Arkansas Travels to Conway for Tuesday Tilt at UCA
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The No. 9/10 Arkansas Softball team completes its regular season non-conference schedule this weekend by traveling to Conway, Ark., for an in-state midweek matchup with Central Arkansas at 6 p.m.
The game will be streamed on ESPN+ with Dorian Craft and JB Brazeal on the call.
The Razorbacks are 27-4 this season with 18 wins coming by run-rule. Arkansas is coming off a series sweep of UConn that featured a 9-4 win in the series finale on Sunday, highlighted by a five RBI performance from senior OF Kailey Wyckoff that included a sixth-inning grand slam, the first of her career. The Hogs are outscoring opponents 288-76 this season.
The Arkansas Razorbacks, one of the nation’s most successful programs in recent years, have been ranked in the Top 25 of the NFCA Coaches poll for a program-best 95 consecutive weeks dating back to the start of the 2020 season. Arkansas is one of five programs nationally to have appeared in the Top 25 of every NFCA Coaches Poll since the start of the 2020 season, joining Oklahoma, Florida, UCLA, and Florida State.
FOLLOW ALONG
Tuesday, March 24
#9/10 Arkansas at UCA – 6 p.m. – ESPN+ – Live Stats
REAGAN IS ON THE HUNT FOR HISTORY
With 260 career hits, Reagan Johnson is just two hits away from breaking the Arkansas all-time career hits record of 261 held by Hannah McEwen (2018-2022) She also ranks second all-time in Arkansas career batting average at .374 while ranking fifth in career on-base percentage (.435), fifth in career triples (8) and third in career stolen bases (64).
She has posted a .400 batting average this season with 36 hits, four doubles, a triple and eight RBI while drawing 20 walks, scoring 39 runs and stealing 14 bases.
Johnson batted a team-high .565 last week, with six hits, including a double and a triple in addition to eight runs scored, two walks and three stolen bases while posting a .615 on-base percentage and 1.433 OPS.
WYCKIE WRECKS
Arkansas continued its multi-year run of major portal additions in the summer of 2024 with the addition of Texas Tech Transfer Kailey Wyckoff, who has made a massive impact during her time as a Razorback.
Wyckoff is batting .425 with nine doubles, a triple, three homers, 25 RBI, and 12 walks while being hit by a pitch five times this season. Additionally, she has only struck out 12 times in 98 plate appearances while recording a .526 on-base percentage.
During Sunday’s win series finale win over UConn, the Katy, Texas standout, went 2-3 with a double, grand slam, five RBI and a walk. Her five RBI tied a single-game career high that she initially set in an NCAA Tournament win over Saint Louis on May 16, 2025.
She has reached base safely (errors excluded) in 85.3% (163-191) of her games during her collegiate career, while her 213 career hits ranked 23rd among all active DI players entering this week.
WOOO SLAM SOOIE
Arkansas has already tied a single-season program record with seven grand slams in just 31 games this season, joining the 2022 team as the only other squad to achieve the feat throughout the entirety of the season.
Kailey Wyckoff provided the record-tying seventh grand slam with a shot to right field during the sixth inning of Sunday’s 9-4 win over UConn.
Tianna Bell and Ella McDowell have both registered a pair of grand slams this season, marking just the third season dating back to 2005 that Arkansas has had multiple players with 2+ grand slams.
McDowell became the first player in program history to hit grand slams in consecutive games by accomplishing the feat in wins over Georgia (3/8) and Missouri State (3/9).
FOR WHOM THE BELLS TOLLS
Arkansas bolstered its roster with the addition of senior 1B Tianna Bell, who transferred to Arkansas for her senior season after beginning her collegiate career at Cal.
She has made an immediate impact during her short time as a Hog. The Cal transfer is batting .426 with 40 hits, including six doubles, 10 homers, 38 RBI, 14 walks and 28 runs scored. She is tied for the team lead in home runs (10) and RBI (38) alongside Dakota Kennedy and Ella McDowell, respectively
Bell batted .538 last week with a double, a home run, three runs scored and eight RBI in addition to a pair of walks. Bell smashed a two-run home run into the parking lot in left field during a 3-4 performance in a win over UConn during the series opener last Friday.
OUTHITTING THE OPPOSITION
Outhitting the opposition has been a major trademark in the Courtney Deifel era (2016-present) for Arkansas. The Razorbacks hold a 314-27 record when outhitting opponents under Deifel, including a 206-10 mark since 2020.
Arkansas is 23-0 when out-hitting opponents this season and 684-105-1 when outhitting opponents since 1998.
NO FREE PASSES
Arkansas is 147-41 since 2001, when its pitching staff issues no walks in a game, including a 93-18 record when issuing no walks under head coach Courtney Deifel (2016-present).
The Hogs have won 20 of their last 21 when issuing zero walks dating back to April 6, 2023. Arkansas is coming off allowing no walks during a 9-4 win over UConn on Sunday behind four solid innings from Reis Beuerlein and three innings of relief from Saylor Timmerman.
In the past 20 years, Arkansas has had a pitcher throw 5+ innings in a single game without allowing a walk 27 times. When the feat is accomplished, Arkansas owns a record 21-6.
BOGLE BOMBERS
The long ball has been a staple in the success of Arkansas Softball during the Courtney Deifel era (2016-present)
Arkansas has hit 651 home runs since Deifel took over the helm in 2016, which accounts for 54.5% of home runs in program history. In the 11 years prior to Deifel’s arrival, Arkansas teams belted 456 round-trippers.
Entering the week, the Razorbacks’ 632 home runs since 2017 rank second among SEC members during that time span and third among current SEC members, trailing only Oklahoma (1,084) and Georgia (677).
Seven of the Hogs’ single-season top-10 home run marks have been accomplished during Deifel’s tenure, including the three best in program history (2022: 109, 2021: 95, 2025: 70).
IN THE RANKINGS
Arkansas ranked among the nation’s leaders in numerous categories entering the week including, batting average (6th, .382), runs per game (5th, 9.29), hits (13th, 305), on-base percentage (7th, .481), RBI per game (8th, 8.39), slugging percentage (11th, .643) total runs (5th, 288), WHIP (16th, 1.17), team strikeouts per 7 inn. (13th, 7.27), shutouts (13th, 8) and ERA (15th, 2.41).
SERIES HISTORY
Arkansas and Central Arkansas have met 10 times, with the Hogs holding an 8-2 advantage, having won the last four meetings between the programs.
The Razorbacks took the first meeting this season with a 10-2 (5 inn.) run-rule victory on March 17. Reis Beuerlein earned the win in the circle after pitching 4.1 shutout innings while striking out two and allowing just three hits and no walks. Brinli Bain also recorded a pair of hits in the victory.
KNOW THE FOE
Central Arkansas is 21-12 this season, including a 3-3 mark in ASUN play. The Bears are coming off a 2-1 series win at Lipscomb, taking the first two games 10-2 and 9-0 before falling 12-7 in the series finale on Sunday.
The Bears are led by Kayla Lucas, who is in her first season at the helm and owns a record of 21-12. She previously served as an assistant for the Bears from 2022-2025.
Bailie Runner headlines the Central Arkansas pitching staff with a 3.18 ERA and 9-3 record with 31 strikeouts in 72.2 innings of work. UCA has a team ERA of 3.92, with 96 strikeouts in 203.1 innings.
Renee Christian leads the Bears at the plate with a .427 batting average, 32 hits, seven doubles, a triple, nine RBI, and 24 runs scored while drawing seven walks and striking out just six times in 83 plate appearances. She owns a .476 on-base percentage. Emma Robertson has a team-leading seven home runs this season with 30 hits, six doubles, 38 RBI and 22 walks.
30 SEASONS OF RAZORBACK SOFTBALL
2026 marks the 30th season of Arkansas Softball. The Razorbacks hold an all-time program record of 908-816-1 with four head coaches in the entirety of its history.
Arkansas played its first official game in program history on Feb. 20, 1997, which was a 4-3 loss to Cal State Northridge during the San Diego State Classic. The Razorbacks rebounded later that same day with a 5-4 triumph over Hawaii to earn the first win in program history. Designated Player Lisa Flores provided the winning runs in the victory with a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning.
For schedule updates and other news, go to ArkansasRazorbacks.com, or follow @RazorbackSB on X, Instagram and Facebook.
