Ellis slugs four homers as Arkansas softball powers up at Fallapalooza

BY DUDLEY E. DAWSON

Arkansas softball team went to Kansas City on Saturday for a couple of fall exhibition games and had a blast -  in fact a lot of blasts.

Auburn transfer Bri Ellis hit four home runs – including a pair  of grand slams – as the Razorbacks had six round-trippers overall while routing South Dakota State 19-0 and the University of Missouri- Kansas City 17-0.

The games were part of UMKC’s Fallapalooza Tournament featuring a myriad of teams at Kansas City’s Urban Youth Academy.

Arkansas will be back in action Sunday in the event with a 10 a.m. game against UMKC and a noon contest against Butler (Kan.) County Community College.

South Dakota State, facing former Oklahoma pitcher and College World Series star Jordy Bahl,  edged Nebraska 1-0 before playing Arkansas.

Bu the Razorbacks jumped all over the Jackrabbits and took a 7- 0 lead in the opening inning of their opening game as Ellis hit one of her grand slams and Rylin Hedgecock added a solo shot.

Ellis and former South Dakota State star Cylie Halvorson both hit solo homers in the fourth and Arkansas also added a pair of runs in the fifth go up 11-0. 

Ellis added a two-run blast in the sixth to make it 13-0.

Atalyia Rijo’s two-run triple and Kennedy Miller’s double plated a couple of runs as part of a six-run seventh inning that capped the scoring in the first game.

Robyn Herron started the opener on the mound for Arkansas and pitched four scoreless innings before giving way to Southern Mississippi transfer Morgan Leinstock.

Nikki McGaffin pitched a perfect seventh to close things out.

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Raigan Kramer’s two-run double was part of a four-run first inning against UMKC in Arkansas second game.

Hannah Camenzind,  Nia Carter and Hedgecock all had RBI singles to push that advantage to 7-0 in the second frame.

Reis Beuerlein pitched three scoreless innings before turning things over to Callie Turner in the fourth, who yielded to McGaffin in the sixth inning of the nightcap.

Ellis’ fourth homer of the day was another grand slam that surged Arkansas ahead 11-0 in the fourth.

That lead grew to 17-0 in the fifth as Lauren Camenzind had a run-scoring single, Spencer Priggie a sacrifice fly and Miller a two-run single.

Photo courtesy of Arkansas softball