Arkansas Opens SEC Tournament as No. 1 Seed
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark – No. 5 Arkansas heads back to Gainesville, Fla., for the 2022 SEC Tournament at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. The Hogs hold the No. 1 overall seed for the first time in program history (Arkansas was No. 2 in 2021) and will play the winner between (8) Georgia and (9) Ole Miss at 6:30 p.m. Thursday on SEC Network. Friday’s semifinal is set for 4:30 p.m., and Saturday’s championship will begin at 4 p.m. The semis and final will be broadcast on ESPN2.
The Schedule
Thursday – 6:30 p.m. – winner between (8) Georgia and (9) Ole Miss – SEC Network
Friday – 4:30 p.m. – TBD – ESPN2
Saturday – 4 p.m. – TBD – ESPN2
BACK-TO-BACK
The Razorbacks became one of four SEC softball programs to win back-to-back SEC regular season championships (Alabama, Florida, LSU, Arkansas). The Hogs clinched at least a share after downing South Carolina in the series finale before claiming the program’s first outright conference crown this past weekend at Texas A&M. The Hogs were picked to finish third in the 2022 preseason poll. Arkansas is coming off the program’s first SEC regular season title (shared with Florida) last season, going 19-5 in conference play. The Razorbacks became the first team not named Florida or Alabama to win the conference’s regular season title since Tennessee in 2007. On the road against league competition, the Hogs went 11-1, producing the most wins on the road during conference play by an SEC team since 2013 when the league adopted the current 24-game schedule. Arkansas posted a 43-11 overall record, recording the best win percentage (.796) and second-most total wins in program history. In the NCAA Tournament, Arkansas earned the No. 6 national seed and swept the Fayetteville Regional before hosting the program’s first Sper Regional at Bogle Park.
Certified Bogle Bombers
The Hot hitting Hogs surpassed the previous single season program home run record of 95 against Texas A&M on Saturday. With four home runs against the Aggies in Sunday’s rubber match, the Razorbacks move their home run count to 100 on the season, which is tied with Georgia (2022) and Tennessee (2015) for the fifth-most posted by any SEC program.
9-Straight Conference Series Wins
After capturing a victory at Texas A&M Sunday, the Razorbacks extended their conference series win streak to nine – the longest in program history. Arkansas won all eight of its conference series during the 2022 season.
No Doubts With Two Outs
Arkansas sports a conference-best .339 batting average with two outs. Only one other program holds an above .300 average with two down (Georgia – .313).
Sooie Sluggers
Through 50 games, Arkansas ranks third in DI softball in scoring, averaging 7.54 runs per game. Additionally, the Hogs rank second in on base percentage (.438), third in home runs per game (2.00), fourth in batting average (.342), and fourth in slugging percentage (.632). Last season, Arkansas tied for fourth nationally and led the SEC, mashing a school record 95 home runs. The team shattered the previous program record of 65 long balls hit in 2008. The total ranks 10th in the SEC record book for most home runs in a single-season and were the most hit in a single season hit by an SEC team since Tennessee clubbed 100 in 2015. In Against Lehigh on March 11, the Razorbacks launched a program-record seven home runs against the Mountain Hawks. Three of the seven home runs were hit in the first inning by Sides, Ellsworth and Gammill. Ellsworth slashed a career-high two home runs against Lehigh. Against Maryland, Gammill slugged a career-high two home runs to power the Hog offense. The Hogs’ 18 RBI and 19 runs are tied for most and second-most in single game program history. Arkansas has five who have compiled 10 or more home runs so far this season.
Sooie Spinners
The Arkansas pitching staff has put up impressive numbers throughout league play. The Razorbacks lead the SEC in league play with a 2.90 ERA – the only team with a sub-3.00 ERA – while limiting opponents to a .234 batting average. The Razorbacks have allowed the fewest runs (82), earned runs (66) while issuing the fewest walks (50).
Defense, Defense, Defense
The Razorback defense is second in the conference with a .979 fielding percentage.
