Seventh-Inning Rally Stalls in Series Opener
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Loren Krzysko turned in her second two-hit effort in as many games and the Razorbacks threatened in the seventh inning but the rally fell short in a 3-0 setback to fifth-ranked Texas A&M Friday evening at Bogle Park. Autumn Storms limited the top-slugging team in the SEC to three runs over six-plus innings of work. Through the first 40 games of the season, Arkansas sits at 25-15 overall with a 4-12 mark in conference play.
Final: #5 Texas A&M 3, Arkansas 0 | Box Score
Down to their final at-bats of the game, the Razorbacks put runners on first and second with one out in the seventh inning. Tori Cooper got things started with walk, batting Texas A&M starter Trinity Harrington in a nine-pitch at-bat. Nicole Schroeder followed with an infield single to the 5-6 hole. Kryzsko came to the plate and delivered with a single to center field but pinch-runner Sydney Parr got caught in a rundown for the second out. The visitors sealed the win in the next at-bat with a strikeout.
Storms gave up 11 hits to the Texas A&M offense but kept the visitors from putting together a big inning, holding the Aggies to single tallies in the third, fourth and sixth frames. Texas A&M (36-3, 10-2 SEC) got on the board with an RBI single in the third and sac fly in the fourth. Storms worked her way out of a two-on, two-out jam in the fifth inning with her third strikeout of the game. Katie Warrick entered the game in the seventh with a runner on first and retired the three hitters she faced.
After going down in order in the first, Arkansas had a scoring opportunity in the second with runners on first and second and just one out. The home team came up empty in the inning and was held to just two hits over the next two innings until the would-be rally in the seventh. Krzsyko was also 2-for-3 in the Razorbacks’ midweek win over Tulsa (April 11). With a fourth-inning single, A.J. Belans has at least one hit in four of the last six games.
For the second-consecutive weekend, Arkansas is involved in a matchup of the top-two homerun hitting teams in the league. Entering the weekend, Texas A&M leads the SEC with 42 homeruns while the Razorbacks are one behind at 41. Last weekend’s opponent, Missouri, is third among conference teams with 40 big flies.
Up Next
Game two of the weekend series against the Aggies is scheduled for Saturday at 1 p.m. (CT). General admission for home games is free with gates opening one hour prior to first pitch. Following Saturday’s game, the Razorbacks will host an Easter Egg Hunt in the ballpark.
For more information about Arkansas softball, follow @RazorbackSB on Twitter.
