Pitching leads way to doubleheader sweep at SLU

ST. LOUIS, Mo. — Playing under a new No. 19 national ranking, Arkansas swept its Tuesday doubleheader at Saint Louis behind a pair of complete-game shutouts from Mary Haff and Autumn Storms.

Collectively, the duo registered 21 strikeouts and allowed just five hits between the two games. Arkansas improves to 31-8 this year, equaling last year’s win total.

Up Next

The Razorbacks host No. 15 Alabama this weekend at Bogle Park to begin the second half of conference play.

First pitch of Friday’s opener is scheduled for 6 p.m. Admission is free with gates opening one hour prior to start time.

Game 1: #19/20 Arkansas 7, Saint Louis 0 | Box Score

For a second-consecutive start, Haff carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning before giving up a single to the lead-off hitter in the frame.

With her 13-strikeout performance, the freshman pitcher established a new season high, improving upon three previous outings with 12 strikeouts.

Haff becomes just the sixth pitcher in program history to record at least 13 strikeouts in a game and the first to do so since the 2013 campaign.

Senior Tori Cooper paced the offense with her sixth multi-hit game of the season, including a two-run double in the first and a two-run big fly in the fifth frame. The home run was her third of the year.

In the fourth frame, the Razorbacks scored twice with the help of an Aly Manzo RBI and sacrifice fly off the bat of Hannah McEwen. Arkansas led 5-0 before Cooper’s home run in the fifth.

Game 2: #19/20 Arkansas 5, Saint Louis 0 | Box Score

Storms was as impressive in game two of Tuesday’s doubleheader, retiring 15 hitters in row at one point. She finished the game with eight strikeouts — just one shy of her career high — and no walks.

Storms gave up an infield single in the second and didn’t allow another base runner until Saint Louis (21-18) strung together three hits in the seventh.

On the final play of the game, the home team attempted to score from second on a single to left but Sydney Parr threw a strike to the plate that freshman catcher Kayla Green gloved and applied the tag for the 21st out of the game.

With Tuesday’s wins, the Razorbacks improve to 8-0 in their all-time series against Saint Louis.

Arkansas’ offense generated 10 hits including a three-hit effort by McEwen, the 12th multi-hit showing of her freshman year.

Two of her hits left the ball park which puts her in the team lead with eight home runs. With four RBI, McEwen has driven in 41 runs this season to become the eighth player in program history with at least 40 RBI in a single season. Her three-run shot in the sixth pushed the score to its final 5-0 score.

Junior Haydi Bugarin was 2-for-3 with an RBI double in the second to plate the first run of the game.