Arkansas and Tulsa Face Off in Mid-Week Match Up
FAYETTEVILLE – Razorback softball is back on its feet and ready for a mid-week match up between the Hogs and non-conference opponent, the Tulsa Hurricane. The two teams will be meeting for the 33rd time in program history on Wednesday (March 13), with first pitch slated for 6:00 pm on SEC+.
The last time Arkansas and Tulsa faced off, the Razorbacks claimed a 3-1 win over the Golden Hurricane at Bogle Park. Ashley Diaz and former Hog and current graduate assistant, Shelby Hiers, both earned RBI in the win.
Who to Look For: At the Plate and In the Circle
Hannah McEwen and Danielle Gibson are atop the stat sheet in hitting efficiency, as Gibson is swinging a .427 and McEwen, a .400. Together, the two have pulled in 64 of the Hogs’ 205 hits, and cause trouble for opposing pitchers as the one and two in the lineup.
In the circle, fans can expect to see sophomore Mary Haff and junior Autumn Storms sharing the spotlight. The duo averages 10.5 strikeouts per walk allowed (178:17). Only one triple has come from the Razorback pitching staff, as opposing teams are batting .214 at the plate.
Looking Back
Arkansas (19-5, 1-2) closes out a series loss to Ole Miss on Monday (March 11). The Hogs traveled to Oxford and pulled off a heroic comeback and huge victory on Saturday to start the series 1-0 taking game one, 10-4. The Razorbacks dropped the next two for the first two consecutive losses of the season.
Keys to a Victory
The Razorback defense will have to be on its toes on Wednesday, as the Hurricanes will certainly do their best to put the ball in play. It’s crucial for the Hogs to cut out the same errors they had against Ole Miss if they plan on maintaining control of the game early.
Reaching For the Stars – Or First Base
Hannah McEwen is headed into the week riding a 20-game reached-base streak, McEwen has earned a hit in all but two games this season, she also rides an eight-game hit streak into the mid-week as well.
Dual Threat Duncan
When Nicole Duncan arrived in Fayetteville last year – she was under the impression she’d be seeing most of her PT from behind the plate, but Duncan has now started in 18 of the Hogs’ 25 games at second base and falling in the six or seventh hole of the lineup – since becoming a starter, Duncan has tallied 11 hits, 8 RBI, and 2 home runs.
In the Polls
The Razorbacks dropped but remain in the top 15 after dropping the first conference series of the season, 2-1 in Oxford. Arkansas stayed at #14 in the USA Today/NFCA Polls and dropped to #17 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll. Tulsa began the season receiving votes but has since fallen out of the “receiving votes” category.
Scouting the Competition
The Hurricane is coming off a thrilling 3-2 win over Drake on Sunday. Tied heading into the bottom of the seventh, Tulsa got a two-out game-winning single from Julia Hollingsworth.
Tulsa returns seven starters and three pitchers from last year’s team, which went 34-25 overall and finished sixth in The American with a 10-11 mark before winning the league tournament.
10 Years at Bogle
The 2019 season marks the 10th season in Bogle Park – since its opening, the Hogs have played 257 games inside the park, for a combined 138-113 record.
For all Razorback softball news and information, go to ArkansasRazorbacks.com and follow the Hogs on Twitter at @RazorbackSB, on Facebook at Razorback Softball and on Instagram at @Razorback_SB. Fans can also follow head coach Courtney Deifel on twitter at @CoachDeifel.
