Razorbacks Close Regular Season at Texas A&M

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – No. 5 Arkansas journeys to Texas A&M Friday for its final three-game series of the regular season. First pitch between the Razorbacks and Aggies is scheduled for 6 p.m. on SEC Network+. With one win against Texas A&M, Arkansas will clinch its first outright SEC regular season title.

The Schedule

Friday, May 6 – 6 p.m. – SEC Network+

Saturday, May 7 – 2:30 p.m. – SEC Network

Sunday, May 8 – Noon – SEC Network+

BACK-TO-BACK

The Razorbacks became one of four SEC softball programs to win back-to-back SEC regular season championships (Alabama, Florida, LSU, Arkansas) with an 8-0 (5) win over South Carolina on Sunday. Arkansas will look for the program’s first outright title with a win over the Aggies this weekend. With three wins against Texas A&M, the Razorbacks will notch the best conference record in program history (20-5). The Hogs are coming off the program’s first SEC regular season title (shared with Florida) last season, going 19-5 in conference play. The Razorbacks became the first team not named Florida or Alabama to win the conference’s regular season title since Tennessee in 2007. On the road against league competition, the Hogs went 11-1, producing the most wins on the road during conference play by an SEC team since 2013 when the league adopted the current 24-game schedule. Arkansas posted a 43-11 overall record, recording the best win percentage (.796) and second-most total wins in program history. In the NCAA Tournament, Arkansas earned the No. 6 national seed and swept the Fayetteville Regional before hosting the program’s first Sper Regional at Bogle Park.

Delce Dominance

Junior RHP Chenise Delce has been a force on the mound, taking a 14-2 record and 2.03 ERA into this weekend at Texas A&M. In the last 40.2 innings Delce has hurled against ranked opponents (No. 17 Auburn, No. 12 Kentucky and No. 9 Florida), she has given up just two earned runs. Delce earned her second SEC Pitcher of the Week accolade of the season and first NFCA Pitcher of the Week honor last Tuesday after her stellar performance at Florida. The Oklahoma City, Okla., native posted a 2-0 mark with a 0.47 ERA and a save, keying the Razorbacks to their first-ever three-game sweep of Florida. In 15 innings, Delce gave up just one earned run and zero extra base hits. Delce ended her weekend against the Gators with a two-hit shutout with eight strikeouts and zero walks. Delce picked up a win after throwing a two-hit shutout against South Carolina in the series opener and also tallied her third save of the season in game two. Delce leads the SEC with a 1.16 ERA in league play.

Mary Madness

Senior Mary Haff has marched her way into the Arkansas softball history book during her time in Fayetteville. On March 11, Haff threw the program’s first solo perfect game, tossing a seven-inning, 14 strikeout gem to propel the Razorbacks to a 6-0 win over the Terrapins at the JMU Dukes Invitational. The Winter Haven, Fla., native is now on the hunt for 800 strikeouts as she sits at 785. Only one other Razorback has recorded over 800 strikeouts in her career.

The senior sits atop the program’s career record book tallying 93 wins and 14 saves. Haff has now notched 16 double digit strikeout performances – the most in program history. She is one more shutout away from tying the program’s career shutout record, which sits at 26. Haff is second on the NCAA’s active career leaderboard with 167 pitching appearances, and is tied for third in saves (14) and is tied for fourth in wins (93) and is 16th in strikeouts with 785. Haff’s 25 shutouts are the most of any active SEC pitcher.

Five Different Razorbacks Earn SEC Weekly Honors

So far this season, the Razorbacks have racked up a conference-best eight SEC weekly honors after seniors Mary Haff and Hannah McEwen were named SEC Pitcher of the Week and SEC Player of the Week after two outstanding performances against South Carolina. Both Mary Haff and Chenise Delce have earned SEC Pitcher of the Week twice this season. Hannah Gammill, Danielle Gibson and Kacie Hoffmann are the other Hogs who have tabbed SEC weekly honors this season.

Gibson Tabbed USA Softball Top 10 Collegiate Player of the Year Finalist

Senior infielder was named a Top 10 Finalist for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Wednesday. The Murrieta, Calif., product has played an integral role for No. 5 Arkansas all season, helping the Hogs claim back-to-back SEC regular season championships. Gibson ranks in the nation’s top 20 in several categories, including sixth in batting average (.451), eighth in total bases (124), 15th in hits (65), 15th in RBI per game (1.15) and 17th in slugging percentage (.861). Gibson is no easy out, sporting a .503 on base percentage. Additionally, Gibson ranks in the conference’s top 5 in home runs with 16 and RBI with 54. Through 47 games, Gibson has posted 21 multiple hit games, including seven with three or more hits, and 14 multiple RBI games. During the 2022 season, Gibson has broken the program’s career RBI (164) and total bases records (388) and currently sits second in career home runs with 44. The first baseman is a staple of the Razorback defense, holding a .985 fielding percentage.

Gibson Drafted by Athletes Unlimited

Senior Danielle Gibson was one of 13 college players chosen in the 2022 Athletes Unlimited Draft Wednesday. Gibson was selected fifth overall. Embarking on its third championship season, Athletes Unlimited and ESPN have recently reached a new multi-year rights agreement for pro softball and lacrosse. More than 160 live games from the women’s sports organization will air exclusively on ESPN platforms over the next two years, which includes 34 on ESPN or ESPN2 and 56 on ESPNU. The third Athletes Unlimited season is scheduled for July 29-Aug. 28.