BY DUDLEY E. DAWSON
Arkansas’ creators of softball chaos took their act to Kentucky for this weekend, brought along a slugging teammate and an ace pitcher and it all went really well.
Reagan Johnson and Raigan Kramer – the top two hitters in the Razorbacks’ batting order – combined for 10 hits and 7 runs as No. 12 Arkansas swept a Saturday doubleheader from the No. 20 Wildcats by the scores of 8-1 and 14-6.
Rylin Hedgeock had three homers and 7 RBIs in the first three innings of the nightcap with the aforementioned dynamic duo plating four times on those blasts. on a day when the Razorbacks had 28 hits, 14 in each game.
“Our Reagans at the top have done a really good job for us,” Arkansas head coach Courtney Deifel said earlier this week. “…They do really create a lot of chaos and get us going.”
There was certainly key cogs in an offense that thrived and had a nine-run second inning in the nightcap, which ended early due to the run rule.
The Razorbacks and all other SEC softball teams wore the color teal on Saturday to honor Alex Wilcox, who was a member of the 2018 Mississippi State softball team and inspired the softball community with her courageous fight against ovarian cancer.
“Oh, gosh, I was really pleased with the way we competed today from the start to the finish,” Deifel said. “I think both games were very different, but out offered was dialed in from the start an our pitching and defense did the job…It’s always nice to win the series going into the last game.”
Arkansas (34-12, 11-6), now winners of 11 straight SEC road series, will face Kentucky (26-15-1, 10-7) Sunday at noon at John Cropp Stadium in a game that will streamed by SEC Network +.
Before leaving the Bluegrass state, Arkansas will also play Western Kentucky Monday at 6 p.m. in a contest that will be streamed on the home team’s Hilltoppers Sports Satellite Network’s Facebook site.
Hedgecock was 0 of 3 in the opener, but made a quick adjustment in between games.
“I feel like in the first game I was allowing the pitcher to get ahead of me, like ahead in counts and I was rolling over pitches,” Hedgecock said. “In the second game, I tried to jump on the pitcher early because normally ahead in the count is better for me to hit anyway. So I was just swinging earlier in the count and letting the ball get deeper so I could put a better swing on it.
“It feels really good. I don’t think I have ever had a game like that in my life. I can’t remember (one) so I probably haven’t. But it felt really good.”
Deifel was certainly impressed as Hedgecock raised her season total of of home runs to 19 and gave her 55 RBIs, both team highs.
“More than anything just what a day,” Deifel said. “I just think she was seeing the ball really, really well. I guess I should be more shocked, maybe, but Rylin is just such a great hitter…I’m just really happy for her.”
Chenise Delce (17-5) pitched a complete game in the opener while allowing one run on six hits, fanning six, walking a pair and tossing two wild pitches.
Delce was drafted eighth by her hometown Oklahoma City Spark in the first round of Women’s Professional Fastpitch draft earlier this week.
She joined former Arkansas stars Taylor Ellsworth and Danielle Gibson in being drafted. Ellsworth is with the WPF’s USSSA Pride) is currently on a WPF roster while Gibson was selected in the Athlete’s Unlimited draft last spring.
“I thought Chenise just did really good job of keeping their offense in check,” Deifel said. “I think Chenise just did what Chenise does.”
Johnson is a freshman from Karnes City, Texas, and leads the team in average (.387), hits (63), runs (39), triples (4) and steals and has also not been thrown out in 15 steal attempts.
She was 4 of 5 in the opener and 3 of 4 in the second game in which Arkansas started Lauren Camenzind before Robyn Herron (8-2) pitched the final 3 1/3 innings to get the win.
“Obviously Reagan Johnson can fly,” Deifel said. “I think what she has done better lately at and continued to get better at is controlling her zone, putting the ball in play and forcing them to make plays.
“When she gets on, I mean obviously she can change the game her legs.”
Kramer, a sophomore who shined at Topeka (Kan.) Seaman, is hitting. 304 with 6 homers, 27 RBIs and a team-high 35 walks and has started all 46 games like Johnson.
She has blossomed this season after a freshman campaign where she was 1 of 7 hitting while seeing action in 29 games, 25 of which were as a pinch runner while scoring 11 runs.
“Raigan Kramer very rarely has a bad at bat,” Deifel said. “She makes the pitcher earn it. She makes the pitcher work for it. She knows exactly who she is as a hitterand reminds me a lot of (former Razorback) Hannah McEwen, just really controlling her zone and being ready when the ball shows up where she wants it.”
Photo courtesy of University of Arkansas
