Razorbacks Increase Winning Streak to 14 Games by Demolishing Boise State, Charlotte
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The No. 7/8 Arkansas Softball team improved to 16-1 while running its winning streak to 14 games with a pair of run-rule triumphs over Boise State (10-1, 5 inn.) and Charlotte (14-3, 5 inn.).
Twelve of the Hogs’ 16 wins have come by way of run-rule this season. The Razorbacks are also on a 14-game winning streak, which is tied for the second-longest in program history.
Karlie Davison highlighted the Razorbacks in both games by going 5-5 on the day with a home run, six RBI, three runs scored, a double, and a stolen base. Davison’s two-run round-tripper completed the Hogs’ run-rule over Boise State. The Torrance, Calif. product extended her reached-base streak to 13 games while improving her hitting streak to seven games. Freshman Brinli Bain continued her tear at the plate with a 3-6 performance that included two doubles, two RBI, and two runs scored. She has reached base in all 17 games this season.
In addition to Davison’s round-tripper, Tianna Bell smashed a grand slam in the win over Charlotte while going 1-1 with two walks and three runs scored.
Cam Harrison improved to 3-0 by pitching an abbreviated complete-game shutout against Boise State, striking out seven and walking one while yielding just one run and one hit, both of which came on a fourth-inning home run.
Payton Burnham improved to 4-1 with a win over Charlotte in the nightcap. Burnham fanned two while allowing two runs on seven hits and two walks in four innings. Lillie-Faye McWhorter then finished the victory by pitching the final inning, in which she allowed two hits and an unearned run.
GAME ONE
Cam Harrison started her night off by retiring Boise State in order, courtesy of a pair of strikeouts and a popout.
Reagan Johnson led off with an infield single in the bottom of the first inning for the first hit of the ballgame.
Harrison made it six-straight Broncos retired with a 1-2-3 top of the second that featured an impressive catch by Dakota Kennedy along the left-field line.
Brinli Bain led off the bottom of the second with a double off the wall in left-center field. She later came around to score on a sacrifice fly from Kennedy Miller with two outs in the inning, giving Arkansas an early 1-0 lead.
The Broncos’ Kate Penberthy reached with two outs in the top of the third inning to become the first runner of the game for Boise State. Harrison would then pick up her fifth strikeout of the night to end the inning.
Arkansas increased its lead to five in the bottom of the third inning. Karlie Davison and Johnson singled to lead off the inning before Dakota Kennedy walked to load the bases. Ella McDowell then singled through the left side to score both Davison and Johnson. With two outs, Kailey Wyckoff singled through the right side to bring home two more and increase the Hogs’ lead to 5-0.
With one out in the top of the fourth inning, the Broncos’ Jorja Crider smashed a solo home run to right-center field to cut the Hogs’ lead to 5-1.
Davison reached on an infield single and stole second base in the bottom of the fourth inning, but that would be all the Hogs would get.
Harrison kept Boise State off the board in the top of the fifth, allowing just one runner to reach on a third-strike wild pitch.
In the bottom of the fifth, Bell walked with one out, Bain then smashed a double to left-center field, her second of the game, before Wyckoff tripled down the first-base line to score both and make it 7-1. Atalyia Rijo then brought home another run with an infield single before Davison ended the game with a two-run blast to left-center field, to give Arkansas a 10-1 run-rule win, its 11th run-rule victory of the season.
Game Two
Payton Burnham pitched a scoreless first inning while striking out one and allowing a single and a double.
Arkansas jumped on the 49ers in the bottom of the first inning by plating six runs. Reagan Johnson singled to lead off the inning before advancing to second base on a single from Dakota Kennedy. A batter later, Johnson scored on a single from McDowell to give Arkansas a 1-0 lead. Tianna Bell loaded the bases with a walk before Brinli Bain drove in a pair of runs with a single that fell on the left-field line, increasing the lead to 3-0. Wyckoff followed with a walk to load the bases again before Karlie Davison singled up the middle to bring home two more. Ataylia Rijo added the sixth and final run of the inning with an RBI groundout to first base.
Both teams were kept off the board in the second inning, which was highlighted by Karlie Davison catching a flyout in shallow center field and then firing to first to catch the retreating runner for a double play.
Charlotte got two runs back in the top of the third courtesy of an RBI single from Teagan Ritche and an RBI groundout from Audrey Wilson.
Bell walked to lead off the bottom of the third before advancing to third with one out courtesy of a Wyckoff single. Following the single from Wyckoff, Davison laced a two-RBI double down the right-field line to increase the Hogs’ lead to 8-2. A Charlotte fielding error on a ground ball hit by Atalyia Rijo added another run to push the Arkansas advantage to 9-2.
Atalyia Rijo made a pair of nice plays for the first two outs in the top of the fourth, courtesy of a ground ball and an over-the-shoulder catch in shallow left field. Following a single from Charlotte’s Carley Keller, Burnham completed the scoreless frame with a strikeout.
Johnson walked to lead off the bottom of the fourth inning before moving to third on a single from Dakota Kennedy. McDowell followed with a walk to load the bases for Tianna Bell, who crushed a grand slam to left-center field, to extend the Hogs’ lead to 13-2. Ramsey Walker added the 14th and final run of the game with an RBI single up the middle.
Lillie-Faye McWhorter came in to pitch the fifth inning. A single, combined with an error, and a single put the first two runners of the inning on for Charlotte. The 49ers then added a run courtesy of a fielder’s choice groundout from Ritchie to make it the final 14-3. McWhorter then induced a lineout 5-3 double play to end the game as Arkansas increased its win streak to 14 games.
NOTABLES
- Arkansas increased its winning streak to 14 games. The Hogs’ 14-game winning streak is tied for the second-longest in program history, trailing only a 19-game winning streak in 2019 and tying a 14-game winning streak a year ago. It marks the 11th season in program history in which the Hogs have recorded a winning streak of 10+ games.
- Freshman Brinli Bain extended her reached-base streak to 17 games. She has now reached safely in all 17 of her collegiate games. She is the first freshman to reach in the first 17 games of the season since at least 2011.
- Arkansas won its inaugural matchups with Charlotte and Boise State and now leads the all-time series with both 1-0.
- Reagan Johnson now has 243 career hits. Johnson needs 19 more hits to break the all-time Arkansas career hits record, held by Hannah McEwen (261)
Up Next
Arkansas continues the Wooo Pig Classic tomorrow with Omaha (2:30 p.m.) and Charlotte (4:45 p.m.) Both games will be televised on SEC Network+.
For schedule updates and other news, go to ArkansasRazorbacks.com, or follow @RazorbackSB on X, Instagram and Facebook.
