Haff named finalist for Freshman of the Year award

FAYETTEVILLE — Whittled down from the initial list of 25, Arkansas pitcher Mary Haff has been named a top-three finalist for 2018 Schutt Sports/NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year.

The Winter Haven, Florida, native leads the SEC and ranks second nationally with 29 wins and has helped the Razorbacks reach the program’s first-ever trip to an NCAA Super Regional.

The Haff Rèsumè

• Schutt Sports/NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year Top-Three Finalist

• NFCA All-South Region Second Team

• SEC All-Tournament Team

• All-SEC Second Team

• SEC All-Freshman Team

• Three-time SEC Freshman of the Week

With Arkansas hosting its first NCAA Regional, Haff tallied three victories in the circle without allowing a run in 18.2 innings.

She posted a pair of complete-game shutouts in the Razorbacks’ wins over DePaul and Wichita State, and in the regional final, she struck out seven and allowed just two hits in 4.2 innings of relief in a second appearance against the Shockers.

“She just has a lot of guts, and she’s a consistent fighter for us,” coach Courtney Deifel said after Sunday’s win over Wichita State. “It’s that point in the season when you don’t count pitches anymore. Tired isn’t in your vocabulary. You just do what you need to for your team to win, and that’s exactly what Mary did this weekend.”

Through 43 appearances during her freshman campaign, Haff has tallied a 29-6 record in the circle to go along with a 1.35 ERA and 246 strikeouts in 207.2 innings of work.

She has 19 complete games, is tied for 11th in the NCAA with 11 shutouts and is holding opposing hitters to a .152 batting average. Haff, who has walked just 41 this season, has 11 outings this year with at least seven strikeouts coupled with one or fewer walks.

Earlier this season, Haff threw the seventh no-hitter in program history in a 9-0 win over Northern Colorado (March 2) during the Razorback Invitational at Bogle Park.

She added 12 strikeouts in the performance against the Bears. Additionally, Haff has registered seven one-hitters this season.

Haff is joined in the top three by Oklahoma’s Jocelyn Alo and Michigan’s Meghan Beaubien. The National Freshman of the Year will be announced May 29 at the Women’s College World Series banquet.

With its 3-0 run through the NCAA Fayetteville Regional, the No. 13 national seed will now travel to play two-time defending national champion Oklahoma.

The best-two-of-three series begins Friday in Norman with first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m. on ESPN2.