Razorbacks clinch series win over Ole Miss on Senior Day

FAYETTEVILLE — Behind a home runs from Hannah McEwen and Katie Warrick, 16th-ranked Arkansas posted an 8-3 win over Ole Miss on Sunday afternoon at Bogle Park.

The victory secures Arkansas’ fourth SEC series win of the year and its first over Ole Miss since the 2010 season.

With Sunday’s effort, the Razorbacks improve to 36-11 overall and 11-9 in SEC play.

A day after setting the home attendance record, Sunday’s game was played in front of 1,401 fans which is the sixth-largest crowd in program history.

Prior to the game, the Razorbacks recognized its four-player senior class of A.J. Belans, Autumn Buczek, Tori Cooper and Loren Krzysko.

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The Razorbacks close out their SEC home schedule Monday evening with game three of their series against Ole Miss.

First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Bogle Park with gates opening one hour prior to the start.

The first 100 fans will receive a free rally towel with prize drawings — round-trip flight and an Xbox One — for UA students in attendance.

FINAL: #16 Arkansas 8, Ole Miss 3 | Box Score

The visitors jumped out to an early lead with one run across the plate in the first. Ole Miss (28-20, 5-15 SEC) threatened to add more by loading the bases with two outs but starter Autumn Storms got a ground ball to third to limit the damage.

After a pair of quiet innings to start the game, the Razorbacks’ offense came to life in the home half of the third frame.

Junior Haydi Bugarin got things started with a hit up the middle but the next two hitters were retired and she stood on third with two outs.

Belans delivered with an RBI double to right center to score Bugarin and tie the game. Ashley Diaz continued the rally with a single through the right side to put runners on first and third for Warrick.

The Chapel Hill, Tennessee, native gave her team the 4-1 lead with a three-run blast to left field, her eighth home run of the season.

Ole Miss cut its deficit to one with a two-run homer in the top of the fifth inning. Freshman Mary Haff, who entered the game in the fourth, recovered from the long ball by striking out the next three hitters.

She retired nine of the final 11 she faced and picked up her 23rd win of the season. She struck out five Ole Miss hitters in 3.1 innings of relief and now has a 205 strikeouts this season which is an Arkansas freshman-class record.

Holding on to a 4-3 advantage going into the bottom of the sixth inning, the Razorbacks added more than enough insurance with one swing of the bat by McEwen.

With the bases full of teammates, the freshman outfielder knocked her team-leading 10th home run down the line in right field. It was her third grand slam of the year and the team’s 50th of the season.

McEwen now has 49 RBI which is tied for second-highest season total in program history, just one behind the school record held by Sandra Smith (2010).