Arkansas came a long way to get here. Now they’ve got to win or go home.
Arkansas dropped a heartbreaker Thursday night at Devon Park in Oklahoma City, falling 5-3 to Nebraska in 10 innings in the program’s first-ever Women’s College World Series appearance.
The loss drops the No. 5 seed Hogs into the loser’s bracket, where they’ll face No. 8 seed UCLA Friday at approximately 8:30 p.m. on ESPN.
One more defeat and the season’s over.
Tough Exit in Extra Innings
The Razorbacks had plenty of fight in them.
Outfielder Kailey Wyckoff gave Arkansas the early edge with a two-run homer in the second inning, and the Hogs carried that lead into the fourth before Nebraska tied it up.
Both teams then traded runs in the eighth to sit deadlocked at 3-3 heading into extras.
It was Nebraska cleanup hitter Ava Kuszak who ended it, launching a two-run walk-off blast over the center field wall in the bottom of the 10th before a WCWS record crowd of more than 12,600 fans.
Between Wyckoff’s homer and Kuszak’s walk-off, right-hander Payton Burnham had been dominant in relief, retiring 12 straight Huskers before Nebraska center fielder Hannah Coor tied the game with a solo shot in the eighth.
“I thought it was a big time World Series game that we just were not on the winning end of,” coach Courtney Deifel said. “I was proud of our players’ fight and I was proud of how poised they were on this stage. We will turn the page and get ready to fight our butts off.”
What Arkansas Is Up Against
UCLA isn’t a program you want to see in an elimination game.
The Bruins own 12 national championships — the most in Division I softball history — and have made 34 WCWS appearances, also the most all-time.
They fell to top-seed Alabama 6-3 in their opener and carry a 52-9 record into Friday.
This UCLA lineup has been unlike anything the sport’s seen.
The Bruins are the only team in college softball history to hit more than 200 home runs in a season, sitting at 202. NCAA home run leader Megan Grant has slugged 41 this year while Jordan Woolery has added 34.
On the mound, righty Taylor Tinsley leads the Bruins’ staff with a 3.14 ERA across 221 innings. She’s struck out 184 batters in 46 appearances while walking 86.
Burnham gets the ball for Arkansas. She’s 14-3 with a 1.90 ERA and showed Thursday she can lock hitters down in a big spot.
The Razorbacks showed they belong on this stage. Friday night, they’ll have to prove it again with their season riding on every pitch.
