More Home Runs in Day 2 Split at Mary Nutter

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – The University of Arkansas softball team added to its home run total Saturday afternoon with five round trippers on day two of the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. The Razorbacks hit three home runs in a 12-5 victory against Binghamton and followed with two more in a rally attempt in a 5-4 loss to Army West Point. Arkansas (4-5) closes out the road trip Sunday morning with a game against Central Michigan.

First pitch of the weekend finale is set for 11 a.m. (CT) at the Big League Dreams Complex. It will be the first-ever meeting between the two programs. All games this weekend at the Mary Nutter Classic are being streamed via subscription through FloSoftball.

Individually, senior Stephanie Canfield continued her hot swinging with four more hits Saturday which moves her into sole possession of 10th place on the program’s all-time list. The St. Joseph, Ill., native now has 180 career hits. Canfield has at least one hit in each game this season and is hitting .464 through nine games. Dating back to last season, she has reached base safely in 12-consecutive games.

Redshirt junior Nicole Schoeder added a bit of history of her own with two more home runs which moved her into a tie for 10th place on Arkansas’ career list. The Yorba Linda, Calif., native now has 17 career home runs to equal the tallies of Kayla Johnson (2006-09) and former teammate Clarisa Navarro (2012-14). With her solo shot against Army West Point, Schroeder also registered the 50th RBI of her Razorback career.

Game 1 – Arkansas 12, Binghamton 5 | Box Score

The Razorbacks scored in each of the first three innings of the day’s opener against Binghamton including a four-run frame in the second and led 7-2 after three. Freshman Ashley Diaz got the scoring started early with a two-run blast to center field, scoring Canfield who led off the game with a walk. Diaz finished the game with three hits, including an RBI single in the second.

Arkansas scored two more runs in the fifth with back-to-back sacrifice flies by Claire Clark and Madison Yannetti but saw its lead trimmed to 9-5 after Binghamton put three runs on the board in the home half of the fifth. Schroeder got two of those runs back with a two-run shot to center with Canfield scoring in front of her. Yannetti added the Razorbacks’ final run with a solo home run in the top of the seventh.

Offensively, the team had season highs with its 12 runs and 11 hits in the win over Binghamton. Grace Moll picked up the win in the circle, holding the Bearcats to five hits and striking out two hitters. Freshman Peyton Carter pitched the final two innings and allowed just one base runner with a lead-off walk in the seventh.

Game 2 – Army West Point 5, Arkansas 4 | Box Score

The Black Knights jumped out to an early 2-0 lead after its 1-2 hitters got on base to start the game, and went on to cross the plate on a delayed steal and RBI single later in the first. After the tough start, Carter kept Army off the scoreboard over the next three innings and retired 10 of the final 12 hitters she faced.

Arkansas threatened to score in the second and third but came away empty before breaking through with two runs in the fourth inning to tie the game at 2-all. Canfield opened the scoring for the Razorbacks by drawing a bases-loaded walk to bring Carley Haizlip home from third. With the next hitter, Jessie Mullen scored the game-tying run on an infield single off the bat of Autumn Russell.

However, in its half of the fifth, Army re-established the lead with a three spot, scoring on a fielder’s choice, and then again on the same play with a defensive miscue on the play at the plate. Down to their final three outs, the Razorbacks mounted a rally in the top of the seventh. Schroeder led off the inning with a solo home run to shrink the deficit to two runs and extend the game. Pinch hitter Shelby Hiers pulled Arkansas to within one with a solo shot of her own but Army starter Kristen West retired the next two hitters to seal the win.

Following the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, the Razorbacks will return to Fayetteville for their home opener Feb. 27-28 at Bogle Park. Arkansas is set to host Drake and UMKC for the 2016 Razorback Invitational, playing each team twice during the weekend tournament. The team’s SEC home opener is scheduled for March 25-27 when it hosts No. 19 Kentucky.

Season tickets are now on sale for $45 through the Razorback Ticket Center. For more information about purchasing season tickets, call 800-982-HOGS (4647) or 479-575-5151, email raztk@uark.edu or visit the Razorback Ticket Center located next to Baum Stadium. For more information about Arkansas softball, follow @RazorbackSB on Twitter.