Jason Pattyson // Sports Reporter // @thejpattyson
Arkansas head coach Courtney Deifel passed former head Hog Carol Dever-Boaz on the school’s all-time wins list, capturing her 245th victory over the weekend.
How Did The LadyBacks Play In Florida?
Friday
Florida State
The Razorbacks squared off against the #7 ranked Florida State Seminoles Friday in game one of two for Arkansas. Despite out-slugging the Noles at the plate, they couldn’t put it all together and lost 9-6. Sophomore outfielder Kacie Hoffman had a double and a two-run home run that drove a career-high four RBIs to carry the offense. Junior catcher Hannah Gammill added three hits and scored a run in her four appearances at the plate. Redshirt junior Rylan Hedgecock had two hits, one of which was a solo home run. Arkansas had a chance in the seventh inning after the hogs closed the scoring gap to 9-6. Hoffman came to the plate with runners on second and third with two out and lifted a fly ball to shallow left field for the final out of the game. Redshirt junior Callie Turner and Chenise Delce allowed four runs on four hits, all earned, in two innings of work each.
Duke
Arkansas faced the #19 Duke Blue Devils in the day’s second game, and the Hogs dropped another close game by a final of 7-4. Freshman Lauren Caminzind got the start in the circle for the Hogs, and she gave up three runs in one and one-third innings of work. Delce came into the game in the third inning to stop the Blue Devil run from scoring, and she gave up two runs, one of those earned over three innings of work. Duke was up 5-0 before the Razorback offense came alive. Hoffman drove in two runs off a double that she hit off Duke pitcher Cassidy Curd, and junior Kylie Halvorson added a double and scored a run for Arkansas.
Saturday
Saturday was a new day and a record-breaking one at that. Arkansas head coach Courtney Deifel became number one on the coaching wins list at Arkansas after a pair of wins in the doubleheader.
Indiana
Arkansas took on Indiana in the first game of the second day of action. Gammill got the Hog scoring started with a sac-fly to left field and scored freshman Reagan Johnson to put the Hogs on top 1-0. The bats came alive for Arkansas when they posted three runs in both the fifth and sixth inning to put the game out of reach for the Hoosiers. The game’s story was a freshman and Tampa Bay native pitcher Robyn Herron. She pitched a four-hit complete game shutout striking out 12 batters. The offense picked her up as Johnson had a stellar day going 3-4 at the plate and scoring two runs. Redshirt junior Rylin Hedgecock had an efficient day at the plate, going 2-3 with a home run.
Louisiana
The Razorbacks tangled with the Ragin Cagins of Louisiana in the nightcap. Arkansas struck early and fast, scoring all their runs in the first two innings. Johnson scored 2-5 at the dish, scoring two runs, and Hedgecock drove in three runs and scored twice. Hedgecock blasted her third home run of the season. Turner got her second start in as many days and had a short outing tossing one and one-third innings and giving up five runs. Delce carried the load for Arkansas in the circle striking out seven batters over four innings and didn’t allow a run for her third win of the season.
Sunday
Nebraska
Sunday was an early start for the Razorbacks and the Nebraska Cornhuskers, with a first pitch time of 09:30 a.m. Arkansas needed two innings of offense to shuck the Huskers 6-1. Herron earned her second win this weekend and her third on the season. She struck out five batters, scattered two hits over four innings, and gave up a walk and a home run. Delce is starting to find her mid-season form. She gave up a hit and struck out four batters over three innings to earn her first save of the season. Arkansas jumped on Nebraska early, loading the bases in the third inning. They sent nine batters to the plate and scored four runs in the frame to take control of the game. Gammill and Hoffman drew RBI walks to start the Hogs scoring, and Halvorson belted a two-run single in the third inning. She added a two-run double in the fifth inning to pace the offense for the win.
What Is Next?
Arkansas hosts the Razorback Invitation inside the friendly confines of Bogle park. The Razorbacks will face Arizona and Drake University over the weekend. The first pitch of the doubleheader against Arizona is Thursday, February 23rd, at 3 p.m. and will be broadcast on SEC Network plus.
