Schultz’ titles push Arkansas to 10th at SEC meet in Texas
COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Freshman diver Brooke Schultz proved again Friday night why she is considered the best diver in the Southeastern Conference.
A six-time SEC Diver of the Week, Schultz won her second SEC Championship in as many events, this time claiming the three-meter title with a personal-best score of 385.65.
Entering the week, Arkansas had never had a diver win an SEC Championship. Schultz has won two since Wednesday.
Schultz becomes the ninth SEC diver ever to win the 1m and 3m titles in the same season and the first since Kahlia Warner of Florida in 2016. After finishing second in the prelims with a score of 354.90, Schultz paced the field in finals, winning by 16.65 points.
The day began with the 400 individual medley. Two of Arkansas’ four participants clinched spots in the evening finals, as freshman Peyton Palsha and senior Chloe Hannam each qualified for the C-final.
Palsha, her second finals appearance in her SEC Championship debut, swam the eighth-fastest time in her heat, turning in a then-personal-best 4:13.29.
In the finals, Palsha broke her personal best with a third-place showing in the C-final in 4:11.41, finishing 19th overall.
Hannam swam a 4:14.92 to qualify for the C-final, where she finished seventh in a time of 4:14.04 to finish 23rd overall.
Along with Hannam and Palsha, senior Jessie Garrison also turned in an NCAA ‘B’ cut time in the prelims, finishing eighth in her heat, 32nd overall, in a time of 4:19.38. Junior Madison Umberger touched sixth in her heat, 38th overall, in a personal-best 4:23.72.
Senior Olivia Weekley clocked Arkansas’ only automatic qualifying time in the 100 butterfly with a time of 53.89 in her heat to finish 25th overall.
Junior Marlena Pigliacampi touched sixth in her heat in a season-best 54.73 to finish 32nd overall, while senior Taylor Weiss also recorded a season best with a time of 55.23 to finish 37th overall, fifth in her heat.
The Razorbacks had seven athletes compete in the 200 freestyle. Freshman Ayumi Macias led the way for Arkansas, finishing 28th overall, winning her heat in a time of 1:48.29.
Junior Kiera Michailoff-Russell won her respective heat as well in a time of 1:49.57 to finish 39th overall. Senior Chelsea Tatlow finished 32nd overall finish, after finishing seventh in her heat with a time of 1:48.51.
Junior Annah Carney placed third in her heat in a time of 1:49.07 to finish 35th.Freshman Kenedy Thaman finished fifth in her heat, recording a 38th-place finish in a time of 1:49.36.
Freshman Alyssa Lemon touched in a time of 1:50.91 to finish seventh in her heat and 51st overall, while junior Erin Kelly touched fifth in her heat in 1:54.42 to finish 61st.
Action will pick back up on Saturday morning from College Station at 10 a.m. with the 200 butterfly, 100 backstroke and 100 breaststroke.
Standings – Day Three
1. Texas A&M – 737
2. Tennessee – 544.5
3. Georgia – 543
4. Auburn – 374.5
5. Missouri – 355
6. Kentucky – 350
7. Florida – 347.5
8. South Carolina – 333.5
9. Alabama – 319
10. Arkansas – 252
11. LSU – 210
12. Vanderbilt – 120
Late inning rally in California lifts Hogs to 4-0 start
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. — Arkansas improved to 4-0 Sunday evening with a pair of wins on day two of the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.
The Razorbacks opened with a 5-2 victory over Weber State and capped their day by erasing a five-run deficit to rally past Loyola Marymount.
Sophomore Autumn Storms recorded both wins in the circle while freshman catcher Kayla Green turned in a pair of multi-hit efforts.
Up Next
The Razorbacks return to the Big League Dreams complex Monday morning for their final game of the weekend, taking on Fordham at 10:30 a.m.
The two teams last met in 2013 as part of the NCAA Norman Regional. Fordham, the preseason A-10 favorite, played in last year’s NCAA Tournament.
Game 1: Arkansas 5, Weber State 2 | Box Score
Arkansas jumped out to an early lead, generating four runs through the first two innings.
Senior Autumn Buczek led off the game with a walk and eventually came around to score on a base hit by fellow senior A.J. Belans.
The Razorbacks extended their advantage with three runs in the second after freshman Hannah McEwen knocked a two-run single through the infield and senior Loren Krzysko followed with an RBI single of her own, scoring Buczek for the second time in as many innings.
Storms made the start and kept the opponent off the scoreboard until the third inning when the Wildcats plated two runs on a line shot down the line in left field.
Weber threatened to add more but McEwen ended that thought with an outfield assist to third, cutting down a runner trying to move from first to third on a single to right.
The rest of the game belonged to freshman Mary Haff who entered the game in the fifth and struck out six without allowing a hit on her way to earning the first save of her collegiate career.
She struck out the first five WSU hitters she faced. Arkansas tacked on an insurance run in the fifth, taking advantage of a pair of miscues in center field.
Game 2: Arkansas 6, Loyola Marymount 5 | Box Score
With the score tied 5-5 in the bottom of the seventh, Belans got things started with a walk and moved into scoring position on a one-out single by Green.
Freshman Linnie Malkin stepped to the plate and delivered the game-winning hit to left center which brought Belans around to score and complete the comeback.
After a quiet first inning for both teams, Loyola broke through with four hits and three runs in the top of the second including a two-run homer by Sabrina Tebou.
The Lions added two runs in the fourth to push their lead to 5-0 but Arkansas responded with two runs of its own in the bottom of the fourth including a solo home run off the bat of Belans. She was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a walk in the game.
Storms started the fifth inning and was the dominating factor for the remainder of the game. She struck out seven of the first nine hitters she faced.
Meanwhile, the Razorbacks’ offense was chipping away at its deficit with two runs in the fifth and the tying run in the sixth.
Down a run in the sixth frame and with runners at the corner, Buczek singled past the shortstop which allowed pinch runner Sydney Benz to score the equalizer.
Williams has career day against LSU, but Hogs fall
FAYETTEVILLE — Sophomore Kiara Williams put Arkansas on her shoulders with a career-best 19 points, but the Razorbacks came up short against LSU, 62-57, on Senior Day on Sunday.
LSU (18-7, 10-4 SEC) held an 11-point lead at the end of 30 minutes. The Tigers won the third quarter, 20-15, but Arkansas buckled down in the final stanza with a couple of scoring bursts to cut the lead.Williams went 6-for-8 from the field and 7-for-8 from the line.
She added nine rebounds and two steals in 30 minutes. Junior Malica Monk was also in double figures, scoring 17 points for Arkansas (12-15, 3-11 SEC).
The Razorbacks kept the game close, as they outscored the Tigers 16-5 to pull within two points, 57-55, with 1:14 to go.
LSU took a time out and scored out of the break. Arkansas missed on its end of the floor and was forced to foul as time ran out.
The Tigers took advantage of 17 Razorback turnovers and they grabbed 15 steals. Seventeen turnovers ties for the fourth most in a game this season by Arkansas. LSU scored 15 points off the Razorbacks’ miscues.
Devin Cosper, the team’s only senior, finished her day with five points and six rebounds. She added three assists, two blocks and four steals in 31 minutes.
Cosper graduated last year with her undergraduate degree in journalism and is currently working on her master’s degree in journalism.
Notes
• Arkansas set a program record for made 3-point field goals with their third shot from distance. The Razorbacks made four from beyond the arc in the game and have 204 for the year.
• Kiara Williams had a game-high 13 points at the half and finished with a career-best 19 points in the game.
• Malica Monk finished with 17 points, scoring in double figures for the 25th time in 27 games this year.
Up Next
Arkansas hosts Texas A&M on Thursday and travels to Vanderbilt on Sunday as the regular season comes to a close.
Razorbacks finish off Bucknell for series sweep
FAYETTEVILLE — After scoring a combined 46 over the previous two games, third-ranked Arkansas only needed three runs to secure a sweep over Bucknell Sunday afternoon, winning 3-1 at Baum Stadium.
Arkansas’s hitters scattered nine hits over the course of the game and got a key home run from junior Eric Cole in the seventh inning to provide the insurance run.
Cole finished the game a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with his lone run and RBI coming off his first long ball of the year.
On the mound, redshirt junior right-hander Keaton McKinney made his first appearance since 2016 after having to go through Tommy John surgery last year.
The Iowa native looked good through two innings, giving up just one run on one hit with two walks and two strikeouts. He was limited to a pitch count as he faced eight batters and threw 44 pitches.
Following him, fans got to see the arms of sophomore Matt Cronin, freshmen Caleb Bolden and Jackson Rutledge, and junior Jake Reindl, respectively.
Cronin ended up earning the win after throwing a scoreless third inning. Bolden had the longest outing with three innings of work and one hit allowed.
Reindl ended up with the save as he battled back from a lead-off double in the ninth and struck out the final batter.
The opening weekend sweep was Arkansas’ fifth straight dating back to 2014.
The 49 runs produced over the three-game stretch is easily the most by an Arkansas team over its first three games of the year since 1997 when the Hogs plated 60 runs against ULM, Missouri Southern, and Iowa.
Moments That Mattered
Bucknell was able to strike first in the second inning as McKinney struggled with command, walking two of the first three batters of the inning.
Tyler Wincig’s RBI single to left-center scored the game’s first run, but McKinney got some help from his defense in the next at-bat.
Freshman Heston Kjerstad’s catch and throw to the plate on a Bucknell fly ball was a perfect strike to get Evan Klugerman, who was trying to tag up on the play.
The defensive play was just the latest in what was a big weekend for the Amarillo, Texas native.
Kjerstad finished the series as Arkansas’ leading hitter with a .667 average with six hits, two being doubles, five runs scored, three RBIs, and four hit by pitches.
In the bottom of the second, Arkansas put its first run on the board, which started with a two-out hit from catcher Grant Koch.
After a Jared Gates walk, Carson Shaddy singled Koch home for his ninth RBI of the weekend.
Shaddy was, arguably, Arkansas’ most efficient hitter of the weekend as he went 4-for-7 (.571) at the plate with a team-leading nine RBIs, two home runs and walked four times.
Arkansas broke through again in the third inning to take a 2-1 lead off a Luke Bonfield single. With the lead in hand for the Razorbacks, Bucknell was forced to go to the bullpen and bring in one of their top pitchers in Jeff Gottesman.
Gottesman held the Hog bats in check for the next 4.2 innings, giving up just one run on three hits with one walk allowed.
The Hogs did get one big hit off Gottesman, which came in the seventh inning from the bat of Cole.
The junior took a 1-0 pitch the opposite way and had enough power under it to carry through the strong wind that was blowing in and land in the Hog Pen.
Razorback Quotables
“Obviously it was a lot crisper game, the wind made a difference. I think they may have hit one ball that may have gone out of the park and over our centerfielders head and two other balls that may have gotten out of the park, but that’s the beauty of baseball.” — Coach Dave Van Horn on the win and the windy conditions
“They (Bucknell) stayed in the game. It was a good ball game. Looking ahead, the game is probably what we needed. A little drama and tension, nothing in the bag headed into the ninth inning. We got that feeling. Overall, it was a great weekend for our team.” — Van Horn on winning a close game
“Defense will win you games and I have told this team many times that if we can play defense, we are going to be hard to beat.” — Van Horn on his team’s strong defense through opening weekend
“At first the wind was kind of weird today and I didn’t know how deep it was going to go. It ended up going deep enough to where I knew it would be a close play. As soon as I saw the ball coming, I knew we had a shot. He (Kjerstad) threw the ball really well and he gave me a lane. I wanted to make the play for Heston (Kjerstad) because he made a great throw and plays like that can change a game.” — Grant Koch on the throw from Heston Kjerstad to complete the double play in the second inning
“It felt good to be out there today, it has been a while. Overall, I felt good. My arm did get a little tight, but this is all part of the process and I just need to work through it.” — Keaton McKinney on his first outing since Tommy John surgery
“We aren’t going to score 30 runs every game and I think it was good to have a close game on a Sunday and get the freshman ready for this upcoming weekend because we know we will have close games. Coach (Van Horn) always harps on championship teams winning on Sundays.” — Eric Cole on winning the close game with Bucknell
Up Next
The Razorbacks head west to take part in the Tony Gwynn Legacy Tournament in San Diego, California.
The tournament will begin on Friday, but the Hogs will play one neutral site game against Arizona on Wednesday at Tony Gwynn Stadium on the campus of San Diego State. First pitch is scheduled for 9 p.m. and will be televised on CST.
Van Horn after Hogs battle to sweep opening series
Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn after the Razorbacks’ 3-1 win over Bucknell on Sunday to close out the opening weekend with a sweep.
Cole, McKinney, Koch after getting series sweep
Razorbacks Eric Cole, Keaton McKinney and Grant Koch with the media after the Hogs’ 2-1 win Sunday afternoon to complete the series sweep.
Upset over No. 21 Utah highlights win in softball openers
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. — After a delayed start to their season, Arkansas opened the 2018 campaign with wins over Grand Canyon and No. 21 Utah on day one of the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.
Arkansas totaled four home runs—three in game one against Grand Canyon—while freshman Mary Haff collected two wins in the circle. Fellow freshman Linnie Malkin had two of the Razorbacks’ four big flies.
Up Next
Arkansas returns to the Big League Dreams complex Sunday for games against Weber State and Loyola Marymount. First pitch of the day is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
The Razorbacks’ remaining three games of the Mary Nutter Classic will be played on the Fenway field.
Game 1: Arkansas 6, Grand Canyon 2 | Box Score
Already ahead thanks to Malkin’s two-run shot in the second inning, the Razorbacks padded their advantage with back-to-back solo home runs by Malkin and Haydi Bugarin in the fourth.
The 4-0 lead was more than enough for Haff who recorded seven strikeouts in the complete-game performance.
With GCU runners on first and second and no outs in the second, Haff struck out the next three hitters to get out of trouble.
The Winter Haven, Fla., native retired 12 of 13 at one point in the game including 10 in a row. The Lopes broke through with two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning but worked a 1-2-3 seventh to record the win.
Malkin opened the scoring with a two-run, no-doubt blast to left field. She becomes the 16th player in program history and just the fifth freshman with two home runs in one game.
Tori Cooper and Bugarin added insurance runs with RBI singles in fifth and seventh innings, respectively. Arkansas improves to 10-12 all-time in season openers and has won five of its last eight openers.
Game 2: Arkansas 4, #21 Utah 2 | Box Score
Loren Krzysko was 3-for-4 in the Razorbacks’ second win of the day including a solo home run in the first and the go-ahead, two-run single in the top of the seventh inning.
Haff worked three innings of scoreless relief to secure her second win of the day. Over those three innings, she struck out six Utes including the final two hitters of the game.
Krzysko gave Arkansas and starter Autumn Storms an early 1-0 lead but Utah went ahead with two unearned run in its half of the third frame.
Storms allowed a one-out double in the fourth but worked out of trouble with a ground ball and fly ball to left.
The Razorbacks tied the game at 2-2 when pinch runner Keely Edwards scored on a passed ball in the fourth inning.
Arkansas was retired in order in the fifth and sixth innings before putting together the game-winning rally.
Runners were on first and second after back-to-back singles from Bugarin and Autumn Buczek; both advanced when another pitch got away from the Utah catcher.
Krzysko delivered with a single back through the circle that plated both runs and put the Razorbacks on top by the eventual winning 4-2 score.
