Hogs Duel Tigers in Top-25 Showdown

Another top-25 matchup is in Fayetteville this weekend as the No. 17 Auburn Tigers come to town to face No. 9 Arkansas for a three-game series at Bogle Park. Friday’s series opener will begin at 6 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday will start at 1 p.m. Friday and Saturday’s contests will be available on SEC Network+, and Saturday will be broadcast on SEC Network.

The Tigers hold a 31-38 series edge over the Razorbacks, dating back to April 5, 1997. Arkansas has won the last two meetings between both programs. The Hogs have swept the Tigers in back-to-back meetings in 2021 and 2019.

Need to Know

Arkansas is coming off the program’s first SEC regular season title (shared with Florida) last season, going 19-5 in conference play. The Razorbacks became the first team not named Florida or Alabama to win the conference’s regular season title since Tennessee in 2007. On the road against league competition, the Hogs went 11-1, producing the most wins on the road during conference play by an SEC team since 2013 when the league adopted the current 24-game schedule. Arkansas posted a 43-11 overall record, recording the best win percentage (.796) and second-most total wins in program history. In the NCAA Tournament, Arkansas earned the No. 6 national need and swept the Fayetteville Regional before hosting the program’s first Super Regional at Bogle Park.

Haff Pencils Her Name Into History, Throws Program’s First Perfect Game

Senior Mary Haff has marched her way into the Arkansas softball history book during her time in Fayetteville. On March 11, Haff threw the program’s first solo perfect game, tossing a seven-inning, 14 strikeout gem to propel the Razorbacks to a 6-0 win over the Terrapins at the JMU Dukes Invitational. Back on March 4, Haff amassed her 700th career strikeout in a win against Kennesaw State. The Winter Haven, Fla., native is now on the hunt for 800 strikeouts after she grabbed her 739th career K in the Razorbacks’ win against Western Kentucky. Haff captured SEC Pitcher of the Year award last season, pitching to a 25-7 record with five saves and a 1.55 ERA over 198.1 innings pitched. She struck out 198 hitters compared to just 39 walks issued. Haff was named an NFCA First Team All-American, becoming the first pitcher in program history to earn first team All-America recognition. USA Softball named Haff a Collegiate Player of the Year Top 10 Finalist. Haff was tremendous in conference play, and among pitchers who threw at least 80.0 innings, led the league in wins (11), saves (4) and appearances (19) while placing fourth in ERA (2.01) and strikeouts (79). Against Texas Tech, she hurled her second career no hitter, striking out six over 5.0 innings, and was one error away from a perfect game. Haff threw her first no-no against Northern Colorado in 2018 as a freshman and is the only pitcher in program history with multiple no-hitters. The senior sits atop the program’s career record book tallying 88 wins and 14 saves. After charting 11 strikeouts vs. Tennessee on March , Haff has now notched 16 double digit strikeout performances – the most in program history. Haff is second on the NCAA’s active career leaderboard with 160 pitching appearances, tied for second in saves (14) and fourth in wins (88) and 13th in strikeouts (757).

Hoffmann, Gibson, Gammill and Haff Earn SEC Weekly Honors

So far this season, four different Razorbacks have earned SEC weekly honors. Hannah Gammill and Mary Haff were named SEC Player and Co-Pitcher of the Week on March 15. The following week, Danielle Gibson was named SEC Player of the Week on March 22. Kacie Hoffmann is the latest SEC weekly honoree after grabbing SEC Freshman of the Week on March 29.

The Freshman’s Big Bat

Kacie Hoffmann was named SEC Freshman of the Week on March 29. Hoffmann played an integral role in No. 9 Arkansas claiming its third-consecutive series win against No. 21 LSU, slashing .625/.750/.625 with five hits and three RBI in three games. The Elkhorn, Neb., product tied her career-high in hits twice after pounding two in game two and three. In the rubber match, Hoffmann delivered a crucial two-out RBI single to left in the fifth to push the Hogs’ lead to 6-3. In game two’s opening frame, Hoffmann smoked a two-out, RBI double to right center to grant an early 2-0 edge.

Gibby is Going to Gibby

Danielle Gibson was named SEC Player of the Week for the third time in her career on March 22. The Murrieta, Calif., product guided Arkansas to its first series win in Knoxville, Tenn., and a dominant win against a Western Kentucky squad that was receiving votes in several national polls. In four games, Gibson slashed .667/1.917/.733 with five home runs and 12 RBI. She scattered eight hits and accumulated 23 total bases. Additionally, Gibson produced a season-high seven RBI, which is the most by an individual in SEC play so far this season, and two home runs, including a crucial top of the seventh grand slam. to clinch the series over No. 14 Tennessee. The home run output didn’t stop Saturday as she tattooed a solo shot in Sunday’s series finale. The senior also swatted two-run and three-run jacks against the Hilltoppers Monday. In an offensive tear, she has homered in each of her last three at-bats. Nationally, Gibson’s .474 batting average ranks ninth, and she also ranks 7th in slugging percentage (.969) 10th in RBI per game (1.38), 10th in total bases (11th in home runs per game (.41), 12th in home runs (13), 20th in RBI (39) and  21st in OBP (.540). After homering twice in the series finale at Ole Miss, Gibson has registered three multi-home run games this season. Gibson claimed the program’s all-time RBI leader in the series finale vs. the Rebels (149).

Hannah Slammill

Gammill manufactured an explosive weekend to help the Razorbacks to a 3-0 record, going 6-for-6 with eight runs, seven RBIs, three home runs and one double while playing errorless defense at third. The Beebe, Ark., product slashed 1.000/2.667/1.000 over the weekend. Through 28 games, Gammill is fourth nationally in hit by pitch per game (0.46), ninth in slugging percentage (.971), 10th in on base percentage (.583), tied for 16th in home runs with 11 and 17th in home runs per game (0.39).

Mary Madness

Haff (11-3) tossed the program’s first solo, seven-inning perfect game against Maryland on March 11 to secure her 83rd career win as a Razorback. The reigning SEC Co-Pitcher of the Year struck out a season-high 14 batters against Terrapins, her 14th double digit strikeout performance. Haff picked up her first win of the weekend after downing Liberty Thursday, surrendering one run on one hit while fanning four in two innings of work. In wins over Maryland and Liberty, Haff struck out 18 and walked zero. She retired 27-straight heading into the SEC opening series at Tennessee.

Run KB Run

KB Sides is making a splash in her last collegiate season. Already, Sides’ six home runs this season are more than she recorded in her four years at Alabama. A dynamic threat at the plate, Sides has the ability to bring over-the-fence power as well as small ball, which keeps defenses guessing every time to steps to the plate. Through 32 games, Sides has tallied 20 stolen bases, which is already the fourth-most any Hog has bagged in a single season. Arkansas’ single season stolen base record sits at 33, which was set by Dana Gulick in 1999. Additionally, Sides stole a program-record three bases in the Hogs’ win over Western Illinois Feb. 20. Sides’ three stolen bases against Western Illinois are tied for most by a SEC player in a single game this season. The Dora, Ala. native  hit two home runs over at the Razorback Invitational against Illinois, launching an inside-the-park home run to begin the weekend Feb. 18 before sending a solo shot to center in Arkansas’ second game with the Illini on Feb. 20. Sides compiled a dominant performance in the Hogs’ win against Lehigh on March 11 , going a career-best 4-for-4 with a home run, triple and two doubles to complement three RBIs, two stolen bases and two runs scored. Sides adds speed to the Razorback lineup and in center, where she made several crucial catches in Arkansas’ series victory against Tennessee. Sides ranks 11th nationally in runs per game (1.18). Sides has caught fire in SEC play. Six games in, Sides sports a .478 on base percentage along with a .421 batting average and .579 slugging percentage. In the series opener vs. LSU, Sides launched a leadoff home run and went 2-for-2 on the day, drawing two walks. In the series finale, Sides went 3-for-4 with two runs. Sides is making the most of her final season and leaving it all out on the field.

Linnie Launch

Senior Linnie Malkin has proven to be a serious threat with the bases loaded and has blasted three grand slams so far this season, which is rare enough to earn her name into the NCAA record book. Malkin will join a list of 30 others who have hit three or more grand slams in a single season (NCAA record is 6).

She’s A Hit: Hannah McEwen Becomes Program’s All-Time Hits Leader

Senior Hannah McEwen is as steady and consistent as it gets for the Razorbacks, and the results are showing. McEwen became the program’s all-time hits leader on March 21 at Western Kentucky, amassing her 228th career hit. A strong force in the two-hole this season, McEwen is also inching closer to several program records. The senior’s 183 runs scored are the second-most in program history and just shy of the 184 program record mark. Her 131 RBI are the fifth-most in program history.

Gibson, Haff named Preseason All-SEC, Third-Team All-America

Seniors Danielle Gibson and Mary Haff have been named preseason All-SEC by the league’s coaches. The duo has also been named third-team preseason All-America by Softball America. Gibson slugged her way through the 2021 season, slashing .355/.408/.721 with 15 home runs and 51 RBIs to pick up NFCA Second-Team All-America honors. She also added All-SEC second team and SEC All-Defensive Team accolades to her redshirt junior campaign that helped Arkansas to its first-ever Southeastern Conference title in 2021. Haff is coming off a stellar 2021 season earning SEC co-Pitcher of the Year along with NFCA First-Team All-America and All-SEC honors. She became the first Arkansas pitcher in program history to earn SEC Pitcher of the Year status and the first pitcher at Arkansas to be named first-team All-America by the NFCA. She went 26-7 last season with five saves and a 1.55 ERA over 40 appearances, 25 starts.

Record-Setting SEC Opening Weekend at Bogle

During the LSU series, Arkansas drew 6,712 fans, which makes it the highest attended home series in program history. In the March 26 series opener, the second largest crowd in program history packed Bogle as 2,991 fans were in attendance. The Razorbacks have officially sold out their Saturday, April 9 game vs. Auburn.

Bogle Bombers

Through 32 games, Arkansas ranks third in DI softball in scoring, averaging 7.53 runs per game. Additionally, the Hogs rank 10th in batting average (.337), sixth in slugging percentage (.600) and sixth in home runs  per game (1.78). The Hogs’ .433 OBP leads the SEC. The Razorbacks hit a program record seven home runs against Lehigh, which is tied for third-most in the NCAA and most by an SEC team this season (tied with Missouri). Arkansas has now logged 17 multi-home runs games this season. In conference play, Arkansas’ .289 batting average sits at second, just behind Kentucky’s .297