No. 6/8 Razorbacks Set for Showdown at No. 1 Oklahoma
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The No. 6/8 Arkansas Softball team continues its six-game road trip with a trip to Norman, Okla., for a top 10 series at No. 1 Oklahoma this weekend (April 17-19).
First pitch is set for 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday. Friday’s game will be televised nationally on ESPN2 with Matt Schumacker (PxP) and Amanda Scarborough (analyst) on the call. Saturday and Sunday’s contests will be televised on SEC Network+.
The Razorbacks are 35-6 this season with a 10-5 record in SEC play. The Razorbacks are coming off a 2-1 series win at Mississippi State after dropping the first game 1-0, Arkansas responded with impressive wins by the scores of 8-0 (5 inn.) and 10-3 to take the series. Arkansas was being no-hit heading into the fifth inning of game two before they exploded for eight runs in the fifth to complete the run-rule. The Hogs are outscoring opponents 353-101 this season.
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 99 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 17
#6/8 Arkansas at #1 Oklahoma – 7 p.m. – ESPN2 – Live Stats
Saturday, April 18
#6/8 Arkansas at #1 Oklahoma – 7 p.m. – SEC Network+ – Live Stats
Sunday, April 19
#6/8 Arkansas at #1 Oklahoma – 1 p.m. – SEC Network+ – Live Stats
ROAD HOGS
Since 2020, the Razorbacks have excelled on the road, posting a 73-26 record, the second-best mark among current SEC members, trailing only Oklahoma (84-12).
Arkansas has won 10+ road games in each of the past five seasons and is one of nine programs to finish in the Top 25 in road winning percentage in each of the previous two seasons alongside Grand Canyon, Chattanooga, Oklahoma, Marist, Duke, Tennessee, Texas and Florida. Arkansas went 12-4 on the road in 2025 and 12-5 on the road in 2024
Arkansas is one of three SEC programs to post 10+ road wins with a road win% of .500+ in each of the past three seasons alongside Oklahoma and Tennessee.
The Hogs have won 19 of their last 22 SEC road series, which is the best mark among all SEC members during that time span (2021-present). From 1997-2020, the program had only won 17 SEC road series.
Arkansas is one of three programs alongside Liberty (21) and Miami of Ohio (22) to win 19+ conference road series since 2021. 11 of the Razorbacks’ 19 road SEC series victories have been over ranked opponents.
The Hogs recorded two top 10 ranked SEC road series wins last season and have accounted for seven top 10 road series wins in league play over the past four seasons.
SOOIE SPINNERS
The Hogs own a 2.30 ERA in 247 innings with 244 strikeouts while limiting opponents to a .211 batting average this season. Arkansas ranked 9th nationally in ERA and 14th nationally in team strikeouts per seven innings (6.91) 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 11th nationally with 11 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.
Excluding the 2020 COVID-shortened season, Arkansas is just one of seven schools to post 11+ shutouts in every season dating back to 2018, alongside Boston, Florida, Florida State, Oklahoma, Texas and UCLA.
INFLICTING BAIN
Freshman Brinli Bain has posted a .415 average with 44 hits, 15 doubles, three homers, 31 walks, 34 runs scored and 31 RBI. Her .415 batting average ranked second in program history by a freshman through the first 41 games of a season, trailing only Stephanie Canfield (.418, 2013), while her .551 OBP ranked first. She is seeking to become the first freshman in program history to post a .400 batting average in a season (Min. 80 AB).
The Eagleville, Tenn., product also leads the SEC and 13th nationally with 15 doubles this season, the third-most among all DI freshmen entering this weekend. Her 15 doubles are a freshman program record.
Bain has 13 multi-hit games this season and is just one of five Arkansas freshmen in the Courtney Deifel era to record 13+ multi-hit games through the first 41 games of a season, alongside Ella McDowell (15, 2025), Reagan Johnson (15, 2023), Hannah McEwen (13, 2018) and Ashley Diaz (16, 2016).
She led all DI Freshmen and ranked 30th nationally with a .551 on-base percentage entering the week (Min. 70 AB). Bain has reached base in 38 of her 40 games started this season.
Bain is the only player nationally to rank in the top five among D1 freshmen (Min 70 AB) in walks per game (3rd, .76), OBP (1st, .551), and doubles (3rd, 15).
TURNIN’ TWO LIKE NEVER BEFORE
The Hogs ranked eighth nationally in fielding percentage with a .981 mark entering the weekend and have turned a program-record 31 double plays this season.
Arkansas and Florida State are the only teams to rank in the top 10 nationally in both double plays and fielding percentage this season.
The Razorbacks led the nation with a .984 fielding percentage during the 2025 season, making just 24 errors in 1,471 total chances. Arkansas was the first SEC team to lead the nation in fielding percentage since 2019, when Florida accomplished the feat. The Hogs’ .984 fielding percentage ranked tied for sixth in NCAA history.
Arkansas is one of four programs to finish the last two seasons ranked in the top 10 nationally in fielding percentage, joining the likes of Florida Atlantic, Omaha and Oklahoma.
ROB IS DEALIN’
Senior LHP Robyn Herron is 12-3 this season with a 1.44 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 73 innings of work while limiting opposing hitters to a .168 batting average and collecting three saves. The Tampa, Fla., product collected her 12th win of the season and 50th win of her career after allowing just one run on three hits and a walk while striking out three in four innings pitched during a win at Mississippi State (April 12). She is just the seventh pitcher in program history to record 500 career strikeouts and 50 career wins.
She ranks among the national leaders in ERA (10th, 1.44), fewest hits allowed per 7 innings (12th, 4.22), strikeouts per 7 innings (5th, 11.1), saves (29th, 3), shutouts (20th, 4) and WHIP (26th, 1.00).
DAKOTA IS ON A DIFFERENT LEVEL
Dakota Kennedy is batting .374 this season with 9 doubles, a triple, 14 homers, 41 RBI, 18 walks and 43 runs scored. Her 14 round-trippers lead the team. She has a career-high 41 RBI and 14 HR.
Last weekend, she batted .714 while reaching base in 9 of her 11 plate appearances with five hits, including a double and a home run, to go along with five RBI, three runs scored and four walks while posting an .818 on-base percentage and 1.286 slugging percentage during the Razorbacks’ 2-1 series win over No. 15/13 Mississippi State. Kennedy blasted a three-run round-tripper in the Hogs’ 8-0 (5 inn.) game two win over the Bulldogs. Over the course of the weekend, she raised her batting average by 21 percentage points.
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 7 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.
DAVISON DESTROYING SOFTBALLS
Senior INF Karlie Davison is batting .366 this season with six doubles, a triple, six homers, 31 RBI, and 21 runs scored while posting a .455 on-base percentage. She has registered nine multi-hit games and nine multi-RBI games this season. Through 41 games, she is just two RBI, four walks, and eight hits away from setting single-game career highs.
RAKE IT UP
Through the first 41 games of the season, the Hogs have been putting up some historic numbers.
Arkansas has registered program-best marks in batting average (.365), runs (353), doubles (75, T-1st), RBI (321), total bases (656), and on-base % (.467).
Under the guidance of hitting coach DJ Gasso, Arkansas ranked among the nation’s leaders in numerous categories entering the week including batting average (5th, .365), runs per game (5th, 8.61), on-base percentage (4th, .467), RBI per game (7th, 7.83), slugging percentage (12th, .624) and total runs (5th, 353).
Additionally, the Hogs’ 35-6 record is the second-best 41-game start in program history, trailing only the 2021 squad.
IN THE RANKINGS
Arkansas ranked among the nation’s leaders in numerous categories entering the week including, batting average (5th, .365), runs per game (5th, 8.61), hits (23rd, 384), on-base percentage (4th, .467), RBI per game (8th, 7.83), slugging percentage (13th, .624), total runs (5th, 353), WHIP (12th, 1.18), team strikeouts per 7 inn. (14th, 6.91), shutouts (11th, 11) and ERA (11th, 2.30).
BURNHAM IS BRINGING IT
Sophomore pitcher Payton Burnham broke onto the scene in 2025 with a 16-2 record, 94 strikeouts and three saves in 117.1 innings pitched while limiting opposing hitters to a .217 batting average and posting a team-best 2.62 ERA.
She is 9-3 with three saves, a 2.03 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 62.0 innings of work this season while limiting opposing hitters to a .219 batting average. She has not allowed a run in 15 consecutive innings entering this weekend.
Last weekend, Burnham went 1-0 with a save while posting a 0.00 ERA, four strikeouts, one hit allowed, and one walk while limiting opposing hitters to a .045 batting average in 7.2 innings pitched during the Razorbacks’ series win at No. 15/13 Mississippi State.
SERIES HISTORY
The Arkansas Razorbacks and the Oklahoma Sooners have met 31 times, with the Sooners holding a 29-2 all-time series.
Oklahoma took the last meeting between the programs, 8-6 on May 9, 2025, during the semifinals of the SEC Tournament in Athens, Ga. Kailey Wyckoff led the Razorbacks at the plate with a 3-4 day that featured a pair of singles in addition to a two-run home run. Karlie Davison also recorded multiple hits for the Hogs, including a double and a single, while playing stellar defense at second base (6 assists, 2 putouts).
KNOW THE FOE
Oklahoma entered the week as the consensus No. 1 team in the nation. The Sooners are 40-5 this season with a 13-2 mark in SEC play. Oklahoma is coming off a 6-4 loss to in-state rival Oklahoma State last night at Devon Park in Oklahoma City.
Patty Gasso is in her 32nd season at Oklahoma with a record of 1,607-366. She has won 16 regular-season conference championships (15 Big 12, 1 SEC) and eight national championships during her time at the helm.
Freshman Kendall Wells highlights the Oklahoma offense with a team-leading 71 RBI and SEC record 31 home runs this season while recording 51 hits, three doubles and 26 walks. Wells has posted a .378 batting average, 1.111 slugging percentage and .478 on-base percentage. Kai Minor leads Oklahoma with a .477 batting average while collecting 62 hits, nine doubles, five triples, six homers and 31 RBI. Ella Parker is batting .444 with 52 hits, 10 doubles, 18 home runs and 53 RBI.
In the circle, Oklahoma owns a 2.88 team ERA while striking out 225 batters and limiting opposing hitters to a .233 batting average in 260.1 innings of work. Audrey Lowry leads the Sooners with a 2.10 ERA and 18-2 record while registering 64 strikeouts and limiting opposing hitters to a .212 batting average in 90 innings of work. Sydney Berzon also highlights the Oklahoma pitching staff with a 2.72 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 46.1 innings pitched.
A FAMILIAR AFFAIR
Arkansas associate head coach DJ Gasso is the son of Oklahoma Head Coach and NFCA Hall of Famer Patty Gasso. He served as a graduate assistant at Oklahoma from 2019-2020, helping lead the Sooners to a College World Series runner-up finish in 2019. Gasso’s brother JT is an associate head coach at Oklahoma, where he has been since the 2016 season.
Arkansas Head Coach Courtney Deifel served as a graduate assistant at Oklahoma from 2008-2009, helping guide the Sooners to an 88-30 record that featured a pair of NCAA Regional appearances and one Super Regional appearance.
Arkansas second baseman Karlie Davison was teammates with Oklahoma’s Abby Dayton from 2023-2024, where they helped lead the Utes to a 42-16 overall record that featured a College World Series appearance in 2023.
30 SEASONS OF RAZORBACK SOFTBALL
2026 marks the 30th season of Arkansas Softball. The Razorbacks hold an all-time program record of 916-817-1 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.
