First Road Win at Tulsa Since 2010
TULSA, Okla. – The University of Arkansas softball team handed Tulsa its first home loss of the season and posted its first road win in the series since 2010 with Tuesday’s 4-1 triumph at the Collins Family Softball Complex. Grace Moll picked up her 12th win of the year in a complete-game effort while Parker Pocklington and Nicole Schroeder paced the offense with two hits each. With a third-inning single, Ashley Diaz became the first freshman in program history with 40 RBI.
The Razorbacks return to SEC play this weekend with a home series against No. 3/2 Auburn which begins Friday at Bogle Park. First pitch of the series opener is scheduled for 6 p.m. (CT). The team is also set host its Bark in the Park promotion throughout the weekend. General admission is $5 for adults while students with valid UA ID and fans 17 years and younger get in free.
After a pair of scoreless innings for both teams, Arkansas (17-25) struck first with three unearned runs in the top of the third. Pocklington led things off with an infield single for the Razorbacks’ first hit. She moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt by Lauren Archuleta who was safe at first on a fielding miscue. On the next play, Shelby Hiers grounded a ball to shortstop but an errant throw to get the force at third allowed Pocklington to score the game’s first run.
Diaz and Schroeder padded the Razorbacks’ lead with RBI hits which brought Hiers and Autumn Russell across the plate, respectively. Diaz joins Miranda Dixon, Kasey Fagan, Clarisa Navarro and Sandra Smith on the list of Razorbacks with at least 40 RBI in a single season. With her sixth multi-hit performance of the season, Schroeder now has a hit in five of the past six games.
With one down in the fourth inning, Pocklington launched a solo shot to deep left field for her fourth home run of the season to give Arkansas a 4-0 lead. Tuesday’s performance against the Golden Hurricane also marked her first multi-hit effort of the season and the eighth of her career. Pocklington’s big fly represented the Razorbacks’ 43rd home run of the year.
Moll was strong in seven innings of work, earning her 16th complete game of the season. She allowed just one run on three hits and totaled six strikeouts. At one point, the Shelbyville, Ill, native retired 10 Tulsa hitters in a row. The Golden Hurricane got on the board in the sixth inning and threatened with a lead-off double in the seventh but Moll responded to retire the next three hitters to secure the midweek win.
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.
