Arkansas finishes off pre-conference softball slate with 9-0 blanking of UNI

BY DUDLEY E. DAWSON

Arkansas put a nice bow on its pre-conference softball schedule and the Razorback Rumble with a 9-0 six-inning blanking of the University of Northern Iowa Sunday at Bogle Park Sunday.

The Razorbacks (20-5) got home runs from Hannah Ganmmill and Kennedy Miller and a complete game effort from pitcher Robyn Herron in Sunday’s win.

Arkansas won its last four games in the Rumble after falling x-x to xxx on Thursday and the having a game with xx canceled due to the rain.

“I am just really pleased with our team competed yesterday and today,” Arkansas head coach Courtney Deifel said. “Collectively, I thought it was two of our most complete days that we have had and I am just am really proud of how present they were in the moment.

“I thought when we had a day like  yesterday (finishing up near midnight), it was challenging them to carry it into today and make a statement against a strong UNI team, who we really felt them all game.

“…To have the outing we got from Robyn and the offensive production, but not just the production, but the approach, the presence, just the competitiveness in the box. I was just so pleased with all three aspects of our game today and yesterday.”

Hannah Camezind, Miller, Bri Ellis and Nia Carter all had two hits in contest that went like  Deifel wanted to see the Razorbacks head to No. 25 Auburn next Friday to begin league slate.

Auburn (13-4-1, 1-2) avoided a sweep at the hands of No. 12 Missouri (20-3, 2-1) on Sunday by downing the Tigers 4-0.

“I thought that these last two days that we fired on all aspects of the game and we knew that,” Deifel said. “We know that when we do that, this group is really special. We haven’t  had a lot of days  like that, that have been put together when when you really step back and say ‘we are 20-5 and we haven’t fired in all areas a lot.’

“You build character and you find ways to win in other ways. Just knowing that it is going to come if we stay the course and making sure donor lose our enthusiasm as we get there.

“To see the last two days in all aspects of the game, just playing really well and playing really together is exactly what we are hoping for going into SECs. So now it is just continuing that momentum through the week and getting ready to go down to Auburn.”

Herron (7-5) allowed just two hits, walked one and hit two while fanning at least 10 for the third time season.

“Going into today I just really challenged her to trust all her pitches,” Deifel said. “They are a team that has incredible discipline so for her it is really just trusting her pitches through the zone and she did a great job.

“Our defense played really well behind her. Cylie Halvorson had a tremendous play up with the bases loaded and that’s the thing we always say – it’s our pitchers setting the tone.

“She set a really competitive tone and when you do that and you attack batters and your defense playing nails behind you and they want, too, I think that is what we saw.

“I think there were moments when she labored more, but just for her to get back on track and her defense had her back, I just thought it was a gritty outing.”

After getting a couple of first-inning runs via passed ball and a fielder’s choice, Arkansas exploded for five runs in the second frame.

Ellis and Miller had RBI singles before Gammill launched her sixth homer of the season, a three-run blast that pushed Arkansas up 7-0.

That was the last of the scoring until Miller’s two-run homer ended the game in the sixth inning due to the eight-run rule.

“It is very rare to put up zeroes so any time you put runs on the board on your side not only does it get the momentum back, but it just give you a little bit more breathing room so that was such a big inning.

“Hannah put a really nice swing on it. Her hits didn’t go her way last night. I don’t think she could have hit the bal harder in her last two at bats and they go for outs.

“This game is a crazy game –  so for her, she knew she tagged it and she knew she carried that confidence into today and knew what she was hunting and was right on time.

“I thought that is just what we saw really throughout the line up was just production. I mean just in the last two days, I think we have been hit five or six times. Just any any way to get on base for our team and giving them a chance to them in.”

Photo by John D. James

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