FAYETTEVILLE — With two on in the bottom of the seventh, Autumn Buczek doubled to right center to drive in the game-winning run in Arkansas’ 3-2 come-from-behind victory Friday night over No. 20 Mississippi State.
With the triumph, No. 23 Arkansas improves to 26-6 overall with a 3-4 mark in SEC play.
Behind nine strikeouts, freshman Mary Haff picked up her 16th win in the circle.
Up Next
Game two of the top-25 matchup is scheduled for Saturday at 1 p.m.
The Razorbacks will be looking for their second SEC series win of the season and their first against Mississippi State since 2010.
Final: #23 Arkansas 3, #20/18 Mississippi State 2 | Box Score
The score was tied 2-2 entering the home half of the seventh inning, and senior A.J. Belans got things going with a one-out single down the left-field line.
The Razorbacks had runners on second and third after a double by Haydi Bugarin.
Each team went to its bench with Sydney Parr entering to run at third for Belans and Mississippi State (28-7, 3-4 SEC) went to Cassady Knudsen out of the bullpen.
Buczek wasted little time, knocking the first pitch she saw from the new pitcher off the wall in right center to push Parr across the plate for the win.
Buczek has had the game-winning or deciding hit in Arkansas’ last three wins. The victory is Arkansas’ first home win over Mississippi State since the 2012 season.
Autumn = Clutch
March 23 vs Missouri: Two-out, two-run triple in the second to give Arkansas a 3-0 lead; won the game, 3-1
March 25 vs Missouri: Two-out RBI double in the fifth to give Arkansas an 8-7 lead; won the game, 10-7
Tonight: RBI double in the seventh to give Arkansas the 3-2 win
The visitors jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a two-run shot in the first inning.
Haff appeared to have struck out the side but an illegal pitch extended the frame, and after a walk, Morgan Bell sent her sixth home run to center field.
Haff shook it off and allowed just two hits over the final six innings of the game.
Friday’s game marked Haff’s sixth outing of the season with nine or more strikeouts.
Arkansas’ offense was kept quiet the first time through the lineup by Mississippi State starter Holly Ward.
However, the bats broke through with back-to-back hits by Hannah McEwen and Ashley Diaz to lead off the fourth. A sacrifice fly off the bat of Katie Warrick plated the first run and an RBI single by Lore
Krzysko brought pinch runner Keely Edwards home to tie the game.
