Razorbacks fall to Wolverines

FAYETTEVILLE – The University of Arkansas softball team fell to the Utah Valley University Wolverines, 3-1, on Sunday at Bogle Park.

Arkansas (18-7) was led on in the circle by senior, Chelsea Cohen and sophomore, Kimmy Beasley. They combined to throw seven innings, giving up three runs on eight hits, while striking out nine. Arkansas registered seven hits in the game, but all seven were singles.

“There are a lot of positives from this game,” head coach Mike Larabee said. “Chelsea and Kimmy certainly threw well enough to win. They both did well and our defense played well. The disappointing thing is that we left 12 runners on base today.”

Cohen began the game in quick fashion as she worked through the Wolverine lineup in the first. She notched two strikeouts in the opening frame as Morgan Summers went down swinging  and Amanda Robinson chased an off-speed pitch.

The second inning did not go as well for Cohen as Kylee Brinkerhoff led off the inning with a single to the left side of the infield. Dynasty Lauvai then sent a 1-2 fastball over the leftfield fence on the next at bat. Lauvai’s third homerun of the year put Arkansas in a 2-0 deficit.

Arkansas tried to answer in the bottom half of the inning as Jennifer Rambo and Claire Clark started the bottom of the inning with back-to-back singles. After two straight strikeouts, Devon Wallace walked to load the bases for Sierra Bronkey. She worked a 3-2 count but eventually grounded out to second. The Razorbacks had stranded five runners through two innings.

Cohen continued to power through the fourth as she worked a 1-2-3 inning, striking out two. These were Cohen’s fifth and sixth strikeouts of the game.

The Razorbacks started their fourth consecutive inning with a runner on base when Jayme Gee singled to rightfield to start the fourth. However, Arkansas was unable to score her as Clarisa Navarro grounded out to first with two outs and two runners on. UVU starter Tiffany Mills had worked four scoreless innings, striking out five.

The senior captain, Cohen, ran into trouble in the sixth as she allowed a one-out walk to Robinson. Brinkerhoff followed the walk with an infield single, ending Cohen’s day in the circle. She worked 5.1 innings, giving up three runs on six hits and striking out six. Beasley came in and struck out Cassie Herrera on three pitches. Krystin Jachim then blooped a single into leftfield, scoring Robinson. This gave the Wolverines a 3-0 lead.

Beasley worked the seventh and retired three of the four batters she faced, striking out one. The sophomore went 1.2 innings and gave up two hits, while striking out three.

Navarro started the bottom of the seventh inning by roping a single to rightfield. Nicole Schroeder followed the hit with a walk and this put two runners on for pinch-hitting Lauren Montgomery with zero outs. Montgomery ticked a ball to the second baseman, she was thrown out but the runners advanced a base. Rambo was the next batter and she skied a ball to centerfield. This scored Navarro from third, making the score 3-1. Andrea Sullivan was then inserted into the game to pinch hit. She struck out swinging to end the game and gave Mills her fifth win of the season. The Wolverine starter went seven innings, giving up one run on seven hits. She struck out six and walked six.
 
Next up for the Razorbacks will be the conclusion of a 14-game homestand. The Razorbacks will play host to Stephen F. Austin on Tuesday, March 12 at 5 p.m.