Hogs Register 14 Hits in 12-4 Run-Rule Triumph Over UConn

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Behind 14 hits, including five multi-hit performances, the No. 9/10 Arkansas Razorbacks run-ruled UConn, 12-4 in six innings during the series opener on Friday evening at Bogle Park.

With the victory, Arkansas improved to 25-4 overall while the Razorbacks registered their 17th run-rule win of the season. The Hogs’ 17 run-rule victories are the second-most in a single season in program history, trailing only the 2025 squad’s program record 23.

Tianna Bell (3-4, 3 RBI, HR, 2 R) and Dakota Kennedy (3-4, 3 RBI, 3B, HR, 3 R, SB) both registered multiple hits and belted a two-run and solo home run, respectively, in the victory. The duo is tied for the team lead with 10 home runs apiece. Kennedy also became the first Razorback to triple and homer in the same game since Kristina Foreman accomplished the feat on Feb. 11, 2023, in a win over Southern Utah. In addition to Bell and Kennedy, Reagan Johnson (2-3, 2 R), Ella McDowell (2-3, RBI, 3 R, BB) and Atalyia Rijo (2-2, 2 RBI, BB) all recorded multiple hits in the win.

Lillie-Faye McWhorter earned the win and improved to 2-0 for Arkansas after four solid innings in the circle, in which she struck out three and allowed two runs on three hits and three walks. Cam Harrison (2 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 3 K) followed McWhorter in relief.

Jessica Walter (3-7) took the loss for UConn (8-19) after allowing nine runs on 10 hits and a walk.

How it Happened

Freshman Lillie-Faye McWhorter made her second start of the season for Arkansas, while UConn went with right-handed senior Jessica Walter.

In the top of the first inning, the Huskies’ Kaitlyn Kibling led off the contest with a leadoff walk. Following the free pass, McWhorter would record outs on her next three batters faced by way of a fielder’s choice, flyout and an infield popout.

Reagan Johnson led off the bottom of the first inning with an infield single down the left-field line and came around to score on a one-out double to right-center field from Ella McDowell. McDowell then came around to score on a single up the middle by Tianna Bell in the ensuing at-bat. Bell later moved to second on a wild pitch and took third on a bunt single from Dakota Kennedy, who stole second following her bunt. Atalyia Rijo drove Bell and Kennedy home with a line drive up the middle, increasing the lead to 4-0.

UConn put a pair of runners on in the top of the second inning courtesy of back-to-back singles from Emma Willers and Heidi Barber, but McWhorter would end the inning with both runners stranded courtesy of a strikeout.

Johnson led off the home half of the second inning with a single up the middle, marking her second hit of the ballgame. Brinli Bain increased the Hogs’ lead to 5-0 with an RBI single down the left-field line.

Cat Petteys put the Huskies on the scoreboard with a two-run home run in the top of the third inning. Dakota Kennedy answered with a solo shot to lead off the bottom of the third, making it a 6-2 ballgame.

Rijo highlighted a scoreless top of the fourth inning with an insane inning-ending double play, making an over-the-shoulder grab on a soft line drive in shallow left field before turning around and firing a perfect throw to first base to catch the retreating runner.

Arkansas added two more in the bottom of the fourth, courtesy of a mammoth two-run home run off the bat of Bell that landed in the parking lot beyond the left-field gate. McDowell scored on the two-run shot from Bell after reaching on a single earlier in the inning.

Cam Harrison came in to pitch the fifth inning, spinning a scoreless frame, allowing a single and a walk while also registering a strikeout.

Kailey Wyckoff was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning and advanced to third on a double by Rijo. Del Duca entered in place of Rijo as a pinch runner following the double. UConn then turned a wild 2-5-4-6-3-9-6 double play for the first two outs of the frame. Arkansas later added a run on a wild pitch that allowed Del Duca to score from third during a pinch-hit at-bat by Cam Harrison that ended in a walk.

In the top of the sixth, Harrison struck out the leadoff batter before issuing a walk, strikeout, and walk to put two runners on base with two outs. UConn made the score 9-4 courtesy of consecutive RBI singles from Bella Cruz and Kaitlyn Kibling. Ramsey Walker then ended the inning by robbing a would-be extra-base hit from the Huskies’ Savannah Ring with a running grab near the warning track in right-center field.

McDowell walked with one out in the bottom of the sixth before advancing to third on a double off the right-center field wall from Bell. Dakota Kennedy, who represented the game-ending run with the run-rule in effect, then drove both runners in with a triple off the wall in left-center field. Kailey Wyckoff ended the game with a single to right field that scored Kennedy and made it the final, 12-4.

NOTABLES

• Reagan Johnson recorded her team-leading 74^th career multi-hit game.
• The Hogs’ 17 run-rule victories are the second-most in a single season in program history, trailing only the 2025 squad’s program record 23.
• Reagan Johnson collected a pair of singles in the victory. She now has 257 career hits and is just five hits away from breaking the Arkansas career hits record of 261, currently held by Hannah McEwen.
• Arkansas is 299-9 when scoring eight or more runs all-time, including a 167-1 mark during the Courtney Deifel era (2016-present). The Razorbacks are on a 111-game winning streak when scoring 8+ runs. The last loss the Razorbacks had when accomplishing the feat was a 12-11 loss to Oklahoma State on Feb. 11, 2021, during the season opener at the Best on the Bayou Classic in Monroe, La.
• The Hogs now lead the all-time series with UConn, 2-0.
• Dakota Kennedy also became the first Razorback to triple and homer in the same game since Kristina Foreman accomplished the feat on Feb. 11, 2023, in a win over Southern Utah

Up Next

Arkansas continues its series with UConn at 4 p.m. tomorrow. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network+ with Brett Dolan (PxP) and Bri Ellis (Analyst) on the call.

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