Courtesy University of Arkansas Athletics Department
FAYETTEVILLE – The University of Arkansas softball team defeated the Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks, 9-2, on Tuesday at Bogle Park
Arkansas (19-7) was paced at the plate by Chloe Oprzedek, she went 1-2 with a homerun, two walks, two RBI and a run scored. Also going yard was Jayme Gee as she blasted a solo-shot in the second. Gee also notched a sacrifice fly in the game. Overall head coach Mike Larabee was happy with the way the team hit.
“We were able to overcome the slow start,” Larabee said. “Chloe getting the homerun and then Jayme getting the ball up in that jetstream was awesome. We swung the bats well.”
The Ladyjacks started the game by jumping on the board first. Alexis Callan singled home Cadie Weaver with one out to give SFA a 1-0 lead and put runners on the corners for Charlotte Singleton. Starter Hope McLemore worked out of the inning, however, and got Singleton to line out to the shortstop, Clarisa Navarro. She then threw the ball to first for a double-play.
Arkansas answered in the bottom half of the inning as Wallace led off the game, improving her NCAA-leading .691 on base percentage as she was hit by a pitch. She scored two batters later when Oprzedek belted a two-run homer over the centerfield wall.
SFA struck again in the second as Casey Gamez led off the inning, she reached on an error and then Jade Alensa notched her first hit of the year, a single to leftfield. The Ladyjacks scored after two passed balls to even the game at two apiece. This ended McLemore’s day in the circle as she gave way to Chelsea Cohen with one out and a runner on third. The senior captain came in and struck out Brittany Lee for out number two and then got Kaneisha Gray to groundout to end the inning.
Jayme Gee hit her fourth homerun of the season to start the bottom of the second. The bomb over the centerfield wall gave Arkansas a 3-2 lead.
The scoring continued in the third when Jennifer Rambo singled home Nicole Schroeder. Schroeder walked for the 16th time this year and then scored to give Arkansas a two run lead.
Three more runs came across the plate in the fourth as Claire Clark, Wallace and Navarro started the inning with back-to-back-to-back singles. Wallace scored the second run of the inning when Schroeder reached on a fielder’s choice. Two batters later, Rambo was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Schroder scored the third run of the frame.
Cohen used the 7-2 lead to cruise through the Ladyjack lineup. She retired 14 of the 16 batters she faced through the sixth inning. Her six strikeouts in 4.2 innings pitched gave her 87 on the season.
Schroeder started the bottom of the sixth with a double to straightaway centerfield. Amanda Summerford followed the double with an infield single. Sierra Bronkey then walked to bring up pinch-hitting Ashley Martindale for her first at bat of the season. She worked a 3-2 count and eventually walked to bring in Schroder. This put Gee at the plate with an 8-2 lead and the bases still loaded. Gee drilled a ball to the centerfield warning track that was good enough to score Summerford from third. Clark followed the sac-fly by advancing both runners a base. Wallace approached the plate with runners on second and third but was walked on four pitches. Navarro then hit a line drive off of the pitcher that dribbled to Callan at first. This ended the inning and gave the Hogs a 9-2 lead into the seventh inning.
Freshman, Kelly Young came in to work the seventh inning and retired the side quickly. She struck out Alensa to start the inning. Brittany Lee then grounded out and after Gray singled, Young ended the game with a strikeout. This gave Arkansas its 19th win heading into SEC play.
Next up for the Razorbacks will be the start of SEC play and an eight-game roadtrip. Arkansas will square off with No. 5 Texas A&M, game one of the series will be Friday at 7 p.m. at Texas A&M.
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