FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.– The No. 10/12 Arkansas Razorbacks plated 10 unanswered runs across the final four innings of play to defeat No. 10/11 South Carolina, 10-2 (6 inn.) and register their 19th run-rule victory of the season on Friday evening at Bogle Park.
The Hogs’ 19 run-run wins this season are a program record. The previous single-season record was 16 by the 2014 squad. Arkansas has now won four straight series-opening games in SEC play dating back to March 22 at No. 7 Tennessee.
Entering the bottom of the fifth, trailing 2-1, Arkansas (30-8, 9-7 SEC) exploded for five runs in the inning, three of which came on a bases-clearing three-run triple from Ella McDowell following the Gamecocks walking the bases loaded. Courtney Day and Atalyia Rijo then increased the lead to 6-2 by way of an RBI double and RBI triple, respectively.
In the bottom of the sixth, McDowell and Kailey Wyckoff added runs courtesy of an RBI single and RBI double before Day stepped to the plate and sealed the victory with a two-run single up the middle, giving the Hogs the 10-2 victory.
Robyn Herron was magnificent in the circle, throwing her eighth complete game of the season while collecting nine strikeouts and allowing just two runs on three hits and four walks to improve to 12-4 on the season.
McDowell led the Arkansas efforts at the plate again with a 2-4 night that featured a double, two runs scored and a career-high five RBI. South Carolina elected to pitch around Bri Ellis all night, who preceded McDowell in the batting order. The nation’s leader in OPS and home runs did not register a single at-bat as she was walked three times and hit by a pitch. Day also registered multiple hits and runs scored by going 2-4 with a double and three RBI. Rijo (1-3, 3B, RBI), Wyckoff (1-3, 2B, RBI) and Reagan Johnson (1-2, 3 R, 2 BB) each registered a hit in the victory.
Sam Gress took the loss in relief for South Carolina (31-9, 6-7 SEC) to fall to 8-5 on the season after allowing five runs on three hits and three walks with four strikeouts in 2.2 innings of work.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Both teams went with the usual Friday starters as Robyn Herron made her 15th start of the season for Arkansas and Jori Heard made her 14th start for South Carolina.
Quncee Lilio drew a four-pitch walk to lead off the game for South Carolina. Herron then bounced back with a strikeout. Karley Shelton followed with a single to center field to put two on with one out. South Carolina took an early 1-0 lead on a 4-6 fielder’s choice from catcher Lexi Winters combined with heads-up base running from Lilio, who scored from second base.
Reagan Johnson led off the bottom of the first with a four-pitch walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Bri Ellis was then hit by a pitch with one out in the inning. However, the Gamecocks escaped with a 5-3 groundball double play to end the frame.
The Gamecocks added another run in the second inning, courtesy of Ella Chancey doubling before coming around to score on a double steal. Kailey Wyckoff reached on a walk in the bottom of the second, which was all the Hogs would get.
Herron threw a scoreless third inning, highlighted by consecutive strikeouts to end the inning.
Johnson legged out an infield single in the bottom half with one out. Reagan Kramer then hit into a fielder’s choice, and Johnson beat the throw, causing both to reach safely. Ellis walked to load the bases. Sam Gress made a relief appearance with. 3-2 count on Ellis. Ella McDowell then cut the Gamecocks’ lead to 2-1 with an RBI groundout to second base.
In the fourth inning, Herron registered her second consecutive scoreless frame, highlighted by a strikeout and Kennedy Miller throwing out a runner attempting to steal second base. Gress registered a 1-2-3 bottom of the fourth to keep the Hogs at bay.
Herron retired the Gamecocks in order in the fifth, capping the inning with her eighth strikeout of the contest.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Johnson reached base with a leadoff walk. Kramer followed with a walk before Ellis reached, courtesy of a free pass for the fourth time during the game. Ella McDowell then made South Carolina pay with a bases-clearing double into left-center field that gave Arkansas a 4-2 lead that it would not relinquish. Courtney Day followed with a double off the base of the left-center field wall that would score McDowell before Atalyia Rijo tripled in a run to make it 6-2 Arkansas.
