Schroeder, Hiers Go Deep in Ole Miss Finale
OXFORD, Miss. – Home runs by Nicole Schroeder and Shelby Hiers helped the Razorbacks to an early lead but Ole Miss rallied for five unearned runs in the seventh inning to post a 6-5 win in Sunday’s series finale. It was Arkansas’ 12th showing of the year with two or more home runs, and first during SEC play. Schroeder, Tori Cooper and Madison Yannetti each had multi-hit games against the Rebels.
With Arkansas (17-32, 1-17 SEC) trailing by one, Yannetti started a third-inning rally with an infield single which was followed by a one-out walk to Hiers. The Razorbacks had the bases loaded after a base hit for Cooper through the left side. Schroeder delivered with a grand slam over the fence in left field. It was the team’s second grand slam of the year, and Arkansas led 4-1, a score that would stand until the seventh inning.
The home run for Schroeder was her seventh of the season, and 20th of her career which moves her into a tie for eighth on the program’s all-time list. She shares the spot with Dayna Huckabee (2005-08). The long ball also pushed her hitting streak to nine-consecutive games. Over the past 13 games—the length of her on-base streak—Schroeder is hitting .467 with four extra-base hits and seven RBI.
After giving up an RBI single in the second inning, Grace Moll worked around a pair of threats to keep the Razorbacks in the lead. With the help of the team’s 24th double play, she erased a lead-off walk in the fifth. Ole Miss (34-15, 9-9 SEC) then had runners on the corners with one out in the sixth inning but after a nice catch by Claire Clark on a low liner to center field, Moll registered a strikeout to end the frame.
Hiers added an insurance run with a two-out solo home run down the line in left field. With the big fly, the Razorbacks’ lead was 5-1. It was her ninth home run and 40th hit of the season. As a team, Arkansas now has 47 home runs this season, one shy of tying the 2009 team for sixth on the program’s single-season list.
Trailing by four, the Rebels began the bottom of the seventh inning with a walk followed by a hit and an Arkansas error that allowed a run to score. Overall, Ole Miss benefitted from two errors and three walks in the inning to go along with an RBI base hit by Miranda Strother and bases-loaded walks to Dakota Matiko and Kylan Becker to end the game.
Arkansas returns to action with its final midweek game of the season, a Tuesday road matchup at Oklahoma State with first pitch slated for 6:30 p.m. (CT) in Stillwater. The Razorbacks close out their home schedule next weekend when they host No. 14/15 LSU beginning Friday at Bogle Park. Game two of the series against the Tigers will be televised on ESPNU with Mark Neely and Jenny Dalton-Hill handling the play-by-play and color commentary duties, respectively.
For more information about purchasing tickets for home games this season, call 800-982-HOGS (4647) or 479-575-5151, email raztk@uark.edu or visit the Razorback Ticket Center located next to Baum Stadium. The ticket window opens one hour before first pitch of each home game. Follow @RazorbackSB on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for more information about Arkansas Softball.
