Wichita State knocks off Razorbacks in pitchers’ duel

WICHITA, Kan. — Senior Tori Cooper tallied her second multi-hit effort of the season but Arkansas stranded eight runners on base Tuesday afternoon in a 1-0 loss at Wichita State.

Freshman Mary Haff was the tough-luck losing pitcher, surrendering a solo home run in the second inning as the game’s only score.

The Razorbacks will carry a 16-2 record in the weekend’s SEC opener at No. 11 Georgia.

Arkansas and Wichita State were scheduled to play a doubleheader but the head coaches agreed to cancel game two due to windy conditions—gusts exceeding 40 miles per hours—and dropping temperatures.

Up Next

The Razorbacks travel to Athens, Ga., for their conference opener which begins Saturday at Turner Stadium and continues through Monday. All three games will be televised with Pam Ward and Carol Bruggeman handling the commentary duties during the weekend series.

FINAL: Wichita State 1, Arkansas 0 | Box Score

The Razorbacks loaded the bases in the top of the first inning, drawing a pair of walks sandwiched between an infield single off the bat of freshman Hannah McEwen. However, Wichita State starter Bailey Lange retired the next three and got out of the jam with a pop up to short.

After Haff retired the top of the Shockers’ lineup in order, Cooper led off the second with the first of her two hits on the day. Arkansas had two on when a groundout off the pitcher allowed both runners to move into scoring position. Lange responded with a pair of strikeouts to keep the Razorbacks off the scoreboard.

Haff struck out the first two hitters she faced in the home half of the second but Wichita State broke through in the next at-bat with a solo home run to right center.

Arkansas got a one-out single from junior Ashley Diaz in the third but put together another bases-loaded threat in the top of the fourth.

With the bases full of Razorbacks, McEwen was robbed of a would-be hit with a quick-reaction catch at third and flip to second for the frame-ending double play.

Sophomore Autumn Storms came in to relieve Haff in the fourth and kept Wichita State off the scoreboard for the remainder of the game but Lange retired the final 10 hitters she faced to hand Arkansas its’ first shutout loss of the season.