Hogs beat top-ranked UCLA

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The Arkansas Razorbacks opened the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic with a 4-3 win over top-ranked UCLA. The defending national champions held the Hogs to seven hits, but that was not enough to hold the Razorbacks. Senior Becca Carden scored two runs for UA while Brittany Griffiths and Tori Mort brought in the other two for the Hogs. Arkansas had seven strikeouts between pitchers Layne McGuirt and Kim Jones.

UCLA got on the board first with 1 run in their half of the third inning, but the Hogs would answer quickly picking up 2 runs of their own thanks to a 2 RBI single to centerfield from Courtney Breault. However the lead would not last long, as the Bruins were able to plate 1 run in the top of the fourth inning on an error by Arkansas to even up the score at 2. The Bruins would then add 1 more run to give them the lead 3 to 2 going into the bottom of the fifth inning. Breault would then add another RBI to her resume for the game, tying the contest at 3 runs each through five. The Hogs would then be able to take the lead after pitcher Kim Jones recorded 3 strikeouts in the top of the sixth inning and they were able to plate the game winning run off of a single up the middle from Tori Mort.

This is the first time in Arkansas softball history that the Razorbacks have beaten a top-ranked team. We first faced No. 1 Tennessee in 2007 and lost all of the three-game series. Arkansas meets host UNLV this evening.

Complete recap to come after game two.