No. 6 Arkansas blanks No. 10 LSU 6-0 to win SEC softball series

BY DUDLEY E. DAWSON

FAYETTEVILLE – What had been a very bizarre weekend series between two of the SEC’s best softball teams ended rather calmly on Saturday.

Arkansas freshman pitcher Payton Burnham twirled a four-hit shutout on her 19th birthday as the No. 6 Razorbacks blanked the No. 10 Tigers 6-0 before a packed crowd at Bogle Park.

The win gave Arkansas (38-11, 14-10) the series after winning Thursday 13-9 and losing 13-2 to LSU (40-13, 12-12) on Friday.

“I think it shows their resilience and I think it shows their character,” Razorback head coach Courtney Deifel said. “I was really proud of their answer today and mores how we did it and who we are.

“Not necessarily the outcome, but more often then not when we have been us the outcome has gone our way.


“So I was just really proud of how they fought today. I thought. Payton was exceptional today, our defense was nails behind her and thats’s why Razorback softball has been.

“So it was just great to see us get back to who we are and rely on each other doing that. I was just really proud of the group.”

The series win assures Arkansas of a first-round bye in next week’s SEC softball tournament in Athens, Ga.

“I think the answer today as huge because we are almost unrecognizable the last two days, especially yesterday,” Deifel said. “That was the challenge more than anything – we have got to get back to who we are.

“How we play our best is just linking arms and playing together.”

Diefel was pleased by Burnham’s effort, but not surprised.

“It was huge,” Deifel said. “…We have a ton of trust in her. We gave it to her. We recruited her and we know she has what it takes. But she earned it. She’s earned that trust with what she has done her freshman year.

“She’s a great competitor. We needed her to just go out and fight and that is who she has been for us.”

It was also the final regular season home game for four Razorback seniors – Bri Ellis, Raigan Kramer, Courtney Day and Carlee Ratcliff.


”What those four have done for the program is immeasurable,” Deifel said.

The Razorbacks loaded the bases in the bottom of first inning and took a 1-0 lead on Kailey Wyckoff’s RBI groundout.

That lead increased to 3-0 via run-scoring wild pitches by LSU starting pitcher Tatum Clopton in both the second and third innings.


Arkansas moved its advantage to 6-0 with a trio of runs in the fifth on RBI singles by Kennedy Miller and Reagan Johnson and a bases-loaded walk to Ellis.

Ellis, who has tied the Razorback single season record with 25 home runs, was walked four times in the win.

Photo courtesy of Razorbacks Communications