Series-Opening Win in Front of Record Crowd
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Playing in front of the largest home crowd in program history, the 16th-ranked University of Arkansas softball team tallied a 3-0 win Saturday afternoon over Ole Miss. Hannah McEwen and Autumn Buczek each had three hits while Mary Haff registered her 10th complete-game shutout of the season. With the win, the Razorbacks improve to 35-11 overall and 10-9 in SEC play.
Saturday’s game was played in front of 3,448 fans at Bogle Park with an SEC Network television audience watching along. The figure is nearly 700 higher than the previous mark of 2,756 established earlier this season against Missouri (March 24). Three of the top-10 home crowds in program history have now been set this season.
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The Razorbacks return to the field Sunday afternoon for game two of their series against Ole Miss. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. (CT). Before the game, the team will recognize its senior class of A.J. Belans, Autumn Buczek, Tori Cooper and Loren Krzysko. The pre-game senior ceremony begins at 3:45 p.m.
GAME 1: #16 Arkansas 3, Ole Miss 0 | Box Score
One of McEwen’s hits was a lead-off home run in the bottom of the first inning, her team-leading ninth big fly of the season. The freshman took a 2-1 pitch from Ole Miss starter Kaitlin Lee and deposited it over the fence in left field. McEwen is now tied with Sandra Smith (2008) at 45 for the fifth-highest RBI total in a single season. The home run was Arkansas’ 48th this year which ties the 2009 team for No. 8 in program history.
Haff’s complete-game performance doubled as her seventh one-hitter of the season. She allowed a one-out single to right in the first inning but didn’t allow another hit for the remainder of the game. With six strikeouts against Ole Miss, Haff became just the fourth pitcher in program history to reach 200 strikeouts in a single season and the first to do so since 2007. She is now 22-4 this season which ties Tammy Kincaid (1999) for the third-most wins by an Arkansas pitcher in program history.
The Razorbacks pushed their advantage to 2-0 with an RBI single by Buczek in the second inning. With the bases loaded, the senior infielder knocked a base hit into left field to score fellow senior Loren Krzysko from third. An insurance run in the bottom of the sixth gave Haff some wiggle room when she went out of the seventh and the freshman pitcher responded with a 1-2-3 inning to secure the victory.
Saturday win snapped a six-game skid against Ole Miss (28-19, 5-14 SEC) and gave the Razorbacks their first shutout win in the series since 2010.
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