Hogs Play Five at Easton Razorback Rumble
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – No. 11 Arkansas welcomes Missouri State, Kansas City and Kennesaw State for the Easton Razorback Rumble slated for March 3-6 at Bogle Park. The Hogs begin the weekend at 5 p.m. Thursday against Missouri State. Arkansas’ games Thursday-Saturday will be available on SEC Network+ and Sunday’s weekend finale against Kansas City will be on SEC Network.
The Schedule
Thursday, March 3
Missouri State – 5 p.m.
Friday, March 4
Kennesaw State – 3:30 p.m.
Kansas City – 6 p.m.
Saturday, March 5
Missouri State – 3 p.m.
Kennesaw State – 5:30 p.m.
Sunday, March 6
Kansas City – 2 p.m.
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.
RUN KB RUN
KB Sides is making noise at the leadoff spot for the Razorbacks. Through 13 games, Sides has tallied 14 stolen bases, which ranks third in the NCAA. 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 the most by any SEC player in a single game this season. Additionally, Sides averages 1.08 stolen bases per game, placing her at second in the NCAA. 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.
Haff On Verge of 700 Strikeouts
Picher Mary Haff sits at 697 career strikeouts in a Razorback uniform heading into the Louisville series. Haff captured Arkansas’ first SEC Pitcher of the Year award last season, pitching to a 26-7 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 Winter Haven, Fla. native sits atop the program’s career record book tallying 81 wins and 14 saves.
Coach of the Year
In her sixth season guiding the Arkansas softball program, head coach Courtney Deifel was named SEC Coach of the Year last season, becoming the second skipper in school history to earn the award, and first since Carrie Dever-Boaz in 1999. The Hogs began conference play winning 12 straight games, notching the fifth-best league start in SEC history and captured the program’s first SEC title. The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) awarded Deifel and the coaching staff the South Region Staff of the Year. Since Deifel took over in 2016, the Razorbacks have been ranked 56 times in the NFCA Coaches’ Poll after previously being ranked only once in program history. Deifel’s record in Fayetteville is 199-121 and 50-71 in SEC games. Her Razorbacks teams have qualified for the NCAA Tournament four times, the most among any coach in program history.
Steady Veteran
Redshirt senior outfielder Hannah McEwen has been as consistent as can be for the Hogs the last four season and her name is littered throughout the program record book. McEwen ranks second in program history in batting average (.354), and ranks second in on-base percentage (.456), second in runs scored (166), third in walks (99), third in doubles (39), seventh in slugging percentage (.535) and eighth in hits (213) and seventh in RBI (116).
Gibson’s Dominant Start
It comes at no surprise that senior Danielle Gibson has dominated at the plate so far this season at the cleanup spot. Through 13 games, Gibson is hitting .600, which is tied for first in the NCAA. Gibson’s .667 on-base percentage sits at fourth in the country and second in the SEC. Gibson’s 1.029 slugging percentage ranks 17th in the NCAA. The Murietta, Calif. native posted her biggest performance of the season on Feb. 28 vs. Louisville (W, 14-0), going 3-for-3 with two RBI and one run.
Sooie Sluggers Continued
Arkansas opened the 2022 Razorback Invitational on Feb. 18-20, smashing 11 home runs over the weekend. The Razorbacks amassed seven home runs against Illinois over a stretch of two games. Additionally, six different Razorbacks recorded home runs during the home-opening weekend (Gammill, Gibson, Sides, McEwen, Hoffman and Ellsworth). Freshman Kacie Hoffman notched her first-career home run during her first-career start Feb. 18 vs. Illinois. KB Sides hit an inside-the-park home run against Illinois Feb. 18. The Hogs smashed home runs in four of its five games during the Razorback Invitational. Sides, Hoffman and Taylor Ellsworth each hit their first home run in an Arkansas jersey over the weekend.
Following Arkansas’ series win against Louisville Feb. 27-28, the Hogs have hit two-plus home runs in seven of its last eight games, which have all been played at Bogle Park. Five different Razorbacks tallied home runs against Louisville (Gammill, Gibson, Hedgecock, Hoffman, Malkin).
