FAYETTEVILLE, Ark — No. 22 Arkansas (16-4) shutout Kent State (7-8) 8-0 to wrap up a 12-game homestand on Sunday, March 1 at Bogle Park. The Razorbacks hit three home runs overall and scored six runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to earn the run rule victory.
Senior pitcher Autumn Storms quieted the Golden Flashes bats and after a first inning jam coasted in her four innings. In the first frame a passed ball went to the backstop and the KSU runner attempted to score from third, but Storms applied the tag in a very close play at the plate to prevent a run from scoring.
Three of the four RBI knocks by the Hogs came via the longball. Junior Braxton Burnside hit a two run shot in the bottom of the first inning to strike first. Senior Ryan Jackson hit a two run homer, and junior Hannah McEwen punched a three run missile in the fourth inning. Redshirt freshman Valerie Ventura recorded an RBI base hit in the fourth to round out the offensive day.
The Razorbacks outhit Kent State, 8-5, while both McEwen and Burnside registered two hits.
Storms (9-2) allowed only two hits in four innings and walked two while striking out two. Freshman Rylin Hedgecock worked the fifth inning and allowed three hits. Andrea Scali went the distance for Kent State (3-6) and struck out seven.
Kaitlyn Miller led the Kent State offense with a 2-for-3 day.
The Razorbacks open SEC play next weekend with a three game series at Alabama, Friday March 6 through Sunday, March 8.
