The No. 23 University of Arkansas softball team (11-2) extended its winning streak to a season-best 10 games with a 10-2 six inning run rule victory over Boston University (11-4) on Saturday afternoon at Bogle Park. The Razorbacks were upended in the second game of the twinbill by Montana (6-8) 5-0 in the first ever meeting between the two programs.
Game 1: Arkansas 10, Boston University 2 (6 innings)
The Razorback bats outhit Boston U, 11-3, and used two four run frames to power the offense. After BU scored two in the top of the third, Arkansas posted a four spot in the bottom of the stanza. Junior Braxton Burnside sent a two RBI double down the right field line and junior Kayla Green collected her first career triple which plated two.
Junior Hannah McEwen launched a solo homer, her first of the season, in the fourth and junior Ryan Jackson clubbed another solo bomb in the fifth to go up, 6-2. McEwen recorded an RBI double in the sixth to score senior Sydney Parr from first, which put the offense in motion to end the game in six frames.
Junior Danielle Gibson drove in a run with a single and two more crossed the plate on a wild pitch and a throwing error. A throwing error by the BU second baseman brought home the final run of the game.
Senior fireballer Autumn Storms was humming from the first pitch. She fanned seven hitters and allowed only three hits in six innings while throwing just 67 pitches. The righthander is 6-0 this year and lowered her season ERA to a minuscule 0.39.
The top four hitters in the lineup each recorded a multi-hit game in Parr (2), McEwen (3), Burnside (2) and Gibson (2). Burnside could not be kept off the basepaths and was 2-for-2 with two walks and two runs scored.
Ali DuBois (7-4) took the loss for the Terriers and allowed six earned runs in four innings.
Game 2: Montana 5, Arkansas 0
A five run first inning was all the Grizzlies would need to topple the Hogs. Montana jumpstarted its bats with a leadoff single and a one out walk. The visitors sent a single up the middle to plate their first run and then struck out for the second out of the inning. The Grizzlies promptly scored four two out runs on a two RBI double and two singles.
The Razorbacks were shutout for the first time this season and collected three hits, which were all singles. Gibson went 2-for-3 and senior Keely Huffine had a 1-for-2 game at the dish in her first start of the year at second.
Montana starter Michaela Hood (2-4) notched her second win of the year in impressive fashion. She went the distance and had full command of her arsenal as she ramped up six strikeouts to just one walk. Freshman Jenna Bloom (1-1) took the loss for Arkansas and could not get out of the first inning. She allowed all five earned runs in 0.2 innings. Junior Mary Haff tossed 6.1 frames of scoreless relief and struck out six.
She retired the first 10 batters she faced after entering the game.
Arkansas concludes its first home weekend and will play the final game of the Razorback Invitational against Marist at 11:15 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 23.
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