Arkansas softball lives up to its Bogle Bombers nickname while moving to 7-0

It was a Hogslaught in Ruston Friday night for Bogle Bombers. 

Arkansas (7-0) used a big third inning to put the University of Louisiana-Monroe away in game one with an 11-2 victory and jumped all over Louisiana Tech with a big first inning to secure the doubleheader sweep in game two, 9-1 in Louisiana.

Ataylia Rijo, Courtney Day, Bri Ellis, and Kennedy Miller all homered in the wins.

Day and Ellis ended the afternoon with four RBIs each and junior pitcher Robyn Herron tossed a complete game shutout in game two.

The ladies racked up 20 runs off of 23 hits, drew eight walks, and committed zero errors in the field in the dominating performance. 

Junior infielder Atalia Rijo got the party started with her first home run since 2023, she played just 9 games last season due to injury.

Her leadoff home run jump-started a six-run third inning for the Bogle Bombers. Just a walk and a single in the first inning was all they produced against University of Louisiana Monroe starting pitcher Maddie Nichols. 

Ellis and Miller drove in three runs total before Day came up and sent a no-doubt fly over the left field fence that scored Kramer and Miller.

The Hogs scored in each of the last three innings to put the Warhawks away for good. Arkansas starting pitcher Peyton Burnham was solid; she struck out four batters, walked three, gave up a run, and gave up two hits over four innings of work.

Freshman Cam Harrison shut the door on any hopes of ULM trying to scrap their way back into the game.

Harrison is a piece of the puzzle that could help this team over the long haul this season. She tossed two innings and gave up a run in the fifth inning, but got out of the jam and wrapped up the win in the sixth with two strikeouts and a fly out to right-center.

Game 2 was a different road with the same result, dominant pitching and striking first on the scoreboard. Herron (2-0) tossed just 65 pitches in the win, and Louisiana Tech had no answers at the plate Friday. 

Arkansas scored five runs in the first inning off of four hits and two errors by Tech. Ellis’ double, Miller’s single, a wild pitch that sent everyone running, and a Rijo grounder to second base produced all the runs Arkansas would need in the first inning for the win. 

Bri Ellis tacked on a moon shot over the left field fence in the fourth inning, and Kennedy Miller matched Ellis’s homer run in the same spot to cap the scoring for the Razorbacks.

The story was about Herron’s efficiency in the circle Friday night. She faced the minimum of three batters in the first and fifth innings, and it set the tone from the start for Arkansas with a strong start and finish to a near-perfect outing. 

Arkansas will face Southern Miss at 11 a.m. Saturday and there is no TV coverage for the game.

Arkansas finishes its trip in Ruston Sunday with a doubleheader – Southern Miss at 10 a.m., and ULM slated for 1 p.m.

QUOTABLES

Arkansas Head Coach Courtney Deifel

On the day…
“We took care of business more than anything throughout the day. I liked the approach that we had from the first pitch to the last. We maintained a high level of softball and I am just really pleased of all facets of our performance.”

On Arkansas Shortstop Atalyia Rijo…
“She was locked and dialed in. She had a big day and has been working for that.

NOTABLES

Arkansas has a 7-0 start for the fourth time in program history. The Razorbacks previously accomplished the feat in 2013, 2017 and 2018.

Atalyia Rijo hit her first home run since May 7, 2023 in the win over ULM.

Courtney Day hit her fourth home run of the season and 30th of her career with a three-run home to left field in the third inning of the win over ULM.

Bri Ellis’ smashed her 52ndcareer home run with a two-run home run in the win over LA Tech.

The Razorbacks are 121-41 in daytime contests since 2021. A first pitch prior to 5 p.m. constitutes a daytime contest.

Arkansas is now 141-21 when hitting two or more home runs as a team under Deifel.

Arkansas is now 7-0 this season 256-25 when outhitting opponents under head coach Courtney Deifel (2016-present).

Photo courtesy of Razorback Communications