Kennedy’s Seven RBI Lift Hogs to 14-9 Dismantling of Alabama

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Behind a 3-4 day that featured a solo home run, a grand slam, a double and a walk in addition to seven RBI and two runs scored from Dakota Kennedy and a gutsy performance from Saylor Timmerman in the circle, the No. 8/9 Arkansas Razorbacks dismantled previously unbeaten No. 4/6 Alabama, 14-9, to even the series on Saturday afternoon at Rhoads Stadium on the campus of the University of Alabama.

With the victory, Arkansas improved to 23-3 overall and 3-2 in SEC play.

Kennedy smashed a two-run double to give Arkansas a 4-2 lead in the top of the third inning before smashing a solo shot to right field in the top of the fifth to tie the game. Kennedy then finished her day by belting a grand slam to left field to increase the Hogs’ lead to 14-7. The senior also reached base on a walk in the sixth inning. Kennedy became the first Razorback to drive in seven runs in a single game since Rylin Hedgecock did so in a three-homer effort in a win at Kentucky on April 22, 2023.

Freshman Brinli Bain also led the Hogs at the plate with a 2-4 day that featured a solo home run, three RBI and a walk. Reagan Johnson added a pair of hits and a walk as well at the top of the Razorbacks’ lineup. Atalyia Rijo added a home run in the win as well, courtesy of a solo shot in the top of the seventh inning.

Saylor Timmerman turned in a gutsy performance on her way to her fourth victory of the season. The Minocqua, Wis., product recorded every out in the win while striking out four and allowing seven runs (four earned runs) on six hits and six walks in her seven innings of work.

Vic Moten took the loss for Alabama (24-1, 4-1 SEC) after allowing eight runs (six earned) on eight hits and three walks while fanning six in 5.2 innings of work.

How it Happened

A freshman got the ball for each team as Arkansas started Saylor Timmerman, while Alabama went with Vic Moten.

Reagan Johnson led off the game with an infield single to first base. Brinli Bain then collected an infield single that also featured a throwing error, allowing Reagan Johnson to score from first while Bain advanced to second, giving Arkansas a 2-0 lead. Bain would later come around to score on an RBI fielder’s choice from Tianna Bell to push the Hogs’ lead to 2-0.

Timmerman spun a scoreless bottom of the first inning. The Tide’s Audrey Vandagriff led off the half inning with a walk and then advanced to second on a single from Brooke Wells, but would be thrown out rounding second on a heads-up play by Karlie Davison. Timmerman then issued a 5-4-3 groundball double play to complete the scoreless inning.

Moten retired the Hogs in order by sequence of a groundout, foulout, and groundout. Timmerman retired her first batter in the bottom of the second inning with a strikeout. Alabama then put a pair of runners on with a walk from Ana Roman and a dribbler off the bat of Salen Hawkins. The Crimson Tide then made it a one-run game with an RBI single through the right side from Mari Hubbard. A batter later, Jena Young tied the game at 2-2 with an infield single. Timmerman escaped the frame without further damage courtesy of a groundout and a strikeout.

Johnson led off the top of the third with an infield single, her second of the day. She would be replaced at first base by Brinli Bain, who hit into a fielder’s choice. Ella McDowell then smashed a single into center field to push Bain to second. With two outs, Dakota Kennedy stepped to the plate and smashed a double into the right-center field gap that plated Bain and McDowell and put the Hogs back in front, 4-2.

A pair of impressive defensive plays from Karlie Davison and Tianna Bell highlighted a 1-2-3 bottom of the third inning by Timmerman.

In the top of the fourth, Rijo walked to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a single from Kennedy Miller. Following a fielder’s choice from Karlie Davison that put out Rijo at third and a groundout to advance both runners to second and third, Brinli Bain increased the Hogs’ lead to 6-2 with a two-run single into shallow right field. Ella McDowell walked following Bain’s single, which caused Alabama Head Coach Patrick Murphy to go to his bullpen and bring in Kaitlyn Pallozzi to replace Moten. Pallozi would induce a groundout to shortstop to stop the damage and end the frame.

Alabama loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the fourth inning, courtesy of a pair of walks and a fielding error. Arkansas looked to have won a challenge on a play at the plate in which the Alabama batter did not vacate the plate on a wild pitch, but after a lengthy review, the umpire ruled an illegal pitch was called before the review. A fielder’s choice and a wild pitch cut the Hogs’ lead to two before Alabama tied the game on a two-RBI single to second base from Brooke Wells that took a brutally bad hop. The Crimson Tide took a 7-6 lead courtesy of an RBI single from Alexis Pupillo.

Dakota Kennedy tied the game at 7-7 in the top of the fifth inning with a lead-off solo home run to right field. Kailey Wyckoff then followed with a double to right-center field. Atalyia Rijo was then hit by a 3-2 pitch to put a pair of runners on. Following the walk, Alabama reinserted Moten in the circle. The freshman would escape the jam by retiring her next three batters faced with a strikeout and a pair of groundouts.

Roman led off the bottom of the fifth inning with a walk and then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt before moving to third on a groundout, the second out of the inning. Timmerman then registered a massive inning-ending strikeout to keep the score deadlocked at seven.

Brinli Bain put Arkansas ahead 8-7 courtesy of a solo home run to center field to lead off the top of the sixth inning. The solo blast was Bain’s second of the season. Dakota Kennedy followed with a two-out walk in the frame.

Timmerman recorded a 1-2-3 bottom of the sixth by way of a groundout, strikeout and groundout.

In the top of the seventh, Rijo added insurance with a solo home run to center field. Ramsey Walker then followed with a pinch-hit double down the left-field line before advancing to third on a passed ball. Arkansas later loaded the bases with back-to-back walks from Johnson and Bain before adding another run after Ella McDowell was hit by a pitch. Following a strikeout, Dakota Kennedy smashed a grand slam over the wall in left field to increase the Hogs’ lead to 14-7.

Alabama would take advantage of an Arkansas error and some free passes in the bottom of the seventh to plate a pair of unearned runs on a pair of groundout RBI to make it the final 14-7.

Arkansas Head Coach Courtney Deifel

On the win…
“I was really proud of our fight more than anything. It was far from perfect on our side, but we stayed the course and picked each other up. We kept throwing punches and I was really proud of the way we trusted ourselves.”

Arkansas Outfielder Dakota Kennedy

On her mindset at the plate…
“I say this a lot, but just going up there with the mindset of see-ball hit-ball and doing my thing while trusting our plan. I think that is what has been working for a lot of us on the team. Being able to pick up each other in many different situations.”

NOTABLES

• Dakota Kennedy registered her seventh career multi-homer game while setting a new career high with seven RBI. She was the first Razorback with a seven RBI game since Rylin Hedgecock drove in seven in a three-homer effort in a win at Kentucky on April 22, 2023.
• The Razorbacks now have six grand slams this season, which is tied for the second-most in a single season in program history, trailing only the 2022 squad’s seven, while being tied with the 2013 team that had six.
• Arkansas is 61-8 all-time when a Razorback player hits multiple home runs in a single game, including a 46-3 mark in the Courtney Deifel era.
• With two hits today, Reagan Johnson is just eight hits away from breaking the Arkansas all-time hits record currently held by Hannah McEwen (261).
• Arkansas is 297-9 when scoring eight or more runs all-time, including a 166-1 mark during the Courtney Deifel era (2016-present). The Razorbacks are on a 109-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.

Up Next

Arkansas will look to take the series with the Crimson Tide tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. on SEC Network+.

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