Razorbacks Finally Overcome South Dakota in Opening Game at 'Wooo Pig'
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Razorbacks won a 2-hour, 2-minute duel with the South Dakota State Jackrabbits 4-3, to kick off the Wooo Pig Classic at Bogle Park.
The softball gods welcomed Robyn Herron back to the mound in style in her first appearance since throwing the second seven-inning perfect game in program history. Herron gave up a solo home run to South Dakota State's leadoff hitter Mia Jarecki to left-center field.
Arkansas responded in kind in the bottom of the first, a leadoff single from Reagan Johnson followed by a Bri Ellis homer to straightaway center gave the Razorbacks the lead back, 2-1. The next three also reached base, courtesy of two walks and a hit batter. The first out was recorded on Cylie Halverson's sacrifice fly to deep center. The Hogs sent nine batters to the plate and led 3-1 after one frame.
For the second straight inning, the leadoff Jackrabbit went yard, this time it was Jocelyn Carrillo who hit a solo shot to right center and chased Herron from the game after only recording three outs. Morgan Leinstock relieved Herron and escaped the inning without further damage.
Both teams missed scoring opportunities in the third, stranding two runners on base. The Jackrabbits continued to get on base and put pressure on the Razorbacks pitching staff. Deifel removed Leinstock after she surrendered the tying run on an Akayla Bernard RBI single.
In the bottom of the inning, the Razorbacks got the run back with back-to-back two-out doubles with the help of some fortuitous bounces. Rylin Hegecock's grounder got under the third baseman's glove and trickled down the left-field line for the first hit since the first inning. Kennedy Miller followed suit with a ball up the middle that got through the Jackrabbit infield and trickled all the way to the center field wall.
Hannah Camenzind settled things down and threw the first 1-2-3 inning in the fifth, capping it by plucking a hot shot liner hit back to the mound.
The Razorbacks looked primed to add insurance with back-to-back singles to lead off the inning, but a laser right into the first baseman's glove playing right next to the bag thwarted the threat with an unassisted double play.
Fortunately, the Razorbacks did not come to grips as Camenzind retired the final 10 hitters she faced, with the final out coming on a routine fly ball to left.
Arkansas continues its five-game slate at Bogle Park this weekend with two games Friday against Southeast Missouri State at 3 p.m. and Florida Atlantic at 5:30 p.m. Both games will be streamed on SEC Network+.
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