Deifel Becomes All-Time Wins Leader, Hogs Sweep Doubleheader
CLEARWATER, Fla. – Head coach Courtney Deifel became the program’s all-time wins leader (245) as the No. 4 Arkansas Razorbacks (7-2) swept its doubleheader against Indiana and No. 22 Louisiana Saturday at the Eddie C. Moore Softball Complex. Arkansas downed Indiana 7-0 before earning a 7-6 victory against No. 22 Louisiana.
Recording her 245th win at Arkansas in the game two win over Louisiana, Deifel surpassed former head coach Carrie Dever-Boaz’s 244 career wins.
Game 1
The hometown hero, freshman LHP Robyn Herron (2-0), starred in the shutout against Indiana. The Tampa product tossed a four-hit, complete game shutout and worked 12 strikeouts for her first career double-digit strikeout performance. In a demolishing 7.0 innings, Herron handed out a lone walk and struck out 48 percent of the batters she faced.
Freshman Reagan Johnson and redshirt junior Rylin Hedgecock were a one-two punch. A tough out at leadoff, Johnson went 3-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored. Hedgecock finished 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs. Sophomore Raigan Kramer tanked her first career home run – a two-run shot to right – to power the Hogs. Kacie Hoffmann and Atalyia Rijo both doubled.
The Razorbacks jumped to a 1-0 lead in the first via Hannah Gammill’s sacrifice fly that plated Reagan Johnson from third.
Following a quiet couple innings offensively, Arkansas tacked on three runs in the fourth. Atalyia Rijo cracked a one-out double to the left field wall to put a runner in scoring position. Johnson then reached on an error that moved Rijo to third. Kristina Foreman drove in Rijo on a ground out to extend Arkansas’ lead to 2-0. Hedgecock rocketed her first home run of the day, a two-run bomb, to clock a 5-0 edge.
The Hogs followed with another productive three-run fifth that began with a Cylie Halvorson walk. Raigan Kramer kissed an inside pitch goodbye for her first career home run which gravitated a 7-0 lead.
In dramatic fashion, Indiana put runners at the corners with nobody out in the seventh to threaten the potential shutout. Arkansas’ defense held steady when Gammill’s throw down to Rijo was quickly exchanged back to Gammill, who tagged a sprinting Hoosier from third out at home for the first out. Herron took matters into her own hands with the final two batters she faced by striking out both to pick up her second win of the season.
Game 2
Arkansas’ offense manufactured early against No. 22 Louisiana, putting up all seven runs in the first two innings against the Ragin’ Cajuns. Rylin Hedgecock continued to dominate at the dish, going 3-for-4 with three RBIs that included her second home run of the day and third of the weekend. Reagan Johnson also had her second multi-hit game of the day, wrapping up 2-for-5 with two runs scored. Cylie Halvorson, Spencer Prigge and Atalyia Rijo chipped in a hit apiece.
Junior LHP Callie Turner got the start, rotating for 1.1 innings before freshman LHP Hannah Camenzind took over in the second. Camenzind gave up one unearned run on two hits.
Chenise Delce looked every bit of a preseason All-American as she shut the door on Louisiana after taking over in the third to move to 3-1 on the season. Delce tossed four scoreless frames and gave up a miniscule one hit while ringing up seven of the 15 batters she faced. Delce proved she was nails in the sixth as she worked around a runner at third by forcing a ground out to Spencer Prigge.
Reagan Johnson helped Arkansas jump to an early lead after singling up the middle to begin the game. Johnson moved into scoring position on a passed ball. Hedgecock continued her stellar day and singled to center to easily move a speedy Johnson across home. Raigan Kramer drew a bases-loaded walk for Arkansas’ second run of the inning.
Louisiana was able to get a run back in the bottom of the first to cut the deficit to 2-1.
In a triumphant second inning, Arkansas plated five runs. Rijo drew a walk and Johnson singled through the right side to start the frame. Rijo and Johnson advanced on a passed ball a few pitches later. Kristina Foreman’s sacrifice fly scored Rijo from third for a 3-1 lead. Rylin Hedgecock blasted a two-run home run to push the lead to 5-1. A throwing error allowed Kacie Hoffmann to score for Arkansas’ sixth run of the ballgame. Spencer Prigge’s crucial RBI single to right scored Arkansas’ final run of the game.
Up Next
The Razorbacks round out the TaxAct Clearwater Invitational Sunday with an 8:30 a.m. contest against Nebraska on SEC Network.
