Arkansas Concludes States Up! Invitational by Blanking Texas State, 9-0 in Six Innings

SAN MARCOS, Texas – Behind two solo home runs from first baseman Tianna Bell and a combined shutout from Payton Burnham (5 IP) and Lillie-Faye McWhorter (1 IP), the No. 9 Arkansas Razorbacks capped a 4-0 weekend by blanking Texas State, 9-0 in six innings during the final day of the States Up! Invitational at the Bobcat Softball Stadium.

With the victory, Arkansas improved to 8-1 on the season with all eight victories coming by way of run-rule. The Razorbacks are outscoring opponents 102-13 this season.

Bell continued her impressive weekend by blasting solo home runs in both the second and fifth innings while also adding an RBI single in the sixth inning during a 3-4 day at the plate. Ella McDowell also had a three-RBI game, courtesy of a three-run homer during the top of the third inning. Kailey Wyckoff also paced the Hogs at the plate with a (3-3, 2B, R) day at the plate.

Payton Burnham improved to 2-1 on the season after spinning five shutout innings while striking out one and surrendering just six hits and no walks. Lillie-Faye McWhorter closed out the victory with a hitless bottom of the sixth in the circle that featured a pair of punchouts. Azua took the loss for Texas State after allowing four runs of five hits in 2.1 innings pitched.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Payton Burnham made her third start of the season for Arkansas, while Texas State turned to left-handed ace Maddy Azua for the fifth time this season.

Azua retired Arkansas in order during the top of the first inning. Dakota Kennedy was called out due to being hit by a bunted ball in fair territory to lead off the game before a groundout and lineout ended the inning.

Burnham responded with a scoreless frame in the bottom of the first inning. The Bobcats’ Kamryn Bass and Kat Zarate both singled with two outs in the inning, but that was all Texas State could muster as Burnham ended the Texas State threat with a groundout.

Tianna Bell led off the top of the second by blasting her third round-tripper of the season, a solo shot to left-center field. It marked the third-consecutive game in which Bell has homered. Following Bell’s homer, Kailey Wyckoff also added a single in the frame.

Burnham retired the side in the bottom of the second courtesy of a groundout and back-to-back flyouts to Wyckoff in right field. Wyckoff made an impressive running grab in the gap to rob an extra-base hit for the second out of the stanza.

In the top of the third inning, Dakota Kennedy doubled to right-center field with one out in the inning, then moved over to third base on a Reagan Johnson single. Johnson promptly stole second a pitch later while Ella McDowell was at the plate. After Johnson’s swipe of second, McDowell crushed a no-doubt three-run home run to left field, which put the Hogs ahead 4-0. Brinli Bain later extended her reached-base streak to nine games with a four-pitch walk in the inning.

In the home portion of the third, Burnham extended her string of consecutive batters retired to five with a strikeout and a groundout before the ‘Cats Harley Vestal singled to left-center field. Shortstop Atalyia Rijo snagged a hard-hit ground ball up the middle before registering an unassisted putout at second base for the final out of the frame.

In the top of the fourth inning, Wyckoff smashed a double into the gap in left-center field. She later came around to score on a groundout RBI from Kennedy Miller, extending the lead to 5-0. Atalyia Rijo and Dakota Kennedy also reached in the inning courtesy of a double and being hit by a pitch.

During the bottom of the fourth, Texas State put a pair of runners on with back-to-back singles with two outs, but Burnham would be unfazed as she issued a flyout to left field for the final out of the inning.

Bell smashed her second home run of the game, courtesy of a lead-off solo blast to right field in the top of the fifth. It marked Bell’s second career multi-homer game and the first by a Razorback this season. Ramsey Walker then extended the Hogs’ lead to 7-0 with a pinch-hit RBI double off the wall in left field, scoring Ashtyn Reichardt, who previously reached on a pinch-hit single.

In the bottom of the fifth, Burnham pitched another scoreless frame with the only blemish being a two-out single up the middle by Vestal.

Reagan Johnson led off the top of the sixth inning with a walk before advancing to second and then coming around to score on an RBI single in shallow right field off the bat of Bell. Cam Harrison added the Hogs’ ninth run of the contest with a two-out RBI single up the middle, making it the final 9-0.

Lillie Faye McWhorter entered the circle for the bottom of the sixth and pitched a scoreless inning, highlighted by two strikeouts, including a game-ending strikeout of the Bobcats’ Abby Garza.

QUOTABLES

Arkansas Head Coach Courtney Deifel

On the win…
“I was proud of how we competed today and all weekend in every facet of the game. We were bought into our plan offensively and had contributions throughout the lineup. Tianna Bell and Ella McDowell both had great weekends at the plate and are swinging it well. Payton Burnham was outstanding in the circle today and that continued into the sixth inning with Lillie-Faye McWhorter. Our pitchers trusted their defense, and our defense did a phenomenal job this weekend, backing them up. We are looking forward to getting back home and returning to Bogle Park for the Razorback Invitational next weekend.”

NOTABLES

• The Razorbacks’ eight wins have all come by run-rule this season as the Hogs are outscoring opponents 102-13.
• Reagan Johnson registered her 57th career stolen base to move into a tie for third all-time in program history alongside Jessica Bachkora (2007-2010). With a hit today, Johnson now has 235 in her career, which ranks second in program history. She needs 27 hits to break Hannah McEwen’s program record of 261.
• Arkansas is 675-105-1 when outhitting opponents since 1998 and 299-27 when doing so under Courtney Deifel.
• Freshman Brinli Bain extended her reached-base streak to nine games. She has now reached safely in all eight of her collegiate games.
• With two solo HR today, Arkansas 1B Tianna Bell has recorded her second career multi-HR game and first since she had two on Feb. 11, 2023, while at Cal.
• Arkansas is 58-8 all-time when a Razorback player hits multiple home runs in a single game.

Up Next

The Razorbacks will return to Bogle Park Feb. 20-22 when Arkansas hosts Northwestern and SEMO for the Razorback Invitational. Arkansas opens play on Friday, Feb. 20 against SEMO at 1:30 p.m.

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