Kennedy’s Walk-Off Blast Lifts Hogs to Series Victory in 6-4 Win Over No. 3/5 Florida

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas Senior OF Dakota Kennedy’s walk-off three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning lifted the No. 9/10 Razorbacks to a 6-4 win over No. 3/5 Florida as Arkansas secured a 2-1 series victory on Sunday afternoon at Bogle Park.

With two outs and Arkansas trailing in the bottom of the seventh inning, Dakota Kennedy stepped to the plate with Reagan Johnson representing the tying run on second and Kasey Wood portraying the game’s winning run on first. Johnson previously reached on a one-out single and Brinli Bain followed with a walk before being pinch-ran for by Kasey Wood to set the table for Kennedy. The Sacramento, Calif., product dug into the box and crushed the first pitch she saw from Florida pitcher Keagan Rothrock over the wall in left field for a walk-off three-run blast to put an exclamation point on a thrilling 6-4 come-from-behind win. The blast was Kennedy’s team-leading 12^th of the season and the first walk-off home run since Bri Ellis’ walk-off grand slam in an SEC Tournament win over Georgia on May 7, 2025.

Prior to the seventh inning, Florida jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning courtesy of an RBI double from Jocelyn Erickson and a two-run home run from Kenleigh Cahalan. Florida added a run in the top of the third inning on a single from Kendall Grover, to increase the visitors’ lead to 4-0 before Karlie Davison made it a one-run ballgame by blasting a three-run home run to left-center field in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Saylor Timmerman (7-0) earned her seventh victory of the season in a herculean relief effort. The Minocqua, Wis., product retired nine out of her last 10 batters faced while striking out five and allowing just one run on three hits and three walks in six innings of work.

Kennedy Miller, Atalyia Rijo, and Reagan Johnson also registered singles in the victory. Miller’s fifth-inning single broke up Rothrock’s no-hit bid.

Keagan Rothrock took the loss for Florida, falling to 17-4 after allowing six runs on five hits and five walks while registering seven strikeouts.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Lillie-Faye McWhorter got the start for Arkansas, while Florida went with its Friday night starter, Keagan Rothrock.

The Gators’ Townsen Thomas led off the game with a double down the left-field line. Taylor Shumaker followed with a walk before Jocelyn Erickson gave Florida a 1-0 lead with a single to right-center field. Arkansas then turned two on a 4-6-3 ground ball double play for the first two outs of the inning. Following the double play, Florida increased the lead to 3-0 courtesy of a two-run home run to center field off the bat of Kenleigh Cahalan.

In the bottom of the first, Reagan Johnson fought through a full count to draw a walk to lead off the bottom of the first inning. Dakota Kennedy followed with a two-out walk, but Rothrock would escape the inning without damage.

After a leadoff walk, Saylor Timmerman entered the circle and retired her first three batters faced courtesy of a strikeout, a sacrifice bunt, and a flyout. Atalyia Rijo led off the bottom of the second with a walk to account for the lone Arkansas baserunner in the frame.

Shumaker led off with a walk in the top of the third inning before later coming around to score on an RBI single from Cahalan. Rothrock would retire the Hogs in order in the bottom of the third.

Timmerman pitched a scoreless top of the fourth, allowing two to reach courtesy of a single and a walk. Rothrock followed with a 1-2-3 bottom of the fourth that featured a pair of strikeouts.

In the top of the fifth, Timmerman posted a 1-2-3 inning with a pair of strikeouts. Dakota Kennedy made a diving catch in left-center field for the second out of the inning to rob Cahalan of an extra-base hit.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Kailey Wyckoff was hit by a pitch before advancing to second on a single by Kennedy Miller. Karlie Davison then stepped to the plate and launched a three-run home run to left-center field to make it a 4-3 ballgame.

Timmerman retired Florida in order in the top of the sixth inning, courtesy of a groundout, flyout and popout. Tianna Bell drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the sixth inning and advanced to second on a single from Atalyia Rijo before Rothrock escaped unscathed with a pair of groundouts.

Thomas led off the top of the seventh with a single before Timmerman and Miller combined to record a strikeout and a caught stealing for the first two outs of the frame. Timmerman then got Jocelyn Erickson to strike out swinging for the final out of the frame.

Reagan Johnson singled to left field with one out in the bottom of the seventh and then advanced to second on a walk from Brinli Bain. Following a strikeout for the second out of the frame, Dakota Kennedy stepped to the plate and crushed the first pitch she saw from Rothrock over the wall in left field for a walk-off three-run home run to make it the final 6-4 and give the Hogs the series win.

NOTABLES

• Dakota Kennedy set a new single-season career high in RBI by recording her 35th, 36th, and 37th RBI of the season on her walk-off three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh.
• With the victory over the No. 3 Gators, the Razorbacks tied their highest-ranked series win at Bogle Park in program history (NFCA Poll). Arkansas also took two out of three games from third-ranked Tennessee in 2023.

• Karlie Davison smashed her sixth home run of the season with a three-run blast in the bottom of the fifth. She has eclipsed her home run total of five a year ago in just 35 games.
• Reagan Johnson registered her 197th start batting leadoff, which is the second-most in program history, trailing only Devon Wallace, 205 (2012-2015).

Up Next

The Razorbacks will be back in action at Bogle Park next Saturday-Monday (April 4-6) by hosting Auburn for a three-game SEC series.

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