No. 6/9 Razorbacks Host Missouri for Final Regular Season Series at Bogle Park
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The No. 6/9 Arkansas Softball team concludes its regular season home slate by hosting the Missouri Tigers for a three-game SEC series at Bogle Park this weekend (April 24-26).
First pitch is set for 5 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m. on Saturday, and 1 p.m. on Sunday. Friday’s and Sunday’s games will be streamed on SEC Network+, while Saturday’s contest will be televised on SEC Network. Brett Dolan (PxP) and Hannah McEwen (Analyst) will call the action on Friday. Nate Gatter (PxP) and Monica Abbott (Analyst) will provide commentary on Saturday, and Josh Haley (PxP) and Sydney Parr Lee (Analyst) will be behind the mic for the series finale on Sunday.
Arkansas entered the 11th week of the 2026 season as a consensus top 10 team nationally, having garnered rankings of No. 6, No. 9, No. 6 and No. 6 in the ESPN/USA Softball, NFCA/GoRout D1 Coaches, D1 Softball and Softball America Top 25 Polls.
Arkansas is 37-8 this season and 11-7 in SEC play with 21 wins coming by run-rule. The Razorbacks are coming off a 7-2 win on Wednesday night at Tulsa. Robyn Herron fanned 13 Golden Hurricane batters while allowing just two runs on four hits in her seven innings of work to improve to 13-4 on the season, while Karlie Davison went 2-2 with a three-run home run, a walk, and a hit-by-pitch.
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 100 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 24 (Bri Ellis Bobblehead Giveaway/ Tianna Bell and Dakota Kennedy Senior Day)
Missouri at #6/9 Arkansas – 5 p.m. – SEC Network+ – Live Stats
Saturday, April 25 (Reis Beuerlein Senior Day)
Missouri at #6/9 Arkansas – 11 a.m. – SEC Network – Live Stats
Sunday, April 26 (Kailey Wyckoff Senior Day)
Missouri at #6/9 Arkansas – 1 p.m. – SEC Network+ – Live Stats
BAIN AMONG THE BEST FRESHMEN IN THE GAME
Freshman Brinli Bain was named a Top 25 Finalist for the prestigious NFCA DI Freshman of the Year Award, the organization announced on April 23.
Bain became the fifth Razorback since 2018 to be selected to the prestigious list, joining Ella McDowell (2025), Kennedy Miller (2024), Reagan Johnson (2023), and former Hog Mary Haff (2018). Additionally, Arkansas is the only program in the nation to have a top 25 finalist for the award in each of the previous four seasons.
This season, she has posted a .391 average with 45 hits, 15 doubles, three homers, 37 walks, 36 runs scored, 31 RBI and a .542 OBP while posting 13 multi-hit games and nine multi-RBI games. She has reached base in 42 of her 44 games played this season, while being the only player nationally to rank in the top five among D1 freshmen (Min 70 AB) in walks per game (1st, .80), OBP (1st, .547), and doubles (5th, 15) entering the week.
Her batting average (.391) and on-base percentage (.542) are on pace to be the best by a Razorback freshman all-time, while she currently ranks 13th in single-season hits by a rookie. Additionally, Bain’s 15 doubles are the most by a freshman in program history. Defensively, Bain has seen action behind the plate and in right field. She owns a 1.000 fielding percentage with 95 putouts and nine assists. She has caught two of the three runners who have attempted to steal against her this season.
PROTECT OUR YARD
Since 2017, Arkansas is 183-47 at Bogle Park during the regular season and 216-79 at Bogle Park since Courtney Deifel took over the program in 2016.
The Razorbacks have won six straight SEC home series, their most since they won eight straight from March 23, 2018, to May 5, 2019.
Arkansas posted a 22-2 (.917) home record this season. The Hogs’ 22 wins this season are the sixth-most in Bogle Park history (2009-present), while their .917 home winning percentage is on pace to be the second-best mark during that timespan, trailing only a .931 winning percentage set during a 27-2 home campaign in 2018.
KD KEEPS DRIVING SOFTBALLS
Senior INF Karlie Davison is batting .369 this season with 38 hits, six doubles, a triple, seven homers, 36 RBI and 24 runs scored while posting a .460 on-base percentage and a .650 slugging percentage. Davison has already set single-season career high marks in RBI (36) and is only three hits, three walks, and four total bases from setting career highs in each category.
Davison is coming off an impressive 2-2 night at Tulsa (April 22) that featured a three-run home run in the top of the second inning, along with a walk and being hit by a pitch. She also went 1-3 with a two-run single in the series opener and 1-2 in the series finale at Oklahoma (April 17-19).
MILLER TIME
Junior catcher Kennedy Miller carries a career-high 13-game reached base streak into this weekend’s series. During her 13-game reached-base streak, Miller is batting .323 with 10 hits, two doubles, a home run and six RBI while posting a .400 on-base percentage.
Miller started a two-out rally during the second inning of last night’s win at Tulsa by smashing her fourth double of the season before coming around to score on a three-run home run from Karlie Davison.
The Georgetown, Texas product is batting .311 this season with four doubles, two home runs, 23 RBI and 14 runs scored while drawing six walks.
ROB IS DEALIN’
Senior LHP Robyn Herron is 13-4 this season with a 2.03 ERA and 139 strikeouts in 86.1 innings of work while limiting opposing hitters to a .175 batting average and collecting four saves. The Tampa, Fla., product collected her 13th win of the season with a complete game effort that featured 13 strikeouts, no walks and just two runs allowed on four hits during a 7-2 win at Tulsa. Herron’s 13 strikeouts marked her 16th career double-digit strikeout game, which is tied for the most in program history alongside Mary Haff (2018-2022).
She ranked among the national leaders entering the week in fewest hits allowed per seven innings (14th, 4.50), strikeouts per seven innings (5th, 11.1), saves (13th, 4), and shutouts (25th, 4). Herron’s four saves lead the SEC.
DOWNING #1
Arkansas earned its third win in program history over a consensus No. 1 opponent at Oklahoma (April 18) by downing the Sooners, 3-2, courtesy of 5.1 impressive innings in the circle from sophomore Payton Burnham and a go-ahead two-run home run in the top of the sixth inning from Tianna Bell.
Win the win, Arkansas recorded its third victory in program history over a consensus No. 1-ranked opponent, having previously defeated UCLA (Feb. 18, 2011) and Cal (May 19, 2012). It also marked the Razorbacks’ third win in program history over a No. 1 opponent in the ESPN/USA Softball Poll and the fifth over a top-ranked team in the NFCA Coaches Poll.
IN THE RANKINGS
Arkansas ranked among the nation’s leaders in numerous categories entering the week including, batting average (8th, .358), runs per game (5th, 8.27), on-base percentage (5th, .459), RBI per game (8th, 7.55), slugging percentage (13th, .609), total runs (5th, 364), WHIP (15th, 1.22), team strikeouts per 7 inn. (14th, 6.89), shutouts (12th, 11) and ERA (17th, 2.65).
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 10-3 with three saves, a 2.08 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 67.1 innings of work this season while limiting opposing hitters to a .217 batting average.
Burnham earned her 10th win of the season by going 5.1 innings, striking out three and allowing just two runs on four hits while issuing no walks in a win at No. 1 Oklahoma (April 18).
SERIES HISTORY
The Arkansas Razorbacks and Missouri Tigers have met 31 times, with Missouri holding an 18-13 lead in the all-time series.
Friday’s meeting will be the first since May 9-10, 2024, when Missouri defeated Arkansas 3-1 during SEC Tournament quarterfinal play. The weather greatly impacted the matchup as it began at 8:07 p.m. CT Thursday but was suspended in the top of the fifth inning with no outs, runners at the corners, and the Tigers in front 2-1. Play resumed at 9:02 a.m. Friday. Reagan Johnson collected a single in the contest.
Arkansas took the last series at Bogle Park (April 5-7, 2024), winning the opener (5-2) and the finale (4-1).
KNOW THE FOE
Missouri is 25-24 this season with a 7-11 record in league play. The Tigers are coming off a 7-0 win over SIU-Edwardsville last night that featured a perfect game from Marissa McCann. The right-handed junior struck out 11 during the Tigers’ 13th perfect game in program history.
Larissa Anderson is in her eighth season at the helm at Missouri with a record of 267-170. Anderson owns a career head coaching record of 400-244-1, including a previous stint at Hofstra, where she went 133-74-1 in four seasons.
Stefania Abruscato leads Missouri with a .343 batting average, 49 hits, eight doubles, a triple and eight home runs, 34 RBI and 22 runs scored while posting a .419 on-base percentage and .580 slugging percentage. Two-way freshman Abby Carr leads Missouri in home runs (11), RBI (40), and slugging percentage (.619), while posting a .306 batting average and an on-base percentage of .399.
In the circle, Carr leads Missouri with a 2.42 ERA in 63.2 innings while posting a 5-4 record, four saves, and 60 strikeouts. McCann leads the Tigers with 117.1 innings pitched and 108 strikeouts while posting a 9-8 record and 3.40 ERA.
30 SEASONS OF RAZORBACK SOFTBALL
2026 marks the 30th season of Arkansas Softball. The Razorbacks hold an all-time program record of 918-819-1 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.
