USF softball loses to Arkansas 10-2 in title game of NCAA Fayetteville Regional

Arkansas concluded a dominant weekend at the NCAA softball Fayetteville Regional, defeating South Florida in the championship round to earn a spot in next week’s Super Regionals.

On Sunday, the No. 5-seeded Razorbacks earned their third run-ahead-rule victory in as many games in a 10-2 rout of the Bulls in six innings, ending it on Dakota Kennedy’s walk-off two-run double.

“The University of Arkansas is pretty good,” USF coach Ken Eriksen understated. “They don’t miss much. You throw it over the plate, they’re going to get the barrel to it. They understand the strike zone real well. They’re a well-trained team.”

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Unlike Saturday’ 9-1 loss to the host Hogs, the Bulls (45-17) actually led the game briefly in the second inning.

USF loaded the bases, but Jamia Nelson hit into a double play that scored Alex Wilkes from third, but Arkansas retaliated with four runs in the bottom of the inning. Kennedy Miller’s three-run homer – Arkansas’ 75th this year – was the big blast.

“We can make all the excuses in the world,” Eriksen said. “They’re hitters were better than our pitchers today. That’s it.”

Alexa Galligani hit her sixth homer of the season to close the gap to 4-2 in the fourth, but that was all the scoring the Bulls could muster.

The Razorbacks answered with four runs in their half of the fourth. Reagan Johnson singled and stole second, Brinli Bain walked and Ella McDowell doubled to drive in Johnson. An RBI groundout from Tianna Bell and an RBI single from Kennedy chased USF’s McKenna Schroding, who relieved starter Carley Ernst (5-5) in the second inning.

Belle Sardja came in for Schroding with two outs and allowed Karlie Davison RBI double before closing the inning. Sardja kept the Hogs off the board in the fifth before giving up Kennedy’s game-ender in the sixth.

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“There’s stress on your pitching staff when you’re trying to come from behind all weekend long,” Eriksen said. “It’s nice when you’re a pitcher for Arkansas; you don’t have a lot of stress.

Freshman Saylor Timmerman (10-2) recorded the final nine outs without allowing a USF baserunner.

“She’s a great pitcher,” Galligani said of Timmerman. “Everyone here is a great pitcher. They have a pretty deep pitching staff. So, if can’t make those timely adjustments in the short amount of time that we have, then ultimately, we’re not going to come out on top.”

The Bulls came into the game confident but very aware of the Razorbacks’ strength, especially after Saturday’s loss knocked them into the elimination round. After two losses, Ericksen came away impressed.

“When you see players like that on TV, it’s like, ‘OK, it’s TV, but when you see them up close and you watch their ability, you watch their athleticism, you watch their wherewithal, you watch their anticipatory, it’s very, very impressive,” he said.

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The Razorbacks (45-11) came in averaging 7.5 runs per game with a 2.45 earned-run average playing in the SEC, which placed 12 teams – nine national seeds – into the NCAAs.

“They have the formula right now,” Ericksen said.

The Hogs will host an NCAA Super Regional against Duke, champion of the Durham Regional. The winner advances to the Women’s College World Series, which begins June 3 in Oklahoma City.

The Razorbacks answered with four runs in their half of the inning, beginning with an RBI double, a run-producing groundout and RBI single off McKenna Schroding, who relieved starter Carley Ernst (5-5) in the second inning.

Belle Sardja came in for Schroding with two outs and allowed another RBI double before closing the inning. Sardja kept the Hogs off the board in the fifth before giving up Kennedy’s game-ender in the sixth.

Arkansas freshman Saylor Timmerman (10-2) recorded the final nine outs without allowing a USF baserunner.

The Bulls came into the game confident, but were aware of the Razorbacks’ strength, especially after Saturday’s loss knocked them into the elimination round.

The Razorbacks (45-11) were averaging 7.5 runs per game with a 2.45 earned-run average playing in the SEC, which placed 12 teams – nine national seeds – into the NCAAs.

The Hogs move on to the NCAA Super Regionals against Duke, winner of the Durham Regional. The winner advances to the Women’s College World Series, which begins June 3 in Oklahoma City.