, “I get no respect.”

The same sentiment can be felt by Arkansas Softball, who got no respect in the latest polls following a series win over a top-15 team over the weekend.

After winning two of three games over then-No. 12 Kentucky at home last weekend, Arkansas makes no jump in either of the four major polls, remaining at their same spot from a week ago.

While there was no movement in the polls this week, the Razorbacks have a chance to boost their stock yet again this upcoming weekend on the road. Arkansas travels to Gainesville, Fla. to face the No. 11 Florida Gators beginning Friday night.

Delce named SEC Pitcher of the Week

Delce wins player of the week following the sweep of Auburn, where she posted a 0.00 ERA in all three games.

Since transferring from Tulsa, [autotag]Chenise Delce[/autotag] has become an anchor for the Arkansas pitching staff.

After a near-perfect performance in the weekend sweep of No.17 Auburn, Delce was named SEC Pitcher of the Week, the league office announced Tuesday.

Arkansas’ Chenise Delce, a junior right-hander from Oklahoma City, Okla., earned two wins and compiled a 0.00 ERA in the series sweep over No. 17 Auburn. Delce tallied 15 strikeouts in 7.2 innings and held her opponents to a .080 batting average. She gave up just two hits, with one extra base hit, over the three games and struck out all four batters she faced in relief in the series finale on Sunday.

Delce joins a long list of Razorbacks who have won weekly honors from the Southeastern Conference this season. [autotag]Hannah Gammill[/autotag] and [autotag]Mary Haff[/autotag] won Player of the Week and Pitcher of the week respectively on March 15 following a 3-0 weekend at Liberty and James Madison. [autotag]Danielle Gibson[/autotag] won Player of the Week one week later after hitting three home runs in the series at Tennessee. Finally, [autotag]Kacie Hoffman[/autotag] won Freshman of the Week after grabbing five hits in the series with LSU.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01fc3h383th881vsf1 player_id=none image=https://razorbackswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

[listicle id=7885]

Razorbacks make statement in sweep of Auburn

Arkansas Softball continues to prove why they are one of the best programs in the country following a sweep of No. 17 Auburn

Arkansas Softball saved the best for last in Sunday’s finale against Auburn.

The No. 10 Razorbacks entered the weekend as winners of three-straight SEC series and needed a key series win against No. 17 Auburn to send a message to the pollsters and the rest of the SEC that they were as good as advertised.

The message was sent loud and clear, as Arkansas put on an offensive clinic Sunday in their 17-4 win over Auburn, giving them the weekend sweep over the Tigers.

Arkansas pressed their foot to the gas and never let up, as they scored at least four runs in every inning against the Tigers, with their biggest inning being the 1st inning, where five runs were sent across the plate to score.

Most of the offensive production came off the bats of [autotag]Taylor Ellsworth[/autotag], [autotag]KB Sides[/autotag], and [autotag]Kacie Hoffman[/autotag], as they combined to score 14 of Arkansas’ 17 runs on just five combined hits.

Between the three, Ellsworth made the most noise by collecting all six of her RBI on two swings of the bat. On a day where both teams combined to hit seven home runs, Ellsworth joined Sides by hitting a two-run blast in the 2nd inning to extend Arkansas’ lead to 9-0. She upstaged that swing by hitting a grand slam in her next at-bat, giving Arkansas the 13-0 lead heading to the 4th inning. Ellsworth had a noteworthy day, as she collected her 2nd multi-home run game of the season, and hit the team’s sixth grand slam of the season.

Sides was next in line by going 2-for-5 with 5 RBI. Her first runs scored of the day came in the 2nd inning, when she crushed her 7th home run of the season over the center field fence to extend Arkansas’ lead to 7-0.ย  She collected three more in the 4th inning on a bases-clearing triple which pushed the Razorbacks lead to 16-4. She was the final run to cross the plate in the game for Arkansas, as she came home on a sacrifice fly by [autotag]Hannah McEwen[/autotag]. Five RBI ties a career-high for Sides.

Hoffman did her damage early, hitting a three-run blast as part of the five-run first inning for the Razorbacks. The freshman has now hit 5 home runs in her rookie campaign with 14 RBI.

While the offense had a great weekend, the Razorbacks do not have that production without a solid arm in the circle. [autotag]Chenise Delce[/autotag] was remarkable, providing a reliable relief arm for Arkansas in their three-game series with Auburn. Delce appeared in all three games, striking out a combined 15 batters while allowing just two hits in 7.2 innings. In Sunday’s action, the transfer from Tulsa struck out every batter she faced, sitting down four batters in 1.1 innings pitched.

Arkansas is poised for another big series, as they welcome the No. 12 Kentucky Wildcats to Bogle Park this weekend. Before then, Arkansas will sit back and see how much movement they make in the weekly polls.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=132]

SOFTBALL: Hoffman Named SEC Freshman of the Week

One of the key players in Arkansas softball’s series win over LSU has been named SEC Freshman of the Week.

One of the key players in Arkansas Softball’s series win over LSU is being recognized by the Southeastern Conference.

[autotag]Kacie Hoffman[/autotag], a freshman from Elkhorn, Neb., has been awarded SEC Softball Freshman of the Week, the league announced Tuesday.

Hoffman had a productive weekend for the Razorbacks, by grabbing five hits and three RBI in the series against LSU while having a .625 batting and on-field percentage, and slugging for .750.

Here were her series highlights as told by Arkansas Athletics:

The Elkhorn, Neb., product tied her career-high in hits twice after pounding two in game two and three. In the rubber match, Hoffmann delivered a crucial two-out RBI single to left in the fifth to push the Hogsโ€™ lead to 6-3. In game twoโ€™s opening frame, Hoffmann smoked a two-out, RBI double to right center to grant an early 2-0 edge.

So far on the season, Hoffman is batting .405 with four home runs and 14 RBI.

[listicle id=7518]

SOFTBALL: Late rally lifts LSU over Arkansas to even series

Arkansas could not respond to a late LSU rally, setting up a winner-take-all game on Monday in front of a national audience.

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.

[listicle id=7491]