No. 9 Hogs Come Up Short in Series Opener

OXFORD, Miss. – Despite a potent outing by junior righthander Chenise Delce, No. 9 Arkansas (22-7, 4-3 SEC) was unable to scrap together runs as it fell 2-0 to Ole Miss (26-7, 4-3 SEC) in the series opener Friday night at Ole Miss Softball Complex.

Delce filed eight strikeouts in her fourth complete game of the season and limited Ole Miss to just two runs – tying for the second-fewest the Rebels have posted this season. Delce and the Razorbacks played errorless defense all night and limited Ole Miss to six hits.

Seniors Danielle Gibson and Linnie Malkin, junior Audrie LaValley and sophomore Hannah Gammill each recorded a hit. Graduate Taylor Ellsworth drew two walks, including a 15-pitch battle at the dish.

Ole Miss plated its lone two runs in the second. The Hogs threatened to score in the fifth after a one-out LaValley double to right center, but two line outs were forced to end the frame. Arkansas pieced together an action-filled top of sixth with an Ellsworth walk and back-to-back singles by Gibson and Gammill that juiced the bases with one down, but Ole Miss retired two-straight to decline the Razorbacks.

Up Next

Game two between Arkansas and Ole Miss begins at noon Saturday. The contest will be broadcast on SEC Network.