Softball

No. 10 Arkansas Travels to No. 20 Georgia for Weekend Series

Jacob Pavilack
Jacob Pavilack April 15, 2021
Game Notes

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The No. 10 Arkansas softball team (33-5, 13-2 SEC), which is in first place in the SEC standings, makes the trip to No. 20 Georgia (27-8, 6-6 SEC) this weekend for a three-game series. Game one of the series begins at 5 p.m. on Friday, April 16, with game two set for a 1 p.m. first pitch on Saturday, April 17. Game three of the series begins at 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 18. All three games will air on SEC Network+ with Kaleb Frady (play-by-play) and Natalie Kerns (analyst) on the call Friday, while Frady and Karlie Smith (analyst) have the call on Saturday and Sunday.

Friday, April 16 – 5 p.m. – at No. 20 Georgia – Watch – Live Stats
Saturday, April 17 – 1 p.m. – at No. 20 Georgia – Watch – Live Stats
Sunday, April 18 – 1 p.m. – at No. 20 Georgia – Watch – Live Stats

Last Time Out

Arkansas won one of three games at home against Alabama last weekend, dropping the first game, 5-3, and the third game, 2-0, while winning the middle game, 4-0. Catcher Kayla Green hit two home runs as part of the winning effort on Saturday, and pitcher Autumn Storms spun a gem, fanning 10 and allowing just two hits in the complete game shutout. Both outfielder Hannah McEwen and infielder Braxton Burnside tied for the team lead with a .636 on base percentage for the series, recording two hits and drawing five walks. For the series, Storms held a 0.51 ERA (13.2 IP), allowing two runs (one earned), with three walks, 12 strikeouts and a .180 opponent batting average. It was the first top 10 series in program history, with Arkansas ranked No. 8 and Alabama No. 3.

SEC Standings

The Hogs (13-2) sit 1.5 games ahead of Florida (10-2) for first place in the SEC standings. Arkansas opened the league schedule winning 12 straight games, the best mark in school history and the fifth-best in conference history. The Razorbacks’ 13 league wins are the most in program history during the current 24-game SEC scheduling format.

Bogle Bombers

The Razorbacks have been on a power surge this season, totaling 72 home runs to lead the SEC and rank second nationally. Burnside leads the team with 21 homers, which paces the SEC and ranks second in the country behind Oklahoma’s Jocelyn Alo (22). Designated player Linnie Malkin has added 13 homers, fourth-best in the SEC and 13th nationally. Gibson has hit 11 homers to rank ninth in the SEC and 31st nationally. The Razorbacks are one of two teams in the country (Oklahoma) that have three or more players with 10 or more homers. Last week Green hit four home runs by slugging two home runs against both Missouri State and Alabama.

Brax Bombs

Burnside’s 21 home runs this season are the most in a single season in program history. She broke the record with her 18th shot of the year on April 1 at Auburn, launching a three-run bomb in the fifth inning. Burnside broke Nicole Shroeder’s record of 17 set in 2017. Burnside has also reached base in 32 straight games.

#HogHits

  • Pitcher Mary Haff ranks fourth in the nation in wins (18) and 12th in strikeouts (137). Haff’s career ERA of 1.60 and .177 opponent batting average are the best marks in program history.
  • Pitcher Autumn Storms has been stellar in SEC play, posting the second-best ERA (1.02) in conference-only games. She has the top ERA among pitchers who have thrown at least 30.0 innings (34.1).
  • Outfielder Sam Torres is tied for fourth in SEC-only games in hits (18).
  • In addition to ranking second in the country in homers, the Razorbacks also rank third in walks, drawing 147.
  • Arkansas ended a 19-game win streak on Tuesday, March 16, which was the longest in program history. It bested the prior record of 12 set by the 1999 and 2008 teams and was the only one of the three streaks to encompass a conference series sweep. This year’s squad is the only team in school history to have two winning streaks of at least 12 games in the same season.
  • Arkansas’ four SEC series sweeps are the most in program history since the current conference scheduling format began in 2013. The team’s 13 SEC wins are the most in a year over that span.
  • The Razorbacks’ 33 total wins are the most in the country.

Opposition Position

Georgia took games two (9-8) and three (5-2) of a series at No. 11 Kentucky last weekend. Down 8-1 after the fifth inning of game two, the Bulldogs scored eight unanswered runs in the sixth and seventh innings to earn the 9-8 win. On Wednesday night, Georgia scored all of its runs in the first inning in a 4-1 non-conference triumph over USC Upstate.

Infielder Lacey Fincher leads Georgia in almost every offensive statistical category, hitting .386 with 32 hits, 11 homers, 27 walks and 26 RBI. Outfielder Sydney Chambley is tied for the team lead in RBI. Pitcher Mary Wilson Avant leads the team in innings pitched (116.2), wins (14) and strikeouts (141) and is second in ERA (2.04).

Georgia has a 38-19 lead in the all-time series against Arkansas and has won the last three series. The Razorbacks’ last win was an 8-3 victory in 2018 in the SEC Tournament Quarterfinals.

Up Next

Arkansas returns home for its last mid-week game of the season, hosting Central Arkansas at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 21 on SEC Network+.

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