No. 16 Razorbacks Complete Sweep of Ole Miss

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Sparked by a trio of multi-hit performances and another strong outing in the circle, the 16th-ranked University of Arkansas softball team tallied a 7-1 win Monday evening over Ole Miss to complete the program’s first sweep in the series since 2001. Freshman Hannah McEwen drove in two of her team’s runs on the way to breaking the program’s single-season RBI record.

With the latest win on its home field, Arkansas finishes its home slate with a 24-2 record at Bogle Park this season. Overall, the Razorbacks improve to 37-11 with a 12-9 mark in SEC play. The program last won 37 games in 2008 while the 12 wins against the conference equals the efforts of the 2013 squad.

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With their home schedule in the books, the Razorbacks will close out the regular season with a weekend road trip to LSU. The series opener in Baton Rouge is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. (CT) start and will be featured as part of the Bases Loaded coverage on the SEC Network.

FINAL: #16 Arkansas 7, Ole Miss 1 | Box Score

McEwen entered the game with 49 RBI, tied with Nicole Schroeder for second place on the program’s single-season list but she pulled even with Sandra Smith (2010) on an RBI single during the Razorbacks’ four-run fifth inning. Arkansas entered the frame with a 2-1 advantage but pushed its lead to five with the outburst. Katie Warrick and Kayla Green also chipped in with a sacrifice fly and two-run double, respectively.

In the bottom of the sixth, pinch runner Sydney Benz stood on third after entering the game to run for Ashley Diaz who led off the inning with a double to center. McEwen came to the plate with two down and delivered a base knock up the middle that scored the final run of the game and put her name atop the list with her 51st RBI of the year.

Sophomore Autumn Storms got the start and held Ole Miss (28-21, 5-16 SEC) to one run on four hits through the first three innings of the game. The visitors scored their lone run in the third and threatened to add with two runners on and a hot shot off the bat of Celeste Wood but senior Autumn Buczek made a quick dive to her left to glove the ball and recovered to tag the base for the third out.

With a runner on second after a lead-off double in the fourth, freshman Mary Haff came in to relieve Storms and stranded the runner in scoring position with the help of two strikeouts. Haff struck out six Ole Miss hitters in four innings to secure the win and pick up her 24th victory of the season—10th in SEC play and third of the weekend.

The Razorbacks scored first with a two-run single in the second inning. With runners on second and third, senior Tori Cooper legged out an infield hit that scored pinch runner Carley Haizlip and fellow senior Loren Krzysko on the play. Cooper finished the game 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBI and a run scored. Arkansas is now 32-4 when its scores first.

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