Arkansas softball sweeps Drury, Crowder in Fall Classic
Posted on Wednesday, October 8, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/hl/Sports/25785/
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas Razorback junior outfielder Jessica Bachkora led off the day with a solo shot into right field and the Hogs never looked back, blanking Drury, 8-0, and Crowder, 3-0, in the Arkansas Fall Festival on Sunday at Bogle Park.
The Razorbacks ’ pitching did not allow a run in 14 innings.
“ Overall, best weekend of the fall, ” said Razorbacks head softball coach Jamie Pinkerton. “ We’re starting to gel and things are coming together like I thought they would. Two shutouts, perfect defensively and good hitting. It’s easy to see why we were 2-0 today. ”
Hurler Miranda Dixon retired 17 of the 18 batters she faced against Drury before being pulled in the sixth. She was perfect through 5 2 / 3 innings and struck out five.
Kim Jones came on in relief and retired all four batters she faced.
Arkansas was on the board very quickly with Bachkora’s solo shot in the first. The Razorbacks would add another run on a Dixon single that brought Kayla Johnson home from second. The Razorbacks led, 2-0, after one inning.
The Hogs would score two on a wild pitch in third, as Tori Mort and Lindsay Wells — running for Sandra Smith — came in to score. Arkansas was on top, 4-0, after three innings.
The bats came alive in the Arkansas fourth, as Bachkora continued what would be a 2-for-3, two RBI contest for her with a leadoff single in the fifth.
After a Mort single, Johnson smashed a two-run double to the wall in left-center. Arkansas wasn’t done, as one batter later — Smith — hit her second tworun home run in as many weekends, and Arkansas blew the lead wide open, cruising to an 8-0 win.
“ We knew coming in that Drury was going to be tough, ” Pinkerton said. “ We knew we were going to have to clean everything up defensively and we did that. We moved runners, hit the ball and played great defense. Credit the kids, they bought what I was selling and it worked out for us. ”
Facing Crowder in the final game of the day, Bachkora got going early again with a leadoff single in the first.
Bachkora was 1-for-2 with a walk and a run scored in Game 2, 3-for-5 on the day.
Arkansas could not capitalize in the first, as the next three Razorbacks were retired in order.
No runs would cross the plate until the Arkansas half of the sixth, when Pinkerton’s group plated three en route to their second win of the afternoon.
Kelsie Vallies got the starting nod inside the circle in Game 2 and was lights out. Through five innings, Vallies allowed only two hits and struck out six.
Teighynne Hulsey offered some relief in the sixth and seventh, striking out three and not allowing a base runner. She was credited with the win.