@RazorbackSB Swept in Saturday DH at No. 8/8 Georgia
ATHENS, Ga. – The University of Arkansas softball team was swept in a doubleheader against No. 8/8 Georgia Saturday afternoon at Turner Stadium. Arkansas led early in game one before falling 12-4 in six innings and lost in five innings in game two, 9-1.
The Razorbacks lost all three games to the Bulldogs on the weekend and drop to 13-17, 0-6 SEC.
Arkansas and Georgia were originally scheduled to play game three of the series on Sunday, but a high chance of rain in Sunday’s forecast accounted for adjusting to a doubleheader on Saturday.
Arkansas stays on the road for its next matchup, heading off to Jacksonville, Ala., to play Jacksonville State Tuesday at 4 p.m. CT. The Razorbacks previously defeated the Gamecocks this season, 4-0, Feb. 20 in Orlando, Fla. Arkansas is back home March 27-29 when it hosts Ole Miss.
Game One – Georgia 12, Arkansas 4 (6 innings)
Arkansas came out swinging the bats and jumped on the Bulldogs early, hanging four in the top of the first. With one out, seven consecutive Razorbacks reached in the inning. Shelby Hiers drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in the first run and then Loren Krzysko laced a line-drive single to center to send home two more. Madison Yannetti followed with a hard-hit one-hopper to second that was ruled as an error, but was able to score another run.
Georgia responded in the bottom half of the first, plating three runs aided by a two-run homer.
After an offensive explosion in the first inning, Arkansas’ bats would simmer down, managing just two hits including four total baserunners in the final five innings.
Georgia took the lead in the bottom of the third on a one-out drive to center that cleared the fence and brought home a pair of Bulldogs. Another run was added in the fourth, making it a 6-4 Georgia lead.
The Bulldogs scored six more in the sixth to end the game via the run rule. Five hits, including two for extra bases did the damage in the inning.
Sydney Wright (8-6) took the loss for Arkansas, allowing six earned runs in 4.1 innings.
Game Two – Georgia 9, Arkansas 1 (5 innings)
The Razorbacks had opportunities to get on the board first in game two but were unable to convert. In the top of the second, Nicole Schroeder reached on an error, Krzysko walked and Yannetti singled to load up the bases with one out. Arkansas would strike out and foul fly out to third to end the threat.
Georgia took advantage of its scoring opportunities in the home half of the second, plating three runs on three hits.
The Bulldogs used six more runs in the third inning to grab a 9-0 lead.
In the top of the fifth, Madison Yannetti led off the inning with a solo home run to left center. The blast marked Yannetti’s first career home run and her third hit of the series. Megan Pearson followed the home run up with a base hit to center field, but Arkansas would not be able to rally any further and came up short, 9-1.
Sydney Wright (8-7) was hit with the loss, allowing nine earned runs on 2.2 innings pitched.
Notes:
– Senior Sierra Bronkey and freshman Madison Yannetti, both starting all three games against Georgia, led the team in batting. Bronkey batted an even .500 while Yannetti was .429.
– In SEC games only, Bronkey leads the team with a .556 batting average and an on-base percentage of .636.
– Yannetti connected on her first career home run in the fifth inning of game two on Saturday. Yannetti is the team leader in slugging percentage for SEC only games (.857).
