Razorbacks Host Duke In Super Regional Showdown At Bogle Park
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – For the fourth time in program history and second consecutive season, the Arkansas softball team and Bogle Park will host an NCAA Super Regional on May 22-24 when the No. 5 national seed Razorbacks face No. 12 Duke.
Mark Neely (PxP) and Carol Bruggeman (Analyst) will be on the call for all games during the Super Regional this weekend. Friday’s first pitch is set for 11 a.m. on ESPNU, while Saturday’s contest will be at 4 p.m. on ESPN2. Game time for Sunday, if necessary, will be announced at a later date.
Arkansas is 45-11 this season with a program-record 24 wins coming by run-rule. The Razorbacks were the only team in the nation to go 3-0 with three run-rule wins in regional play after defeating Fordham 8-0 (6 inn.) and USF twice by the scores of 9-1 and 10-2 in six innings. It marked just the eighth time in NCAA Tournament history that a team had gone undefeated while winning each of its games by run-rule since the Super Regional format was introduced in 2005. The Hogs are outscoring opponents 423-146 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 102 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, May 22
Game 1: Arkansas vs. Duke – 11 a.m. – ESPNU – Live Stats
Saturday, May 23
Game 2: Arkansas vs. Duke – 4:00 p.m. – ESPN2 – Live Stats
Sunday, May 24
Game 3: If necessary game – TBD
POSTSEASON PLAY AT BOGLE PARK IS NOTHING NEW
Arkansas is one of six schools nationally to host six consecutive regionals dating back to 2021 alongside Alabama, Florida State, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and UCLA. The Razorbacks own a 12-4 record in NCAA Regional play dating back to 2021. During that span, the Razorbacks have gone undefeated in regionals three times (2021, 2022, 2025).
HISTORIC REGIONAL WEEKEND
The Razorbacks were the only team in the nation to go 3-0 with three run-rule wins in regional play after defeating Fordham 8-0 (6 inn.) and USF twice by the scores of 9-1 and 10-2 in six innings. It marked just the eighth time in NCAA Tournament history that a team had gone undefeated while winning each of its games by run-rule since the Super Regional format was introduced in 2005.
Year Team
2026 Arkansas
2025 UCLA
2025 Oklahoma
2025 Florida
2025 Nebraska
2023 Oklahoma*
2016 Missouri
2015 Washington
*- National Champion
BRINLI BAIN IS ALWAYS ON BASE
Arkansas softball utility/designated player Brinli Bain was named a Freshman All-American by Softball America, the publication announced on May 19.
Bain’s selection marks the third consecutive season that a Razorback freshman has garnered Freshman All-America recognition from Softball America, joining Ella McDowell and Payton Burnham from a year ago and Kennedy Miller in 2024.
Bain is having one of the greatest rookie campaigns in program history. The Eagleville, Tennessee product leads the team in batting average with a .372 mark while collecting 54 hits, a team-leading 18 doubles, three home runs, and 34 RBI in addition to posting a team-high 47 walks and scoring 41 runs while registering a .528 on-base percentage. She has registered 16 multi-hit games and 10 multi-RBI games.
Entering the week, she leads all DI Freshman with a .528 on-base percentage, having reached base in 52 of her 55 games started this season. She is currently tied for second in the Arkansas single-season record books in doubles while ranking fifth in on-base percentage.
In the Razorbacks’ NCAA Regional last weekend, Bain batted a team-leading .714 while posting a .833 on-base percentage with five hits, a double, two runs scored, an RBI, and five walks as Arkansas went 3-0 with all three wins coming by run-rule. In a 10-2 (6 inn.) Regional Final win over South Florida on May 17, Bain went 3-3 with a double, a run scored, and a walk. One day earlier, she tied an NCAA Tournament single-game program record with three walks in a 9-1 (6 inn.) win over South Florida.
POSTSEASON P
Sophomore Payton Burnham has tossed two seven-inning complete game shutouts in her two years on The Hill in postseason play, in addition to a no-hitter in last year’s NCAA tournament and a six-inning shutout in a regional opening win over Fordham last weekend.
Opponent Date IP ER Result
Fordham 5/15/26 6 0 W, 8-0
Miss. State 5/6/26 7 0 W, 3-0
Ole Miss 5/24/25 7 0 W, 4-0
SLU* 5/16/25 5 0 W, 10-0
*- No-Hitter
She is 13-3 with three saves, a 1.86 ERA and 58 strikeouts in 98 innings of work this season.
In her last start, she tossed a six-inning shutout while striking out six and allowing just three hits and no walks in an 8-0 win over Fordham (May 15). She pitched a complete-game shutout in a 3-0 win over Mississippi State on May 6. It was the first complete-game shutout by an Arkansas pitcher in an SEC Tournament contest since Chenise Delce accomplished the feat (7 IP, 5 K, 2 H) during a 4-0 win over Missouri to give Arkansas the SEC Tournament Championship on May 14, 2022.
Burnham earned second-team All-SEC honors this season after posting an impressive 5-2 record with a pair of saves in league play. She limited opposing hitters to a .220 batting average while registering a 2.40 earned run average with 25 strikeouts and just 16 walks in 49.2 innings of work. Her .278 opponent on-base percentage was the fourth-lowest in the SEC.
JOHNNY’S GLOVE IS GOLDEN
Reagan Johnson is among the best center fielders the game has seen during her four years on The Hill with a .988 career fielding percentage. She is on a 130-game errorless streak dating back to April 6, 2024, which is the longest errorless streak by an Arkansas outfielder in program history. She owns a 1.000 fielding percentage this season with 83 putouts and one assist.
Her 343 innings of outfield play without an error leads all SEC center fielders this season, while she is one of two P4 center fielders to not commit an error since the beginning of the 2025 season. Johnson is also one of two center fielders nationally with a 1.000 fielding %, 70+ OF chances and 320+ OF innings.
SOOIE SPINNERS
The Hogs own a 2.45 ERA in 343 innings with 332 strikeouts while limiting opponents to a .212 batting average this season. Arkansas ranked 9th nationally in ERA and 14th nationally in team strikeouts per seven innings (6.78) entering the weekend.
Arkansas has registered 57 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 ranks 11th nationally with 15 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 five schools to post 11+ shutouts in every season dating back to 2018, alongside Boston, Florida, Oklahoma, and Texas.
HITTING HOGS
Arkansas has posted a 207-21 overall record when registering 12+ hits in a single game since 2006, including a 127-12 mark under Courtney Deifel.
The Razorbacks are 21-0 in 2026 and were 17-1 last season and posted a 9-1 record in 2024 when registering 10+ hits and have won 82 of their past 86 contests when accomplishing the feat since 2020.
EIGHT IS GREAT
Arkansas is 308-9 when scoring eight or more runs all-time, including a 174-1 mark during the Courtney Deifel era (2016-present).
The Razorbacks are on a 121-game winning streak when scoring 8+ runs. The last loss the Razorbacks had when accomplishing the feat was a 12-11 loss to Oklahoma State on Feb. 11, 2021, during the season opener at the Best on the Bayou Classic in Monroe, La.
THE BOGLE BOMBERS
The long ball has been a staple in the success of Arkansas Softball during the Courtney Deifel era (2016-present).
Arkansas has already eclipsed last season’s home run total with 75 long balls this year. The Hogs have hit 680 home runs since Deifel took over the helm in 2016, which accounts for 55.6% of home runs in program history. In the 11 years prior to Deifel’s arrival, Arkansas teams belted 456 round-trippers.
Entering the week, the Razorbacks’ 655 home runs since 2017 rank second among SEC members during that time span and third among current SEC members, trailing only Oklahoma (1,142) and Georgia (709).
Seven of the Hogs’ single-season top 10 home run marks have been accomplished during Deifel’s tenure, including the four best in program history (2022: 109, 2021: 95, 2026: 75, 2025: 74).
IN THE RANKINGS
The Razorbacks entered the postseason ranked fifth in the Softball America, ESPN/USA Softball and D1Softball Top 25 Polls while being ranked ninth in the NFCA/GoRout D1 Coaches Poll.
Arkansas ranked among the nation’s leaders in numerous categories entering the weekend, including batting average (17th, .341), runs per game (11th, 7.55), on-base percentage (10th, .441), RBI per game (12th, 6.93), slugging percentage (21st, .570), total runs (14th, 423), WHIP (9th, 1.15), team strikeouts per 7 inning (14th, 6.78), shutouts (11th, 15) and ERA (9th, 2.45).
HISTORY LESSON
Arkansas is making its 15th NCAA Tournament appearance. The Razorbacks are 27-28 all-time in NCAA Tournament play, including a 20-16 mark under head coach Courtney Deifel.
The Razorbacks are looking to advance to the College World Series for the first time in program history. They have previously played in Super Regionals in 2018 (Norman), 2021 (Fayetteville), 2022 (Fayetteville), and 2025 (Fayetteville).
Arkansas has previously appeared in the NCAA tournament in 2000, 2002, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025.
KNOW THE FOE
The No. 12 National Seed, the Duke Blue Devils, are 43-15 this season. Duke battled its way back from the elimination bracket, defeating Arizona twice on Sunday by the scores of 8-6 and 9-4 to punch their fourth Super Regional berth in the previous five seasons.
The Blue Devils are led by Marissa Young, who is the only coach in the nine-season history of the program and owns an overall record of 349-139, highlighted by a Women’s College World Series berth in 2024.
Aminah Vega leads Duke in batting average (.467), runs (86), hits (84), doubles (21) and triples (5) through 58 games this season. She has also hit 18 home runs while recording 68 RBI and 41 walks. Jess Oakland is right behind Vega with a .450 batting average, 77 hits, 11 doubles, 15 home runs, 24 walks and 69 RBI while recording a .511 on-base percentage.
Cassidy Curd leads the Duke pitching staff with 146.1 innings pitched this season. She owns a 17-3 record with a 4.59 ERA and 128 strikeouts.
30 SEASONS OF RAZORBACK SOFTBALL
2026 marks the 30th season of Arkansas Softball. The Razorbacks hold an all-time program record of 926-823-1 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.
