FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – On Wednesday the Arkansas softball team completed a two-game sweep against Evangel University (Mo.) at Bogle Park in fall ball action. The Razorbacks defeated the Crusaders 7-1 in the afternoon’s first game and came out with hot bats in the night cap as they cruised to a 15-5 win.
In the first game, Arkansas benefited from a six-run fourth inning, as they sent 10 batters to the plate to break a 1-1 tie. Remarkably, the Razorbacks collected only one hit in the fourth, as they drew five walks in the frame. Three of the six runs scored in the inning came on a two-out error by the Evangel shortstop.
Sophomore Grace Moll turned in a solid outing, as she went four innings, allowing just two hits and striking out five. The lone run she gave up came in first inning, as a leadoff error turned into an unearned run for the Shelbyville, Ill., native.
The Razorbacks got two of their three hits from the leadoff spot, as Stephanie Canfield went 1-for-3 before Tori Cooper pinch hit for the junior in the fifth inning and ripped a single. Kasey Fagan got the only other hit for Arkansas in game one and Sierra Bronkey collected a pinch-hit sacrifice fly for an RBI.
Freshman pitcher Allison Stewart turned a solid appearance in a relief effort, as she pitched three innings of one-hit, four-strikeout ball.
Arkansas got off to a fast start in game two, as they scored six runs while batting 10 in the first. The Razorbacks followed that up with a five-run second and added four more runs in the third and fourth inning to score the 15-5 five-inning victory.
Catcher Shelby Hiers had a big game two, as she went 3-for-3 with two doubles and four RBI. The sophomore collected her first pair of runs in the first with an RBI double down the right field line, and added two more in the second inning with a bases-clearing double to left-center.
Sophomore Parker Pockington also had a four-RBI night, as she went 2-for-3 with a double.
Jessica Harrison had a three-hit night, as she sent the ball back up the middle of the field three times to collect a trio of RBI’s on the night. Cooper smashed a pinch-hit RBI triple in the fourth, as she drove in two runs and scampered home on the play after a throwing error. Haley Meinen picked up the win for the Razorbacks, as she tossed three innings of three-hit, one-run ball.
Postgame with Head Coach Mike Larabee
“I was really impressed with our two freshman pitchers today. Allison Stewart threw the ball really well today, got in and out of a couple of jams. Sydney Wright also had a good outing but she got in a little trouble toward the end but she was able to get out of it.”
“Offensively, our hitters were getting into pitcher’s counts. Our hitters were behind 0-1 in the count 19 times in the first game. We made the adjustments in the second game and scored six runs in the first which was good to see.”
For more information on Arkansas softball, follow @RazorbackSB on Twitter.