BY DUDLEY E. DAWSON
After the first four Arkansas hitters had batted during Sunday’ scrimmage against McLennan Community College, the Razorbacks had a 3-0 lead and were threatening to pile up more.
Regan Johnson singled, Iowa transfer Nia Long lined out and Hannah Gammill singled off the wall before Rylin Hedgecock blasted a three-run homer.
Auburn transfer Bri Ellis, who would later homer, then lined a single on a day Razorbacks would go on to a 7-1 win over the Waco, Texas-based Highlanders in a 10-inning scrimmage.
It did leave Arkansas head coach Courtney Deifel wanting more from her team, who beat a team that lost to Wichita State 15-3 a day before.
“I think when you see that kind of start, you expect it to continue and I think that is what we capable of,” Deifel said. “It’s fun making (out) this line up, it’s fun working with this group every day.
“They have a ton of talent and a lot of competitiveness so you see that first inning and you are like ‘we are going to start right there and let’s keep going.
“That’s where there disappointment comes because you come hot out of the gate and you think we will continue to raise…But it’s fall and I am not down on them, but I wish we would have competed better today.”
Hedgecock, Ellis, Atalyia Rijo all homered on a day in which the Razorbacks had 11 hits.
Johnson had three of those hits while Ellis, Raigan Kramer and freshman Kylie Brockman two each and seniors Gammill and Hedgecock one.
Arkansas sent six pitchers to the mound and they combine to allow just one unearned run on three hits while walking two.
Hannah Camenzind started and went the first two innings, Mississippi State transfer Reis Buerlein the next two, Callie Turner one, Southern Mississippi transfer Morgan Leinhart and Robyn Herron two each and Nikki McGaffin the final frame.
“It’s really good and they have been working their tails off and just working on things that will elevate their game,” Deifel said. “To get them out there and see them trust that and just try to dig in. We haven’t faced a lot of batters yet – just one day of live (hiting) – so I was just happy how they competed.”
Photo by John D. James
