Arkansas Crushes Three Home Runs in 15-4 Rout of Nebraska
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The No. 24 Arkansas Razorbacks (4-1) pounded 18 hits and three home runs against Nebraska (3-2) pitching in a 15-4 five-inning run-rule victory at the Aggie Softball Complex on Sunday morning. The 18 knocks are tied for the fourth-most in a game in school history and 15 runs are tied for sixth-most in a game. Senior Ryan Jackson, junior Braxton Burnside and sophomore Audrie LaValley all hit their first home runs in a Razorback jersey. Jackson recorded a career-best five RBIs as part of a 2-for-2 day at the dish, and senior Sydney Parr turned in a career-high four hit game.
How It Happened
Arkansas struck first for the fourth time in its first five games and posted a five-run first frame. Parr led off the ballgame shooting a base knock to left and junior Hannah McEwen hit a double off the center field fence to put runners on second and third. Junior Linnie Malkin hit a bouncing single back up the middle to give the Razorbacks a 2-0 lead. With two on and two out, Jackson smoked a line drive home run over the left field fence to increase the Hogs lead to, 5-0.
The Hogs batted around in the second inning and scored a season-high seven runs in a single frame. Junior Danielle Gibson grounded out to second base to push Parr across the plate. Jackson blooped a single down the left field line which plated two more runs. Senior Keely Huffine singled through the left side to load the bases and sophomore Audrie LaValley tomahawked a grand slam to right as the Razorbacks took complete control, 12-0. Parr singled twice and had two of the five Hog hits in the stanza.
Nebraska showed off its bats in the bottom of the third and hit two home runs to make the score, 12-3. The Razorbacks put three more on the scoreboard via junior Braxton Burnside’s three-run shot to right, the first of her Arkansas career, in the top of the fourth. Nebraska hit another solo homer in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Freshman Jenna Bloom earned the start and threw 2.1 innings. She allowed four hits and three earned runs while striking out a career-best six. Mary Haff (1-1) was the pitcher of record out of the bullpen. She completed 1.2 frames, struck out two and allowed a single hit. Freshman Rylin Hedgecock made her collegiate pitching debut in the fifth and struck out the side. Lindsey Walljasper (1-2) took the loss for Nebraska and went 1.2 innings and allowed eight hits, 12 runs, nine earned, with one walk. Courtney Wallace surrendered 10 hits and allowed three runs over 3.1 innings.
Up Next
The Razorbacks travel to the Sunshine State for another five-game weekend at the FGCU Invitational from Friday, Feb. 14 through Sunday, Feb. 16. Arkansas will take on Memphis, UIC, Furman and the host Eagles, twice.
