Burnham’s Complete-Game Shutout Lifts Hogs to 4-0 Win Over Ole Miss

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Behind a complete-game shutout from freshman Payton Burnham, the No. 3/4 Arkansas Razorbacks kept their season alive with a 4-0 blanking of Ole Miss on Saturday night at Bogle Park, forcing a winner-take-all Super Regional finale on Sunday at 4 p.m.

Burnham was dominant in her third NCAA Tournament outing while tossing her second complete-game shutout of the season. The Eugene, Ore., product struck out seven batters while allowing just three hits and a walk in her seven innings of work to improve to 16-2 on the season while not allowing a runner to reach third base. Burnham has not allowed a single run in 16 innings pitched during NCAA Tournament play.

Arkansas (44-13), the visiting team, took an early 2-0 lead at the top of the first courtesy of an RBI groundout from Kailey Wyckoff and an RBI single from Ella McDowell. The Hogs then added two insurance runs off a fielding error in the top of the fifth inning.

Karlie Davison led the Razorbacks at the plate again, posting her third consecutive multi-hit game with a 2-3 night that featured a pair of singles. Courtney Day reached base three times courtesy of a fifth-inning double and a pair of walks.

Brianna Lopez (13-5) took the loss for Ole Miss after allowing four runs (two earned) on four hits and four walks while striking out two in five innings pitched.

HOW IT HAPPENED

In the circle, Arkansas started Payton Burnham while Ole Miss went with Friday starter Brianna Lopez.

Lopez opened the game with a strikeout. Raigan Kramer, Bri Ellis and Courtney Day drew consecutive walks with one out. Kailey Wyckoff hit a dribbler down the third-base line that scored Kramer before Ella McDowell singled to first base to give Arkansas an early 2-0 lead.

Burnham threw a scoreless first inning with the only damage encountered being an infield single by the Rebels’ Jaden Beautae. Atalyia Rijo highlighted the inning with a pair of impressive plays at shortstop.

Lopez retired the Hogs in order during the top of the second inning. Burnham kept the Rebels off the scoreboard in the home half, registering a strikeout while yielding two singles.

With two outs in the top of the third inning, Day reached base on her second walk of the game. Beautae reached on her second single of the game in the bottom half.

Karlie Davison singled in the top of the fourth inning for the Hogs’ lone baserunner of the frame.

Burnham registered a 1-2-3 bottom of the fourth inning that featured back-to-back strikeouts for the final two outs.

Bri Ellis singled down the left-field line with two outs in the fifth inning before advancing to third on a double from Courtney Day. Wyckoff then reached on an error that allowed Day and Ellis to score, giving the Hogs a 4-0 lead.

Burnham made it six straight retired in the bottom of the fifth while fanning two.

In the top of the sixth inning, Davison reached on her second single of the game. Burnham continued her dominance with a 1-2-3 bottom of the sixth.

Kramer singled up the middle to lead off the top of the seventh. Guachino then retired the next three to keep the Hogs’ lead at four.

In the bottom of the seventh, Burnham stepped back in the circle with a chance to wrap up a complete-game shutout and continued her stretch of dominance by issuing a strikeout, groundout and lineout to seal the victory. The freshman retired her last 14 batters faced in the win, improving to 16-2 on the season.

QUOTABLES

Arkansas Head Coach Courtney Deifel

Opening statement…
“I am really proud of the team tonight. The way they approached the day, the way they committed to the plan. Payton (Burnham) was phenomenal… I am really proud of the team. They showed a lot of fight and a lot of heart tonight and we are ready to be tough tomorrow.”

NOTABLES

• Payton Burnham threw her second seven-inning complete-game shutout this season. She became just the third Arkansas freshman pitcher since 2010 to throw multiple seven-inning complete-game shutouts, joining Robyn Herron (2, 2023) and Mary Haff (8, 2018).
• The Razorbacks are 24-27 all-time in NCAA Tournament play, including a 17-15 mark under Courtney Deifel. She is the only coach in program history with a winning record in NCAA Tournament contests.
• Bri Ellis tied the single-season runs scored record with 67, joining KB Sides who accomplished the feat in 2022.
• Arkansas is now 175-47 when not committing an error under Courtney Deifel (2016-present)
• Courtney Day extended her career-best reach-based streak to 20 games with a first-inning walk.
• Karlie Davison registered her 13^th multi-hit game this season and 22^nd multi-hit game of her career.
• Raigan Kramer increased her reached-base to 16 games with a walk and a base hit.

UP NEXT
Arkansas (44-13) will face Ole Miss (41-19) at 4 p.m. tomorrow afternoon in a winner-take-all Super Regional finale for a chance to go to the Women’s College World Series. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN2.

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