Razorbacks fall in finale
FAYETTEVILLE – The University of Arkansas softball team wrapped up its final regular-season home game with a 10-6 loss against Ole Miss on Sunday at Bogle Park.
After getting down early, the Razorbacks battled back to get within a run heading into the fifth, before Ole Miss tallied a trio of insurance runs in the top of the sixth to prevent Arkansas from completing the series sweep.
With a pair of victories on Saturday, Arkansas (28-25, 10-15 SEC) picked up its first SEC series win since taking two of three games from Georgia in early March.
Ole Miss (26-25, 7-17 SEC) has now won three of its last five games heading into the final weekend of SEC play.
Ole Miss jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Back-to-back two-run singles by catcher Amber Tramp and third baseman Cali Overbeck gave the Rebels their first lead of the series.
Arkansas cut the lead to 4-3 in the bottom of the first. Senior Jessica Bachkora took the first pitch she saw over the wall in center field for her 14th home run of the season, tying her with fellow senior Sandra Smith for the single-season home run record. Right fielder Brittany Robison capped the scoring with a two-run single to center.
The Rebels added a pair of runs in the second on a two-run home run by shortstop Lauren Grill, her seventh of the year, to make the score 6-3.
The Razorbacks continued to keep pace as they cut the Ole Miss lead to 6-5 in the bottom of the second. Designated player Miranda Dixon drove in the first run of the inning when she was hit-by-a-pitch with the bases loaded. Second baseman Courtney Breault then collected her seventh RBI of the weekend with sacrifice fly to right field.
Ole Miss tacked on a run in the top the third on an RBI single by left fielder Ashley Dowdy.
Arkansas tallied a run in the bottom of the fourth inning on an RBI infield single by junior Layne McGuirt to close within a run, 7-6.
Mississippi extended its advantage to 10-6 with three runs in the top of the sixth inning. RBI hits from Grill and Tramp along with a run-scoring fielder’s choice by Brittany Barnhill gave the Rebels a four-run lead.
In her third start of the weekend, Arkansas freshman Hope McLemore (14-10) worked a third of an inning, allowing four runs on four hits with a walk. Right-hander Chelsea worked 1-2/3 innings, giving up two runs on two hits. McGuirt surrendered four runs on nine hits with a walk and two strikeouts in four innings. Fellow junior Kim Jones retired the two batters she faced to close out the seventh.
Ole Miss starter Brittany Barnhill allowed five runs on four hits through 1-1/3 innings with three walks and a strikeout. Reliever Lindsey Perry (9-5) limited the Razorbacks to an unearned run on three hits in 5-2/3 innings pitched.
Arkansas will wrap up SEC play next weekend when it travels to Auburn, Ala., for a three-game weekend series against the Tigers.
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