Arkansas grabs sixth straight SEC softball series with win at Texas A&M

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The No. 9 Arkansas Razorbacks clinched a series victory by defeating No. 1/2 Texas A&M, 7-4, on Saturday evening at Davis Diamond to give the Razorbacks their sixth straight series win.

The win marked the fifth straight SEC series victory, marking the second consecutive year the Razorbacks have accomplished the feat. Arkansas now has won a series over four Top 10 opponents this season.

Bri Ellis recorded her sixth career multi-homer game with a solo shot in the top of the fourth inning and a mammoth two-run homer off the facade of the scoreboard in the sixth inning. She now has 24 home runs, which puts her one shy of Braxton Burnside’s single-season record of 25 set in 2021. Ellis also increased her reached-base streak to 21 games. Ellis now has 72 career homers, which leads all active players.

Ella McDowell led the Hogs at the plate with a 3-4 night that featured a run scored. Reagan Johnson (2-4, SB. R), Kailey Wyckoff (2-4, 2 RBI) and Courtney Day (2-4, RBI) also recorded multiple hits in the victory. Atalyia Rijo also collected a hit in the win. 

Payton Burnham was magnificent in the win, pitching 6.2 innings in which she allowed three earned runs on five hits and eight walks while fanning two. The Eugene, Ore., product improved to 11-2 with the victory. Robyn Herron earned her second save of the season by recording the final out of the game.

Sydney Lessentine took the loss for Texas A&M to fall to 4-2 on the season.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Both teams gave the ball to a freshman during game two as Arkansas went with Payton Burnham, and Texas A&M started Sydney Lessentine.

Reagan Johnson led off the game with a four-pitch walk. Raigan Kramer worked a full count before drawing a walk a batter later, advancing Johnson to second base. Texas A&M made a pitching change with one out in the inning and brought Emily Leavitt in to pitch in place of Lessentine. Leavitt would retire the next two batters by issuing a flyout to center field and a groundout to second base to complete a scoreless inning.

Kennedy Powell reached on an error to lead off the home half of the first and then stole second base. Burnham then struck out the Aggies’ Amari Harper before issuing a foul out to Raigan Kramer in left field. Mac Barbara gave Texas A&M a 2-0 lead with a two-run home run to right field before Burnham issued a flyout to Kramer to end the inning.

Neither side registered a hit in the second inning. The Aggies’ DeeDee Baldwin was the only baserunner in the stanza after reaching on a walk.

Neither team registered a hit in the third inning. A&M put two runners on with a pair of walks in the home half but that was the only offensive action in the inning.

Bri Ellis hit her 23rd home run of the season with a solo shot off the light pole in left-center field to cut the lead to 2-1. Courtney Day tied the game at 2-2 with a single through the left side.

Atalyia Rijo highlighted an impressive 1-2-3 frame in the bottom of the fourth by making a nice play up the middle and catching a blooper on the left field line for the final two outs of the frame.

Johnson led off the fifth inning with a single to right-center field before stealing second base and then coming around to score on an error by Texas A&M second baseman KK Dement, giving Arkansas a 3-2 lead. Kailey Wyckoff then brought home two more with a long fly ball that fell behind Texas A&M right fielder Amari Harper, increasing the lead to 5-2.

Burnham escaped a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the fifth to post her fourth scoreless inning of the day.

In the sixth inning, Ellis increased the Arkansas lead to 7-2 by blasting a two-run homer off the façade of the left-field scoreboard. The homer was Ellis’ second of the game and 24th of the season, moving her just one shy of Braxton Burnside’s single-season record of 25 set in 2021.

The Aggies threatened in the bottom of the sixth by putting two on with two outs courtesy of a walk by Allie Enright and an infield single by Frankie Vrazel. Johnson would end any chance of a Texas A&M rally with a diving catch in center field that took away an extra-base hit from Kennedy Powell.

Day and Ataylia Rijo both singled for Arkansas in the top of the seventh inning.

A&M attempted to mount a rally in the bottom of the seventh inning. Mya Perez walked, and Barbara singled through the right side before three straight walks with two outs, which made the score 7-4. Robyn Herron would record the final out of the contest by getting Vrazel to flyout to left field to complete the series victory and register her second save of the season.

QUOTABLES

Arkansas Head Coach Courtney Deifel
On the game…
“I am really proud of the team as a whole. It is a really big series to win at this place. That is a really talented and competitive team in the other dugout. Today we were incredibly gritty and really composed. Payton Burnham pitched her guts out and our defense was exceptional. We just really played high-level softball today.”

On Bri Ellis…
“She is such a good hitter. It is really nice to see her get pitches. It is nice to see her grind in at-bats. They were trying to get her to chase and she just fouled them off until she got what she wanted. She was dialed today.”

NOTABLES

Arkansas earned its fourth win in program history against a No. 1 ranked opponent in the NFCA Poll.

Arkansas earned its first series win over a No. 1 opponent (NFCA Poll) in program history.

Bri Ellis extended her reached-base streak to a career-long 20 games after being hit by a pitch in the top of the first inning. It is the longest reached-base streak by a Hog this season.

Arkansas is 26-6 when Robyn Herron pitches five or more innings in her collegiate career.

Ella McDowell registered her 18th career multi-hit game with three hits.

Arkansas is 57-8 all-time when a player hits multiple homer in a game.

Raigan Kramer is three walks away from ranking second in program history in career walks.

Arkansas is now 35-2 when outhitting opponents this season and 284-27 when outhitting opponents under Courtney Deifel (since 2016).

UP NEXT
Arkansas (36-9, 11-8 SEC) will look to sweep the series against Texas A&M (40-8, 13-6 SEC) tomorrow. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network at Noon.

Photo courtesy of Razorbacks Commuications