Clutch victory puts Arkansas on verge of historic WCWS berth

FAYETTEVILLE – Saturday night, after the Razorbacks’ 4-0 victory, Head Coach Courtney Deifel’s demeanor was different in a couple of ways. She had a feeling of relief that came across as loose and relaxed, and the message she conveyed to the press conference was that if they could go back last night and play again, they were ready to finish the job against Ole Miss. 

Head Coach Jamaie Trachsel said the same message as Coach Deifel, but it was clear she knew giving this Arkansas team another crack at winning the series was not ideal.

Teams like the Razorbacks capitalize on extra chances, just like they did with the two errors the Rebels committed, which resulted in three of the four runs that put the Hogs over the top in game two. 

 It was almost as if coach Trachsel thought that could have been their chance to put Arkansas away, and they couldn’t because they will likely be facing a rested, healthy Robyn Herron on Sunday afternoon. She battled through illness on Friday in the 9-6 loss, but now it’s her and a fully healthy pitching staff the Rebels must contend with in the rubber match. 

Freshman Payton Burnham was lights out, tossing a complete game shutout and her fifth complete game of 2025. The defense turned a corner at the end of game one. They did give up nine runs in game one but have held Ole Miss scoreless in 10 straight innings, a stat our photographer John James pointed out to me just before the press conference last night. 

“Well, it’s hard to do. They’re a really potent offense, but our pitchers have been really controlling the tempo really nicely. And when you can pitch so freely because you know your defense is so exceptional behind you, it’s a really great feeling,” Deifel said about the defense. “So, yeah, I felt every bit of what you’re saying. In the moment, you don’t necessarily feel it because you’re just really trying to just be locked in on the next pitch. But they’ve been elite this weekend.

Burnham continued her dominance Saturday night despite not even being at the park Friday night. Coach Deifel revealed at the post-game that Burnham did everything she could to get ready for Saturday’s start.

“It was really important for her to sleep. It was important for her to rest and try to just, you know, keep drinking, getting fluids. And so she knew the report. She knew the plan. She was dialed, and she executed at a really high level tonight,” coach Deifel said about Burnham post-game. “That’s who P is. She’s a competitor. She wants the ball. She wants the moment.

“I think she was just really excited to feel better. She doesn’t like being on the outside. And even more so, she couldn’t even really be around the team yesterday. She felt that crummy, her and Rob. And so, you know, she was ready, and she was locked in.”

There are a couple of keys to watch for in Sunday’s win-or-go-home series finale. 

First, Bri Ellis has a chance to expand on her Razorback legend status in helping this team get their first Women’s College World Series.

She collected her first hit Saturday night, a single, in NCAA Tournament play. It’s wild to think that the reigning SEC Player of the Year took five games to make that happen, but that also speaks to the team’s versatility.

If she gets hot at the plate, Ole Miss better look at walking her for the rest of the game. A promising sign Saturday was she put a charge into a ball that disappeared into the Fayetteville night sky and landed at the warning track. Still, she hit a single in her next at-bat, so giving a great hitter like her confidence is a bad thing for Ole Miss.

Second, the pitching that seemed to struggle in game one, including the bullpen, got a shot of adrenaline, getting a healthy Herron and Burnham back in the fold. That sort of addition doesn’t affect the pitching staff; it affects the entire team.

“If Ole Miss can get a couple of early runs on the board Sunday, it will be a long day at the park because it may turn into a game of Johnny Whole staff to end this series, and the same can be said for the Rebels. It’s safe to say Arkansas will see a steady diet of Brianna Lopez and Miail Gauchino as Arizona did last weekend. 

The final game of the Fayetteville Super Regional is set for 4 p.m. and can be seen on ESPN 2