Photo courtesy of University of Arkansas
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – The No. 10 Arkansas Razorbacks split on the final day of the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, defeating Baylor (8-0, 5 inn.) and falling to No. 4 UCLA (9-1, 6 inn.) to finish the event with a 4-1 record.
Bri Ellis homered in both games, hitting a three-run home run in the second inning of the win against Baylor and a solo homer in the fourth inning of the nightcap against UCLA. The home runs were her eighth and ninth, respectively, this season.
Robyn Herron was magnificent in the win over the Bears, spinning four no-hit innings while striking out six. Shaylon Govan was the lone batter to reach base for Baylor against Herron after being hit by a pitch in the fourth inning. It marked the third consecutive start in which Herron had a no-hitter going into the fifth inning. Lexi King pitched the fifth and final inning in relief and issued a groundout and a lineout before Emry McDonough spoiled the Hogs’ combined no-hitter by hitting a hard ground ball that found its way through the infield courtesy of a hitter-friendly hop.
Ellis led Arkansas at the plate in the win over Baylor by going 1-2 with three RBI courtesy of her three-run blast and a walk. Reagan Johnson (2-3, 2 R, 2B) and Kailey Wyckoff (2-3, 2 R, 1 RBI) both collected multiple hits in the contest.
Johnson (2-3) and Ellis (2-3, 2B, HR, RBI) paced the Hogs’ offense in the loss to UCLA.
The loss to the Bruins broke a 14-game winning streak for the Razorbacks to open the season. The 14-game winning streak was the second-longest in program history, trailing only a 19-game winning streak in 2021.
BAYLOR
Arkansas got things going quickly in the bottom of the first as Reagan Johnson doubled to lead off the game and Kailey Wyckoff followed on a bloop single to left-center field. Bri Ellis walked with one out to load the bases. Courtney Day drew a bases-loaded walk to cap an eight-pitch at-bat and give Arkansas a 1-0 lead one batter later. A two-out walk from Kennedy Miller brought home another run.
Herron retired the side in order again in the second inning.
In the bottom half, the Razorbacks continued their string of big innings this season by plating six runs on five hits and an error. Kailey Wyckoff and Ella McDowell made it 4-0 with a pair of singles into right field before Bri Ellis sat on a changeup and belted a three-run home run to left field. Raigan Kramer followed in the inning with an RBI single through the right side that scored Atalyia Rijo, who collided with Baylor catcher Carson Frier, who failed to evacuate the plate, resulting in Rijo being ruled safe due to obstruction and making the score 8-0.
Baylor starting pitcher Dariana Orme exited the game with the score at 4-0 with no outs in the second inning and was replaced by senior Lillie Walker, who would throw the remainder of the game.
Both sides were retired in order during the third and fourth innings.
Herron exited the game after the fourth, finishing with six strikeouts while allowing no hits and just one runner to reach base as a result of Shaylon Govan being hit by a pitch. It marked the third consecutive game that the junior left-hander had a no-hitter through four innings.
Lexi King entered the circle for Arkansas in the fifth and would issue a ground out to shortstop for the first out of the inning. Karlie Davison then made the Hogs’ best defensive play of the young season with a diving back-handed grab on a line drive from the Bears’ Caroline Rowatt for out No. 2. Emry McDonough spoiled the Hogs’ combined no-hitter by hitting a hard ground ball to Davison’s left at second base that took a bad hop and skipped to the outfield to record the first and lone hit of the game for Baylor. King then induced a popup to Rijo at shortstop for the final out of the game to complete the run-rule victory.
Herron improved to 5-0 with the victory, while Orme fell to 2-2 for Baylor (7-7) after allowing five earned runs on five hits and three walks with a strikeout.
UCLA
Freshman Payton Burnham got the start for Arkansas, while UCLA went with sophomore left-hander Kaitlyn Terry.
Freshman Ella McDowell became the first baserunner of the ballgame with two outs in the first inning after reaching on an infield single to shortstop. Bri Ellis then doubled down the left field line to move McDowell to third, but Terry got an inning-ending strikeout to keep the Hogs off the board.
Payton Burnham faced the minimum in the first inning despite hitting Jessica Clements to lead off the home half. Burnham would issue consecutive 5-4 fielder’s choices; following the second fielder’s choice, UCLA’s Jordan Woolery stepped off first base with Burnham possessing the ball in the circle and was called out.
Reagan Johnson singled to shortstop with one out in the top of the third inning.
UCLA took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third with an RBI single from Jessica Clements. The Bruins then made it 4-0 courtesy of a three-run home run from Woolery with two outs.
Cam Harrison entered in relief of Burnham with a score of 4-0, with two outs and a runner on first. She would issue an inning-ending strikeout to finish the frame.
Ellis got the Hogs on the board with a solo home run to center field in the top of the fourth inning. It was her team-leading ninth round-tripper of the season. Harrison retired UCLA in order in the bottom half.
Johnson legged out her second infield single of the game in the top of the fifth by hitting a high chopper to shortstop and racing down the line. UCLA increased its lead to 5-1 with a sacrifice fly from Kaniya Bragg in the bottom half.
Reis Beuerlein came in to pitch the sixth inning in relief of Harrison. UCLA would plate four runs on four hits and an error to end the game after six innings of play with a 9-1 win.
UP NEXT
The Razorbacks return home to the friendly confines of Bogle Park for the Wooo Pig Classic Feb. 28-March 2, where they will play Iowa, Illinois and Missouri State.
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