Ellis’ Historic Walk-Off Grand Slam Gives Hogs 5-1 Win Over Georgia

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas senior first baseman Bri Ellis made history by hitting a walk-off grand slam to set the Arkansas single-season home run and RBI records while leading the Razorbacks to a 5-1 win over Georgia on Wednesday afternoon at Jack Turner Stadium during the second day of the SEC Tournament.

Singles by Kennedy Miller and Reagan Johnson and a walk by Raigan Kramer loaded the bases and set the stage for Ellis, who stepped to the plate with one out in the bottom of the seventh, having walked in her previous six at-bats. After taking the first pitch for a ball from Georgia pitcher Randi Roelling, Ellis smashed a 1-0 pitch 258 feet over the wall in left field for a walk-off grand slam.

With the walk-off round-tripper, Ellis passed Braxton Burnside (25, 2021) for her program-record 26th home run of the season and drove in her 69th, 70th, 71st and 72nd runs of the year to set the single-season RBI record that was previously held by Danielle Gibson Whorton (2022, 70). Ellis’ 26th homer of the season also tied the single-season SEC record set by Mia Davidson (Mississippi State) and Bailey Hemphill (Alabama) in 2019.

In addition to Ellis making history, Arkansas earned its first SEC Tournament win since 2022.

Georgia took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning courtesy of an RBI single from Marissa Miller. Courtney Day then tied the game and broke up a no-hitter by Roelling with a solo home run off the Bulldogs’ practice facility in left-center field in the bottom of the fifth to provide the rest of the scoring for Arkansas.

Kennedy Miller led the Hogs in the hit column with a 2-3 day. Ellis (1-1 GS, 4 RBI, 2 BB, R), Day (1-2, HR, RBI, BB, R) and Johnson (1-4, R) all registered a hit for Arkansas while Kramer walked twice.

Robyn Herron earned the win in relief to improve to 16-5 by tossing three shutout innings, during which she retired nine of her 10 batters faced and registered three strikeouts. Payton Burnham also turned in a quality start by allowing just one run on five hits and a walk with two punchouts in her four innings pitched.

Roelling went the distance and took the loss for Georgia (31-20), falling to 9-8 on the season. The left-handed sophomore allowed five runs on five hits and five walks.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Payton Burnham made her 16th start of the season for Arkansas while Georgia went with left-hander Randi Roelling.

Burnham faced the minimum in the first, highlighted by a double play from Bri Ellis, who turned two by making a diving catch of a Taylor Ellison line drive to double up Dallis Goodnight, who reached on a leadoff single.

Ellis increased her reached-base streak to 26 games with a two-out walk in the bottom of the first.

In the second inning, Burnham threw another scoreless frame with the only damage being a one-out single by the Bulldogs’ Lyndi Rae Davis. Arkansas was retired in order in the bottom half of the inning.

Burnham retired the Bulldogs in order in the third inning while striking out two. Roelling made it seven straight Hogs retired with a 1-2-3 bottom of the third.

Georgia took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning courtesy of a RBI single from Marissa Miller that scored Mollie Mitchell, who entered the game for Davis after she reached on a fielder’s choice.

Ellis walked for the second time in the game and 58th time this season with one out in the bottom of the fourth.

Robyn Herron relieved Burnham in the fifth inning. The junior left-hander would throw a scoreless frame, capped by a strikeout, while allowing just one hit, a pinch-hit single to Hannah Davila.

Courtney Day tied the game at 1-1 with no outs in the bottom of the fifth inning by smashing a solo home run to left-center field. The solo shot was her 16th of the season.

Herron used just six pitches to spin a 1-2-3 sixth inning.

Raigan Kramer and Bri Ellis walked to lead off the sixth inning. Ella McDowell then lined out to Georgia third baseman Mua Williams, who overthrew second attempting to double-up Kramer, which allowed Kramer and Ellis to move up to second and third. With two outs, Day was walked to load the bases for Arkansas, but Roelling and the Bulldogs escaped without any damage courtesy of a rare 3-4-3 groundout.

Herron made it eight straight retired with a 1-2-3 top of the seventh courtesy of a pair of groundouts to shortstop and a strikeout. Atalyia Rijo highlighted the 1-2-3 inning with a diving stop behind second base before throwing out Miller at first base from her knees.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Miller laced a single off the wall in left-center field with one out. Following Miller’s single, Ava Carter entered the game as a pinch runner. Reagan Johnson then laid down a bunt single in the next at-bat to put two on before Carter and Johnson advanced a base due to a passed ball. Kramer drew a walk to load the bases for Ellis, who had been walked in her previous six at-bats. With the count 1-0, Ellis drove the first strike she saw the entire day well over the left-field wall for a historic walk-off grand slam to give the Razorbacks a 5-1 victory. In addition to giving Arkansas a win on the swing, Ellis set the Arkansas single-season home run and RBI records with 26 and 72, respectively, while also tying the SEC single-season home run record.

QUOTABLES

Arkansas Head Coach Courtney Deifel

Opening Statement…
“This is a great start to the SEC Tournament for us. I’m proud of our team for finding a way to get that. Even though we had a slow start, I felt like we had some good contacts early. Outfield play was sensational. We stayed the course. Our pitchers and our defense gave us the chance to get going. We had a big swing from Courtney Day that allowed us to take a breath. In that moment, it felt like we were going to do it. We had some really big at-bats that led up to Bri’s at-bat. When you get one swing in the day, and you hit a grand slam, I’d say that’s pretty stinking good. I’m really proud of the team for finding a way to win. Whatever it takes.”

Arkansas Senior First Baseman Bri Ellis

On her at-bats today…
“It is what it is. I have no problem just getting on base for my team. It doesn’t make me mad or anything. I get it, so it’s not like I’m thinking ‘I wish I could hit right now.’ I think I’m getting my base, I’m getting on, and I let the rest of the lineup work for me.”

Arkansas Senior Utility Player Courtney Day

On her mindset during the game…
“I was just trusting myself and staying the course. Coach Deifel preaches that and has all season, staying within myself and not making a moment too big. I was trusting my ability to find a pitch, hit it, and take advantage of it.”

NOTABLES

• Bri Ellis set the Arkansas single-season home run record with her 26^th home run courtesy of a walk-off grand slam. She entered the game tied with KB Sides (2021) for the single-season mark. She also tied the single-season SEC home run record that is held by Mia Davidson (Mississippi State) and Bailey Hemphill (Alabama), who set the record in 2019.
• Bri Ellis set the Arkansas single-season RBI record during the victory. She now has 72 RBI this season. Danielle Gibson Whorton previously held the record with 70 in 2022.
• Bri Ellis extended her reach-base streak to a career-long 26 games by walking in the first inning. The 26-game streak is the fifth longest in program history.
• Arkansas earned its first SEC Tournament win since 2022.
• Courtney Day extended her career-best reach-based streak to 13 games by smashing her 16^th home run of the season.
• Raigan Kramer now ranks second in program history in career walks with her 113 to pass Hannah McEwen (112, 2018-2022). Devon Wallace (2012-15) holds the program career walks record with 235.

UP NEXT
Arkansas (39-11) will be back in action tomorrow against Tennessee (40-13) at 1 p.m. on SEC Network.

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