Razorbacks Hit Road to Florida

Another big weekend is on the horizon as No. 6 Arkansas hits the road to Gainesville, Fla. to face No. 9 Florida on April 22-24. Friday’s series opener will begin at 7 p.m. CT on ESPNU. Saturday’s first pitch is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on ESPN2, and the series finale is slated for 11:30 a.m. on SEC Network.

Top of the SEC

The Razorbacks sit atop of the SEC with a 11-4 conference record six weeks into conference play. Alabama and Tennessee sit closely behind with 13-5 and 11-6 conference records. Arkansas is 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 need and swept the Fayetteville Regional before hosting the program’s first Super Regional at Bogle Park.

Delce Dominance

In the last 24.2 innings junior RHP Chenise Delce (11-2) has hurled against ranked opponents, she has give up just one run while striking out 30. Delce twirled a nine-strikout complete game in the series opener vs. Kentucky last Friday and finished the weekend with a four-hit shutout to capture the series against the Wildcats. Holding a 0.000 ERA in three appearances against No. 17 Auburn will earn one some accolades, and that’s exactly what it did for Delce as she earned SEC Pitcher of the Week on April 12.  The Oklahoma City, Okla. product played a prominent role in securing the Hogs’ third-straight sweep of the Tigers while also collecting two wins in the circle. In 7.2 innings, Delce fanned 15 and gave up just two hits. She struck out back-to-back hitters with a runner on third in the top of the seventh to secure a 4-3, game two victory to clinch the series. An X-factor in the circle, she held Auburn to a .080 batting average and recorded four 1-2-3 innings in the 7.2 innings she tossed. Spinning 1.1 innings in relief in the series finale, Delce struck out all four batters she faced.

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. Back on March 4, Haff amassed her 700th career strikeout in a win against Kennesaw State. The Winter Haven, Fla., native is now on the hunt for 800 strikeouts after she grabbed her 739th career K in the Razorbacks’ win against Western Kentucky. Haff captured SEC Pitcher of the Year award last season, pitching to a 25-7 record with five saves and a 1.55 ERA over 198.1 innings pitched. She struck out 198 hitters compared to just 39 walks issued. Haff was named an NFCA First Team All-American, becoming the first pitcher in program history to earn first team All-America recognition. USA Softball named Haff a Collegiate Player of the Year Top 10 Finalist. Haff was tremendous in conference play, and among pitchers who threw at least 80.0 innings, led the league in wins (11), saves (4) and appearances (19) while placing fourth in ERA (2.01) and strikeouts (79). Against Texas Tech, she hurled her second career no hitter, striking out six over 5.0 innings, and was one error away from a perfect game. Haff threw her first no-no against Northern Colorado in 2018 as a freshman and is the only pitcher in program history with multiple no-hitters. The senior sits atop the program’s career record book tallying 89 wins and 14 saves. After charting 11 strikeouts vs. Tennessee on March, 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 163 pitching appearances, and is tied for second in saves (14) and is fifth in wins (89) and is 16th in strikeouts with 767.

Five Different Razorbacks Earn SEC Weekly Honors So far this season, five different Razorbacks have earned SEC weekly honors. Hannah Gammill and Mary Haff were named SEC Player and Co-Pitcher of the Week on March 15. The following week, Danielle Gibson was named SEC Player of the Week on March 22. Kacie Hoffmann was named SEC Freshman of the Week on March 29 after her strong outing against LSU. Chenise Delce is the latest Hog to claim weekly accolades as she was selected as Pitcher of the Week on April 12.

The Freshman’s Big Bat

Kacie Hoffmann was named SEC Freshman of the Week on March 29. Hoffmann played an integral role in No. 9 Arkansas claiming its third-consecutive series win against No. 21 LSU, slashing .625/.750/.625 with five hits and three RBI in three games. The Elkhorn, Neb., product tied her career-high in hits twice after pounding two in game two and three. In the rubber match, Hoffmann delivered a crucial two-out RBI single to left in the fifth to push the Hogs’ lead to 6-3. In game two’s opening frame, Hoffmann smoked a two-out, RBI double to right center to grant an early 2-0 edge. In conference play, Hoffmann has collected nine hits, including two home runs.

Gibson Tabbed USA Softball Top 25 Collegiate Player of the Year Finalist

Redshirt senior infielder Danielle Gibson was named a Top 25 Finalist for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, the organization announced Wednesday.

The Murrieta, Calif. product has been a dominant force at the plate, hitting .480 on the season with 14 home runs, 59 hits, 46 RBI and 39 runs scored. Additionally, Gibson carries a .536 on base percentage and .902 slugging percentage.

Gibson ranks fifth nationally in batting average, seventh in total bases (111), eighth in hits, 15th in RBI per game (1.15), 15th in slugging percentage and 16th in RBI. 16th in RBI. In the SEC, Gibson ranks second in batting average and hits, third in RBI per game, fourth in RBI, is tied for fourth in home runs, fourth in slugging percentage, fifth in home runs per game and fifth in on base percentage. An anchor on the defense, Gibson has totaled a .987 fielding percentage at first through 40 games. So far this season, Gibson has compiled 20 multi hit games, including seven games with three hits and three games with multiple home runs. Gibson became the Hogs’ all-time RBI leader against Ole Miss on April 3. Her 42 career home runs as a Razorback rank third in program history and just five short of the current home run record of 47 set by Devon Wallace.

HanGam

Sophomore thirdbaseman Hannah Gammill has showcased her talent and stardom 40 games into the season. The Beebe, Ark., native ranks near the top in the nation in several statistical categories:  fourth in slugging percentage (.990), 11th in home runs (16), 12th in home runs per game (0.40), 13th in OBP (.567), 25th in batting average (.431) and 25th in total bases (101).