No. 6/8 Hogs Travel to Starkville for Series at No. 15/13 Mississippi State
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – No. 6/8 Arkansas Softball begins a six-game road trip by traveling to Starkville, Miss., for a three-game series at No. 15/13 Mississippi State this weekend (April 10-12).
First pitch is set for 5 p.m. on Friday, 2 p.m. on Saturday, and 11 a.m. on Sunday. All three games will be streamed on SEC Network+ with Will Kollmeyer and Madisyn Farmer.
The Razorbacks are 33-5 this season with 20 wins coming by run-rule. Arkansas is coming off a series sweep of Auburn, winning by the scores of 10-0, 4-0, and 4-1 to improve to 8-4 in SEC play. Arkansas did not allow an earned run during the series, marking the first time since May 3-4, 2000, that the Razorbacks did not allow an earned run over three games of a conference series when they accomplished the feat against Ole Miss in a four-game series. The Hogs are outscoring opponents 335-97 this season and have won 10 of their last 11 games entering the matchup.
The Arkansas Razorbacks, one of the nation’s most successful programs in recent years, have been ranked in the Top 25 of the NFCA Coaches poll for a program-best 98 consecutive weeks dating back to the start of the 2020 season. Arkansas is one of five programs nationally to have appeared in the Top 25 of every NFCA Coaches Poll since the start of the 2020 season, joining Oklahoma, Florida, UCLA, and Florida State.
FOLLOW ALONG
Friday, April 10
#6/8 Arkansas at #15/13 Mississippi State – 5 p.m. – SEC Network+ – Live Stats
Saturday, April 11
#6/8 Arkansas at #15/13 Mississippi State – 2 p.m. – SEC Network+ – Live Stats
Sunday, April 12
#6/8 Arkansas at #15/13 Mississippi State – 11 a.m. – SEC Network+ – Live Stats
HERRON IS BRINGING THE HEAT
Robyn Herron is 11-2 this season with three saves, a 1.52 ERA, and 108 strikeouts while allowing just 14 earned runs on 36 hits and 25 walks in 64.2 innings of work. She is limiting opposing hitters to a .157 batting avg.
She was named SEC Pitcher of the Week on April 7 after pitching eight shutout innings in a series win over Auburn with a win and save to go along with 10 strikeouts and three hits allowed while limiting opponents to a .115 batting average.
The left-handed senior ranks among the national leaders in fewest hits allowed per 7 innings (9th, 3.90), strikeout-to-walk ratio (23rd, 4.32), strikeouts per seven innings (5th, 11.7), saves (19th, 3), shutouts (12th, 4) and WHIP (21st, 0.94).
SOOIE SPINNERS
The Hogs own a 2.38 ERA in 229 innings with 230 strikeouts while limiting opponents to a .215 batting average this season. Arkansas ranked 11th nationally in ERA and 14th nationally in team strikeouts per seven innings (7.03) entering the weekend.
Arkansas has registered 54 shutouts since the start of the 2023 season. The Razorbacks are one of only five programs to rank in the top 20 nationally in shutouts in 2023, 2024, 2025, joining the likes of Oklahoma, Boston, Tennessee and Cal State Fullerton. Arkansas ranked 13th nationally with 10 shutouts this season.
Arkansas finished 2025 ranked 10th nationally with 15 shutouts and ranked 19th nationally in shutouts in 2024 with 14 and 17th nationally in 2023 with 17.
WOOO SWEEP SOOIE
With wins by the scores of 10-0 (5 inn.), 4-0, and 4-0 over Auburn last weekend, Arkansas recorded its 14th three-game SEC sweep under head coach Corutney Deifel and the 24th in program history.
The Razorbacks did not allow an earned run in the series, marking the first time since May 3-4, 2000, that they did not allow an earned run over three games of a conference series when they accomplished the feat against Ole Miss in a four-game series.
The sweep also gave the Hogs their sixth consecutive SEC series win at Bogle Park, which is the most consecutive series win since they won eight straight league series from March 23, 2018 to May 5, 2019.
DEFENDING THE DIAMOND
The Hogs ranked 10th nationally in fielding percentage with a .980 mark entering the weekend and rank second nationally with 28 double plays this season.
The Razorbacks’ 28 double plays are tied for the second most in program history alongside the 2001 team. The single-season program record of 30 was set in 1999.
Arkansas previously posted a program-record 11-game errorless streak this season, from Feb. 13-27. The previous program-best errorless streak was seven from March 21-April 1, 2022.
DAKOTA’S GOLDEN MOMENT
Arkansas bolstered its roster with the signing of two-time NFCA All-American LF Dakota Kennedy, who transferred from Arizona this past summer.
She is batting .353 this season with 9 doubles, a triple, 13 homers, 38 RBI, 17 walks and 43 runs scored. Her 13 round-trippers lead the team. She has a career-high 38 RBI and is one home run away from setting a single-season career high in homers.
Following a sweep over Auburn (April 6), she claimed the prestigious AUSL (Athletes Unlimited Softball League) Golden Ticket, which is presented to players who will be selected in the upcoming AUSL draft on May 3. Kennedy was the second Razorback to receive the prestigious honor during its two years of existence, alongside Bri Ellis (2025).
Kennedy was named D1Softball National Player of the Week after batting .462 with two HR, two doubles, and seven RBI during the Hogs’ 3-1 showing on March 24-29.
She crushed a walk-off three-run home run to give Arkansas a 6-4 win over Florida on March 29 to secure the series.
KEEP ‘EM IN THE YARD
Arkansas has allowed no home runs in 337 games during the Courtney Deifel era (2016-present), which accounts for 58.5% of all games during Deifel’s tenure. In the 337 games in which Arkansas has not allowed a home run, they have posted a record of 270-67.
ON RECORD PACE
Through the first 38 games of the season, the Hogs have been putting up some historic numbers.
Arkansas has registered program-best marks in batting average (.370), runs (335), doubles (72), RBI (304), total bases (621), slugging % (.637), and on-base % (.470).
Additionally, the Hogs’ 33-5 record is tied for the best 38-game start in program history alongside the 2021 squad.
IN THE RANKINGS
Arkansas ranked among the nation’s leaders in numerous categories entering the week including, batting average (6th, .370), runs per game (6th, 8.82), hits (17th, 361), on-base percentage (4th, .470), RBI per game (8th, 8.00), slugging percentage (11th, .637), total runs (5th, 335), WHIP (17th, 1.20), team strikeouts per 7 inn. (14th, 7.03), shutouts (13th, 10) and ERA (11th, 2.38).
SAYLOR’S HISTORIC START
Freshman RHP Saylor Timmerman is 8-0 with a 2.29 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 52.0 innings pitched this season. Her 8-0 start is the first by a Razorback freshman since Mary Haff started 8-0 in 2018.
Timmerman earned her eighth, win pitching four innings while striking out two and allowing just one unearned run on two hits in a series-finale win over Auburn (April 6).
She picked up her seventh win of the season by retiring 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 relief in a series-clinching win over No. 3/5 Florida (March 29).
SERIES HISTORY
Arkansas and Mississippi State have met 76 times, with the Bulldogs holding a slim 40-36 advantage in the all-time series. Arkansas has taken 12 of the previous 14 meetings, dating back to 2018.
Mississippi State took the last series between the programs on March 22-24, 2024. The Bulldogs earned the series victory by taking the series opener, 6-3, and the series finale, 15-7 (5 inn.). The Razorbacks won game two 3-0 behind a 2-2 day from Kennedy Miller and a solo home run from Bri Ellis.
KNOW THE FOE
Mississippi State is 33-9 this season with a 5-7 mark in SEC play. The Bulldogs are coming off a 2-1 series loss at Florida last weekend (April 3-5). Mississippi State fell in game one 2-0, then evened the series with a 9-5 win in game two before falling 5-4 on a walk-off fielder’s choice in the series finale on Sunday.
Samantha Ricketts is in her seventh season at Mississippi State with a record of 231-128.
Kiarra Sells leads Mississippi State with a .409 batting average, racking up 47 hits, including 12 doubles and 13 home runs, while driving in 29 runs and scoring 38 runs in addition to drawing 24 walks and stealing eight bases. Nadia Barbary and Morgan Stiles also highlight the Bulldog offense with batting averages of .349 and 45 hits apiece. Barbary boasts eight doubles, 10 home runs, 33 RBI, and 26 runs scored. Stiles has registered five doubles, two homers, and 16 RBI while scoring 26 runs and drawing 19 walks.
In the circle, Mississippi State owns a 1.55 team ERA while striking out 379 batters and limiting opposing hitters to a .160 batting average in 275.1 innings of work. Entering the weekend, the Bulldogs ranked second nationally in team ERA and led the nation in strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.49). Peja Goold highlights the MSU pitching staff with a 1.42 ERA and 13-6 record while recording 140 strikeouts and limiting opponents to a .140 batting average in 108.2 innings pitched. Alyssa Faircloth also plays an integral role on the staff with a 1.74 ERA and 10-3 record with 178 strikeouts in 104.2 innings of work.
ALL FOR ALEX
The SEC softball community will again be united on April 11 when all 15 teams participate in the league’s sixth annual “All for Alex” weekend to honor the legacy of Mississippi State’s Alex Wilcox.
Wilcox was a member of the 2018 MSU softball team who inspired the nation with her courageous fight against ovarian cancer. That fight ultimately took her life in the summer of 2018.
All 15 SEC teams will wear teal uniforms or teal accents on Saturday as part of “All for Alex” weekend.
30 SEASONS OF RAZORBACK SOFTBALL
2026 marks the 30th season of Arkansas Softball. The Razorbacks hold an all-time program record of 914-817-1 with four head coaches in the entirety of its history.
Arkansas played its first official game in program history on Feb. 20, 1997, which was a 4-3 loss to Cal State Northridge during the San Diego State Classic. The Razorbacks rebounded later that same day with a 5-4 triumph over Hawaii to earn the first win in program history. Designated Player Lisa Flores provided the winning runs in the victory with a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning.
For schedule updates and other news, go to ArkansasRazorbacks.com, or follow @RazorbackSB on X, Instagram and Facebook.
