Green drives in four in series opener against Alabama

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas put together a four-run seventh inning Friday against No. 15 Alabama but dropped a 6-5 decision in the series opener at Bogle Park.

Freshman Kayla Green had two with four RBI including a three-run home run in the final frame.

Arkansas is now 31-9 overall with a 6-7 mark in SEC play. The game was interrupted by a 57-minute weather delay in the top of the fourth.

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The teams resume their weekend series Saturday morning at Bogle Park. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m. with the game being televised on ESPNU.

Mark Neely and Cheri Kempf will be in the booth to handle play-by-play and color analysis duties, respectively.

Game 1: #15 Alabama 6, #19/20 Arkansas 5 | Box Score

With the Razorbacks trailing by five entering the bottom of the seventh inning, pinch hitter Aly Manzo worked a walk out of Alabama starter Alexis Osorio who retired the next two on ground outs.

Down to its last out, Arkansas kept things going with an RBI single by Katie Warrick that scored Haydi Bugarin — on to run for Manzo — from third.

Senior Tori Cooper drew a walk of her on to put two on for Green.

The freshman catcher drove a 2-1 offering from Osorio over the fence in left center to pull the Razorbacks to within one run. The home run was the sixth of her freshman campaign and Arkansas’ 45th big fly this season.

However, the would-be rally was cut short with Osorio getting a ground ball to third to end the game.

Green opened the scoring with an RBI single in the first inning. Fellow freshman Hannah McEwen was hit with a pitch and stood on second after a base hit by Autumn Buczek.

Down 0-2 in the count, Green dropped a single into the right field that allowed McEwen to cross the plate.

Arkansas starter Autumn Storms kept Alabama (26-11, 7-6 SEC) off the board through three innings but the visitors scored right before the teams were pulled off the field and added two more after the delay.

Up 4-1 after five, the Tide tacked on two more scores with a two-run shot by Gabby Callaway in the top of the sixth. Sophomore Caroline Hedgcock relieved Storms after the home run and retired all four hitters she faced to keep the score within striking distance.