Long Ball Lifts Hogs to 6-3 Triumph Over Bears
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Courtesy of three home runs, the No. 14/16 Arkansas Razorbacks put away in-state foe Central Arkansas 6-3 during Field Trip Day at Bogle Park on Tuesday afternoon.
Five of the Hogs’ six runs scored in the victory came on the long ball as Bri Ellis smashed a three-run shot in the bottom of the third inning, and Kailey Wyckoff and Atalyia Rijo added solo homers in the first and fourth innings, respectively.
Ellis reached base in all three of her plate appearances, adding a pair of walks in addition to her homer. Wyckoff had a 2-4 day with three runs scored and an RBI, while Rijo went 2-3 with a run scored and an RBI, both of which came on her solo blast in the fourth.
In the circle, Robyn Herron improved to 8-3 after striking out six and allowing two earned runs on four hits and one walk over 4.2 innings pitched. Cam Harrison earned her team-leading third save of the season with 2.1 innings of dominant relief pitching that featured two strikeouts and just one hit allowed.
Bailie Runner took the loss for Central Arkansas (11-17), falling to 3-9 on the season after allowing four runs on four hits and two walks in three innings pitched.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Robyn Herron made her 11th first start of the season for Arkansas (21-6), while UCA went with senior right-hander Bailie Runner.
Herron pitched a scoreless top of the first inning that featured a pair of strikeouts. Kylie Griffin led off the game with a single through the left side, but that was all the Bears would get.
Kailey Wyckoff opened the scoring in the bottom half with a solo home run to center field, her fourth of the year. Bri Ellis also walked in the frame.
Herron retired all six batters faced in the second and third innings while fanning four. Atalyia Rijo registered a single for the only hit of the second inning.
Reagan Johnson doubled to left field to lead off the bottom of the third. Raigan Kramer then followed with a walk. Wyckoff replaced Johnson on the bases by hitting into a fielder’s choice, putting runners on first and second with one out. Bri Ellis stepped to the plate and blasted a three-run home run over the wall in left-center field to put Arkansas ahead, 4-0. Runner would exit the game after the third and be replaced by Madge Layfield who would pitch the rest of the contest.
Central Arkansas got on the board in the fourth inning courtesy of an RBI single from Lilly Hood that scored Abbi Graham, who reached on a double.
The Razorbacks answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the fourth courtesy of a leadoff solo home run to dead center field from Rijo.
Central Arkansas scored two in the top of the fifth inning courtesy of a sacrifice fly from Kylie Griffin and a single through the ride side from Madi Young to cut the Hogs’ lead to 5-3. Cam Harrison would enter in relief of Herron with two outs in the inning and register an infield popout to end the frame.
In the bottom of the fifth, Wyckoff led off the inning with a single and then took second on a wild pitch. Ellis would follow with her second walk of the contest. Wyckoff would advance to third on a flyout from Courtney Day. Ella McDowell drove Wyckoff in with a line-drive single to right field which would be the final run of the contest.
Harrison breezed through the sixth by registering a 1-2-3 inning that featured a pair of flyouts to center field and a groundout. Raigan Kramer reached for the Hogs in the home half after being hit by a pitch.
In the top of the seventh, the Bears’ LJ Smith doubled down the right field line with one out in the frame but that would be all Harrison allowed as she issued a popout and struck out Griffin for the final out of the game to earn her third save of the season and give the Hogs a 6-3 victory.
NOTABLES
- Bri Ellis hit her 64th career home run with a three-run shot in the bottom of the fourth inning. She now has 190 career RBI.
- Raigan Kramer registered her 92nd career walk, which ranks seventh in program history.
- Bri Ellis registered her 55th career multi-RBI game.
- Cam Harrison earned her third save of the season. Her three saves are tied with Jenna Bloom (2020) for the most in a season by a freshman during the Courtney Deifel era (2016-present).
- Kailey Wyckoff tied a single-game career high with three runs scored for the second consecutive game. She also registered her 35th career multi-hit game.
- Arkansas now leads the all-time series with Central Arkansas 6-2.
UP NEXT
The Razorbacks resume SEC play with a three-game series at Tennessee beginning on Saturday, March 22 and concluding on Monday, March 24. All three games will be broadcast nationally on SEC Network.
For schedule updates and other news, go to ArkansasRazorbacks.com, or follow @RazorbackSB on X, Instagram and Facebook.
