Benz’s sacrifice lifts Razorbacks to 12-inning win over Furman on Saturday

FAYETTEVILLE — Sydney Benz delivered a pinch-hit sacrifice to left field scoring Kayla Green in the bottom of the 12th inning to give Arkansas a 6-5 win over Furman on Saturday afternoon.

Coach Courtney Deifel made the call for the pinch-hitter and Benz worked the count to 1-2 before delivering the shot deep into left field.

The Razorbacks entered the 12th trailing after a solo home run in the top of the inning gave the Paladins the 5-4 lead, but put the tying run on base as Katie Warrick kicked off the bottom of the inning with a single over the pitcher’s head.

Junior Ryan Jackson entered to pinch-run for and advanced to third when Green laid down a sacrifice bunt that was mishandled and she got on first. Jackson crossed the plate to tie the game at 5-5 on Sydney Parr’s sacrifice fly to left field.

Following Parr, senior Haydi Bugarin hit her fifth double of the season, putting Green in prime scoring position for Benz’ sacrifice hit.

Arkansas (29-14) took an early lead with sophomores Hannah McEwen and Danielle Gibson started the game with back-to-back hits.

The duo scored off the bat of Ashley Diaz, who singled up the middle to score McEwen from third and give Gibson the chance to score when the ball was misplayed in center field.

Gibson followed up her double in the first inning with a home run in the second, her team-leading 10th of the season. Gibson’s long ball gave the Razorbacks a 3-0 lead through two frames.

Furman (10-27) would score its first run in the top of the fourth, with a single to left-center field that scored Paladin pinch-runner Caroline Nageotte from second.

The Razorbacks responded with a run of their own in the home half of the inning, as sophomore Nicole Duncan scored with another RBI from Diaz. Duncan crossed the plate after reaching on a base-hit of her own to lead off the inning.

A three-run home run by Furman’s Marissa Guimbarda in the top of the fifth inning would would provide the tying run that sent the game into extras.

Sophomore Mary Haff entered the circle for starting pitcher Autumn Storms and got right to work, retiring the first two batters she faced.

Haff went on to retire 23 of the 28 batters she faced, recording 16 strikeouts in over seven innings and giving up only three hits.

Haff’s 16 strikeouts is a career-high, besting her 15-strikeout performance at #5 Tennessee just last month.

Haff now has nine career performances in which she recorded 10 or more strikeouts, second only to Katy Henry who recorded 14 between 2005-2008. Haff is the only Arkansas player to tally nine such performances as just a sophomore.

Notables

• The 12-inning battle was the first extra-inning outing for the Hogs this season, and the first of its length since April 15, 2013.

• Haff’s 16 strikeouts ties the single-game record by an Arkansas pitcher, first set by Heather Schlictman in 2004.

• Every Razorback starter recorded at least one hit in the win.

• Arkansas is now 16-1 when scoring in the first inning and 25-5 when it is the first to score.

• Storms and Haff combined for 19 strikeouts, the most by the Hogs all season.

• McEwen has now reached base safely in 38 of Arkansas’ 43 games this season.