Arkansas Travels East For Liberty, JMU Dukes Invitational
No. 11 Arkansas travels east to face Liberty on March 10 before taking part in the JMU Dukes Invitational slated for March 11-13 in Harrisonburg, Va. The Hogs and Flames kick the weekend off with a 3 p.m. CT game in Lynchburg Thursday before Arkansas kicks off the JMU Dukes Invitational against Lehigh at 10 a.m. Friday.
The Schedule
Thursday, March 10
Liberty – 3 p.m.
Friday, March 11
Lehigh – 10 a.m.
Maryland – 12:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 12
Maryland – 9:30 a.m.
JMU – 12 p.m.
Sunday, March 13
Lehigh – 10 a.m.
Need to Know
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 need and swept the Fayetteville Regional before hosting the program’s first Super Regional at Bogle Park.
Gibson’s Dominant Start
It comes at no surprise that senior Danielle Gibson has dominated at the plate so far this season at the cleanup spot. Through 18 games, Gibson’s .581 batting average leads the NCAA. The Murietta, Calif. native ranks fifth in the country in on-base percentage (.638) and ninth in slugging percentage (1.040). Gibson is on a 10-game hitting and reached base streak.
RUN KB RUN
KB Sides is making noise at the leadoff spot for the Razorbacks. Through 18 games, Sides has tallied 14 stolen bases, Arkansas’ single season stolen base record sits at 33, which was set by Dana Gulick in 1999. Additionally, Sides stole a program-record three bases in the Hogs’ win over Western Illinois Feb. 20. Sides’ three stolen bases against Western Illinois are tied for most by a SEC player in a single game this season. The Dora, Ala. native hit two home runs over at the Razorback Invitational against Illinois, launching an inside-the-park home run to begin the weekend Feb. 18 before sending a solo shot to center in Arkansas’ second game with the Illini on Feb. 20. Sides pieced together her top performance in a Razorback uniform after going 3-for-3 with a triple, double and single along with three RBI
and two runs scored to power Arkansas past UMKC Friday. Sides is tied 11th nationally and second in the SEC in stolen bases this season.
Haff Writing Razorback History
Picher Mary Haff recorded her 700th career strikeout in a Razorback uniform against Kennesaw State on March 4. Haff captured Arkansas’ first SEC Pitcher of the Year award last season, pitching to a 26-7 record with five saves and a 1.55 ERA over 198.1 innings pitched. She struck out 198 hitters compared to just 39 walks issued. Haff was named an NFCA First Team All-American, becoming the first pitcher in program history to earn first team All-America recognition. USA Softball named Haff a Collegiate Player of the Year Top 10 Finalist. Haff was tremendous in conference play, and among pitchers who threw at least 80.0 innings, led the league in wins (11), saves (4) and appearances (19) while placing fourth in ERA (2.01) and strikeouts (79). Against Texas Tech, she hurled her second career no hitter, striking out six over 5.0 innings, and was one error away from a perfect game. Haff threw her first no-no against Northern Colorado in 2018 as a freshman and is the only pitcher in program history with multiple no-hitters. The Winter Haven, Fla. native sits atop the program’s career record book tallying 81 wins and 14 saves.
Coach of the Year
In her sixth season guiding the Arkansas softball program, head coach Courtney Deifel was named SEC Coach of the Year last season, becoming the second skipper in school history to earn the award, and first since Carrie Dever-Boaz in 1999. The Hogs began conference play winning 12 straight games, notching the fifth-best league start in SEC history and captured the program’s first SEC title. The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) awarded Deifel and the coaching staff the South Region Staff of the Year. Since Deifel took over in 2016, the Razorbacks have been ranked 58 times in the NFCA Coaches’ Poll after previously being ranked only once in program history. Deifel’s record in Fayetteville is 204-121 and 50-71 in SEC games. Her Razorbacks teams have qualified for the NCAA Tournament four times, the most among any coach in program history.
Steady Veteran
Redshirt senior outfielder Hannah McEwen has been as consistent as can be for the Hogs the last four season and her name is littered throughout the program record book. McEwen ranks first in program history in batting average (.359), and ranks second in on-base percentage (.456), second in runs scored (166), third in walks (99), third in doubles (39), seventh in slugging percentage (.535) and eighth in hits (213) and seventh in RBI (116).
