Burnham Tosses Complete-Game Shutout as No. 6/9 Hogs Blank Missouri, 4-0

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Sophomore RHP Payton Burnham continued her dominance in the circle by tossing a complete-game shutout as the No. 6/9 Razorbacks blanked Missouri 4-0 during the series opener on Friday evening at Bogle Park.

With the victory, Arkansas improved to 38-8 overall and 12-7 in SEC play. The Razorbacks are now 23-2 in home games this season.

Burnham was magnificent in her seven innings of work. The Eugene, Ore., product struck out four while yielding just five hits and a pair of walks while improving to 11-3 on the season.

Ella McDowell paced the Hogs at the plate with a 2-3 night that featured a run scored and an RBI. Kailey Wyckoff and Atalyia Rijo both went 1-2 while driving in a run each with sacrifice flies. Reagan Johnson recorded the final RBI of the contest with a groundout. Kennedy Miller (14 games) and Brinli Bain (10 games) both increased their reached-base streaks by way of a single and a walk, respectively. Ashtyn Reichardt also singled for the second consecutive contest.

Marissa McCann took the loss for Missouri (25-25, 7-12 SEC) to fall to 9-9 on the season after allowing four runs on six hits and three walks with one strikeout in 3.1 innings of work.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Arkansas started sophomore Payton Burnham in the circle while Missouri went with junior Marissa McCann.

Burnham fanned two in a scoreless first inning while allowing a pair of singles to Abby Carr and Abby Hay.

Reagan Johnson and Brinli Bain both drew walks in the bottom of the first inning. Johnson then came around to score one batter later on an RBI single from Ella McDowell to put the Hogs ahead 1-0. Tianna Bell followed with a bloop single to shallow right field. Atalyia Rijo and Kailey Wyckoff each drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to increase the Hogs’ lead to 3-0

Both sides were sent down in order during the second inning.

In the top of the third inning, Burnham struck out one while allowing a pair of runners to reach courtesy of a walk and a fielder’s choice. Bell made a nice defensive play at first base, robbing Hay of a hit by snagging a line drive to end the inning. McDowell collected her second hit of the night with a single through the right side in the bottom of the third. Bell then reached on a fielder’s choice before Rijo laced a line drive to the right side that hit Bell and ended the inning.

Burnham would only face four in the top of the fourth, allowing a leadoff single before issuing three consecutive groundouts to end the frame. Arkansas loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the fourth inning, courtesy of singles from Kailey Wyckoff and Kennedy Miller and a walk from Ashtyn Reichardt. Johnson grounded out to first base to bring home Wyckoff and give Arkansas a 4-0 lead.

Johnson highlighted a scoreless top of the fifth inning by making a diving grab in left-center field for the final out of the stanza to rob Carr of an extra-base hit. Bell was the only Hog to reach base in the home half courtesy of a walk.

The Tigers’ Linny Ramsey and Razorbacks’ Karlie Davison and Ashtyn Reichardt both singled for their respective teams in the sixth inning.

Burnham finished her complete-game shutout in the top of the seventh inning by retiring the Tigers in order courtesy of a flyout, groundout and a popout as Arkansas took the series opener, 4-0.

NOTABLES

• Reagan Johnson registered her 208th start batting leadoff; she previously broke the career program record of 205 games initially set by Devon Wallace (2012-2015).
• Reagan Johnson collected her 12th RBI of the season, which is her most in a season since 2023, when she tallied 20.
• Brinli Bain increased her reached base streak to 10 games courtesy of a first-inning walk.
• Kennedy Miller increased her career-high reached base streak to 14 games with a single.
• Payton Burnham recorded her eighth career complete-game shutout. She has allowed just two earned runs in her last 27 innings pitched.

Up Next

Arkansas will resume its series with Missouri at 11 a.m. tomorrow on SEC Network with Nate Gatter and Monica Abbott.

For schedule updates and other news, go to ArkansasRazorbacks.com, or follow @RazorbackSB on X, Instagram and Facebook.