Hogs Open Season with Pair of Run-Rule Victories at Kickin’ Chicken Classic

CONWAY, S.C.– The Arkansas Razorbacks Softball team opened up its season in dominant fashion with a pair of run-rule victories over Virginia (17-1, 5 inn.) and Akron (9-1, 6 inn.), to improve to 2-0 during the first day of the Kickin’ Chicken Classic at St. John Stadium on the campus of Coastal Carolina.

In the win against Virginia, Arkansas set a season-opener program record with 17 runs. The Hogs broke the game open by scoring 10 runs, all coming with two outs in the top of the first inning, courtesy of six hits, including three for extra bases, to go along with three free passes and a Virginia error. Ella McDowell put an exclamation point on the 10-run inning with a tape-measure two-run home run to left field that accounted for the final two runs of the frame. Senior left-hander pitcher Robyn Herron earned the win after fanning four and allowing just one run on three hits in four innings of work. Reagan Johnson (1-4, 2B, 3 RBI) paced the Hogs’ offense by driving in three runs and scoring one.

The Razorbacks’ freshmen highlighted the 9-1 triumph over Akron. Freshman right-hander Saylor Timmerman earned her first collegiate win after striking out two and allowing just one unearned run on a hit and two walks. Freshman catcher Brinli Bain led the Razorbacks at the plate by going 2-4 with a game-high four RBI. Cam Harrison also pitched two scoreless frames in relief that featured three strikeouts to earn a save.

GAME ONE

In the day’s opening game against Virginia, the Razorbacks’ bats exploded for 15 hits and a season-opener program-record 17 runs, eclipsing the previous mark of 16 set on two separate occasions in 2011 against Prairie View A&M (16-0) and 2012 vs. Belmont (16-3). The 17 runs scored by the Razorbacks were tied for the sixth-most in program history. The 17-1 win was also the largest margin of victory during a season opener in program history, initially set against Prairie View A&M in 2012.

Arkansas mounted a furious two-out rally during the top of the first inning. Dakota Kennedy became the first baserunner of the season for Arkansas after drawing a one-out walk. Following a strikeout and a passed ball, which allowed Kennedy to advance to second, Tianna Bell drove her home with an opposite-field RBI single to right field to open the scoring. After an Atalyia Rijo walk, Kailey Wyckoff made it 2-0 with an RBI single to centerfield before Cam Harrison walked to load the bases for Kennedy Miller, who would drive in a pair of runs with a single to center field. Karlie Davison was then hit by a pitch following Miller’s double before Reagan Johnson doubled to center field to plate Harrison and Miller, making the score 6-0 in favor of the Hogs. Dakota Kennedy followed with a two-run double to increase the lead to eight before Ella McDowell blasted a mammoth two-run shot down the left field line, stretching the lead to 10.

Following the massive top-half of the inning, Robyn Herron went to work in the circle by throwing a scoreless frame, which featured a pair of strikeouts and one hit allowed.

In the second inning, Arkansas added three more runs courtesy of a Virginia error, an RBI single from Harrison, two run double from Davison, and an RBI groundout from Johnson. Virginia got on the scoreboard courtesy of a solo home run to right field off the bat of Kassidy Hudson.

Both teams were kept at bay in the third and fourth innings. Arkansas loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the fourth, by way of a pinch-hit single from Ramsey Walker, a Brinli Bain walk and a single from Karlie Davison. The Cavaliers escaped the jam, however, with a 1-2-3 groundout double play and a strikeout. Herron fanned two over her final two innings of work and Johnson highlighted the Hogs’ defense by taking a would-be solo home run away from Virginia’s Bella Cabral for the first out in the bottom of the fourth.

Arkansas added its final four runs of the game, courtesy of a pair of two-run singles from Walker and Bain, making it the final, 17-1. Saylor Timmerman came out of the bullpen for the bottom of the fifth and spun a scoreless frame with a strikeout and just a walk allowed.

Herron improved to 1-0 for Arkansas while Virginia starter, Julia Cuozzo, was credited with the loss for the Cavaliers after allowing 10 runs on six hits, three walks, a hit batter and an error in one inning of work.

GAME TWO

Freshman right-hander Saylor Timmerman got the ball in the nightcap for Arkansas while Akron turned to junior Madie Jamrong.

In the top of the first, the Zips struck first by taking advantage of an error and plating an unearned run on an RBI single from Sophia Wygast. Arkansas knotted things up in the bottom half after Reagan Johnson reached, then put herself in scoring position with her 51st career stolen base before scoring on an RBI single to left field from Atalyia Rijo.

Following the first inning, Timmerman retired her next nine batters, including two by way of strikeouts, while shutting out Akron in the second, third and fourth frames.

In the bottom of the third inning, Tianna Bell, Kailey Wyckoff, and Cam Harrison all reached on walks for Brinli Bain, who would drive in two with a single to right field, giving Arkansas a 3-1 advantage.

Harrison relieved Timmerman in the circle for the final two innings of play and was magnificent, allowing just one hit while striking out three of her seven batters faced. Bain capped the top of the fifth inning by throwing out the Zips’ Brooke Sivek, who was attempting to steal second base.

Rijo led off the bottom of the fifth inning with a single and moved to third on a triple from Wyckoff before coming around to score on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Karlie Davison. Wyckoff then came around to score on an error, stretching the Arkansas lead to 5-1.

Arkansas secured the run-rule win with a four-run bottom of the sixth inning that featured a double from Rijo, a RBI bases-loaded walk from Harrison, a two-run double from Bain, and an RBI single from Johnson.

Timmerman (4.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 K, 2 BB) earned the win for Arkansas in her first career start to improve to 1-0 and Harrison (2.0 IP, 1 H, 3 K) registered her first save in her first opportunity. Jamrong (5.0 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 5 BB) took the loss for Akron, falling to 0-1.

QUOTABLES

Arkansas Head Coach Courtney Deifel

On the day at the plate…
“I thought our team just set a really good tone in the beginning. How can you not say that when you score 10 runs in the first inning of Game One of the season? I don’t think they really flinch at how many outs there are. I think anytime they’re stepping in, they have an opportunity to do something. There were some big-time at-bats with two outs. This team just had really great composure all day.”

On pitching…
“Robyn threw well in Game One. Saylor got to come in and finish and start the next one, and then Cam came in and shut the door. They just combo’d really well and competed really well throughout the day.”

On the collective effort during the day…
“It’s a fun day when you put up that many runs. But that’s not why it was fun. It was fun because they just competed really well. They trusted their preparation and their competitive energy throughout the day was at a really good spot.”

NOTABLES

• With the wins, Arkansas improved to 18-12 all-time in season openers and 39-9 on opening weekend contests under head coach Courtney Deifel (2016-present).
• Arkansas set a season-opener program record with 17 runs scored in the win over Virginia. It also tied the largest margin of victory during a season-opener in program history. The previous record of 16 runs scored was set twice: in a 16-0 win over Prairie View A&M in 2011 and in a 16-3 win over Belmont in 2012.
• Reagan Johnson registered a single-game career-high three RBI during the 17-1 win over Virginia. She moved into third all-time in career hits by an Arkansas player with 226.
• Ella McDowell homered for the second-consecutive season in a season opener with a two-run shot to left field during the first inning of the win over Virginia.
• Arkansas has now won 72 of its past 77 contests dating back to 2020 when recording 10+ hits in a single game.
• The Razorbacks are 259-123 (.678) in daytime contests under Courtney Deifel.

Up Next

The Razorbacks continue play at the Kickin’ Chicken Classic tomorrow against Virginia (10 a.m.) and Coastal Carolina (3 p.m.). The Hogs’ matchup against the Chanticleers will be streamed on ESPN+.

For schedule updates and other news, go to ArkansasRazorbacks.com, or follow @RazorbackSB on X, Instagram and Facebook.