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.
