Robyn Herron (Photo courtesy of University of Arkansas)
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Arkansas junior left-handed pitcher Robyn Herron tied a school record with 16 strikeouts during the Razorbacks’ 6-3 (8 inn.) win at No. 7 Tennessee in the series opener on Saturday night at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.
Herron wrapped up the complete game effort by fanning the Lady Vols’ Destiny Rodriguez for her 16th and final strikeout of the night. Herron improved to 9-3 while allowing three runs on four hits and four walks during her eight innings of work. The southpaw registered multiple strikeouts in six of her eight innings pitched, highlighted by three strikeouts in the first and fourth innings, respectively.
Herron’s 16 strikeouts were tied for the 11th-most in a single game this season and are the most against an SEC opponent.
Arkansas plated three runs in the top of the eighth to put the game away for good as Karlie Davison gave the Hogs’ a 4-3 lead with two outs in the inning before Reagan Johnson and Raigan Kramer drew back-to-back bases loaded walks for the final two outs of the contest.
Courtney Day smashed her 10th home run of the season with a two-run blast off the scoreboard in the top of the second to open the scoring. Davison had a 2-3 night that featured a run scored and an RBI sacrifice fly that accounted for the game-winning run in the top of the eighth. Johnson and Kramer each recorded two walks and an RBI. Kramer also singled in the victory.
Tennessee ace Karlyn Pickens, who entered the matchup with a 0.73 ERA, took the loss for the Lady Vols to fall to 10-4. Pickens allowed six runs (three earned) on eight hits and four walks while registering 10 strikeouts in eight innings pitched.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Both teams went with their usual series opening starters in the circle. Robyn Herron made her 12th start of the season for Arkansas (22-6, 2-5 SEC) and Karlyn Pickens made her 13th start for Tennessee (26-5, 2-2 SEC)
Pickens retired the Razorbacks in order during the top of the first courtesy of back-to-back groundouts and a flyout.
Kinsey Fiedler led off the bottom of the first with a double off the left-center field wall for Tennessee. Taylor Pannell followed with a walk to put runners on first and second with no out. Herron would then put away the Lady Vols by striking out the next three batters.
Bri Ellis led off the second inning with a single up the middle. Courtney Day then followed with a two-run home run off the scoreboard in left-center field to put Arkansas ahead 2-0. Atalyia Rijo reached on an error with one out in the inning before Karlie Davison singled down the left field line, but Pickens would escape the inning courtesy of a lineout and groundout to shortstop.
Herron fanned two more in the bottom of the second while retiring Tennessee in order.
Pickens registered a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the third. Tennessee tied the game in the bottom half on a two-run home run from McKenna Gibson.
Tennessee’s Sophia Nugent was the only baserunner to reach base in the fourth inning as Herron recorded all three of her outs by way of strikeouts in the inning.
Davison doubled into left-center field to lead off the fifth inning. Reagan Johnson walked and Raigan Kramer singled with one out to load the bases. Arkansas would then take a 3-2 lead on Kailey Wyckoff’s RBI single that fell in shallow right field a batter later. Pickens and Tennessee would escape with just one run allowed, however, courtesy of consecutive strikeouts.
Herron struck out two more during a 1-2-3 bottom of the fifth inning.
Pickens responded with a 1-2-3 inning of her own in the top of the sixth. In the bottom half, Tennessee tied the game at 3-3 on a RBI double from Nugent.
In the seventh inning, Kramer would reach on a two-out walk, but that would be all the Hogs would get in the stanza.
Herron tied a career-high with her 14th strikeout of the contest while spinning a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh to take the game into extra innings.
In the top of the eighth, Day reached on an error by Tennessee second baseman Destiney Rodriguez with one out in the inning. Ava Carter entered the game in place of Day following the error to pinch run and would advance to second on a line-drive single to center field from Ella McDowell. Atalyia Rijo singled to shortstop to load the bases for Davison, who continued her impressive night at the plate by hitting a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Carter and giving Arkansas a 4-3 lead. The Razorbacks then tacked on a pair of insurance runs courtesy of back-to-back walks from Johnson and Kramer to make it the final 6-3.
Herron went back to the circle in the bottom of the eighth and struck out Gibson for her 15th punchout of the night before Bri Ellis made a diving play on a hard-hit ground ball for the second out of the inning. Nugent singled to left field with two outs to put a runner on for Tennessee. Herron would then tie a program record and end the contest by fanning Rodriguez for her 16th and final strikeout of the night.
UP NEXT
The Razorbacks will seek to take the series against the Lady Vols at 11 a.m. CT Sunday for game two of the three-game matchup.
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