Bats Come Alive In SEC Win vs. South Carolina

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Eight different Razorbacks had at least one hit and Grace Moll pitched her way onto the program’s top-10 wins list in Sunday’s 10-5 victory over South Carolina in the series finale at Bogle Park. At the plate, Rachel Box and Lauren Archuleta each turned in multi-hit performances while each of Arkansas’ 10 runs were scored by a different player. With her complete-game effort, Moll collected her 22nd career win which ties for 10th in program history.

Sunday’s outing represented the 10th game of the season with seven or more runs, and sixth with double digits. Arkansas’ 10 runs are its highest output since an 11-10 win over No. 23 Nebraska (March 19) at the Easton Tournament in Fullerton. It also marked the Razorbacks’ first double-digit showing in an SEC game since April 11, 2014, an 11-10 victory over South Carolina at Bogle Park; Moll was the winning pitcher in that game, too.

Arkansas (16-25, 1-11 SEC) jumped out to an early lead with a four-run second inning. Box got things going with her team-leading seventh double of the season. After a dropped pop fly in shallow right center, the Razorbacks had runners on first and third. Claire Clark drove home the team’s first run of the game with a double down the line in right which allowed pinch runner Morgan Felts to score. Madison Yannetti followed with an RBI single up the middle for a 2-0 advantage.

With runners on second and third, Archuleta dropped a one-out, two-run single down the right-field line which plated Clark and Yannetti to give the Razorbacks a 4-0 lead after two. Archuleta finished the game with a career-high four RBI, driving home another two with a double in the fifth inning. She joins Shelby Hiers, Autumn Russell and Nicole Schroeder on the list of Razorbacks with four-RBI days this year.

South Carolina (30-10, 4-8 SEC) got a run back in the top of the third on an RBI double by Kaylea Snaer. The Gamecocks threatened for more with the bases loaded in the inning but Moll got out of trouble with a liner to right. Arkansas responded with two runs in its half of the third, thanks to a two-run blast to deep left field by Box. The big fly was her fourth home run of the year and the 42nd of the season for the Razorbacks.

After a scoreless fourth inning for both teams, the scoring picked back up in the fifth with South Carolina adding their second run on a fielder’s choice. The visitors once again loaded the bases with two outs but the Razorbacks got out of the jam with a ground ball to Yannetti who threw to Parker Pocklington for the forced out at second. With Archuleta’s double in the bottom of the fifth, Arkansas held an 8-2 lead.

The Gamecocks scored two runs in the sixth with RBI hits by Snaer and Alexis Mack. A defensive switch to start the inning proved beneficial for the Razorbacks at the plate when Loren Krzysko lined an RBI double to straight-away center field to score pinch runner Haydi Bugarin. Having advanced to third on a play at the plate, Krzysko ran down the line to score on a wild pitch during the subsequent at-bat to Clark.

Pitching with a 10-4 lead, Moll ran into another scoring threat, this time with two down in the seventh. South Carolina scored to cut the Razorback lead to five and once again had the bases loaded after a walk to Mack. Like she did earlier, Moll made the pitch to get out of trouble, inducing a ground ball back to the circle which she gloved and threw to Ashley Diaz at first for the final out of the game.

For more information about purchasing tickets for home games this season, call 800-982-HOGS (4647) or 479-575-5151, email raztk@uark.edu or visit the Razorback Ticket Center located next to Baum Stadium. The ticket window opens one hour before first pitch of each home game. Follow @RazorbackSB on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for more information about Arkansas Softball.