Resilient Razorbacks top OSU in extra innings, 6-5

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.– Senior Courtney Day’s eighth-inning walk-off RBI single completed the No. 3/4 Arkansas Razorbacks’ thrilling 6-5 come-from-behind victory over Oklahoma State on Saturday afternoon at Bogle Park.

With the win, Arkansas clinched its spot in the NCAA Fayetteville Regional Final. The Razorbacks will need to win one of the next two contests on Sunday to advance to a Super Regional for the fourth time in program history.

Arkansas rallied past Oklahoma State in the eighth inning Saturday to advance to Sunday’s Regional Final.

Arkansas trailed Oklahoma State 5-1 entering the bottom of the sixth inning. Atalyia Rijo cut the deficit to 5-2 on a solo homer with two outs in the bottom of the sixth. Arkansas then used three runs in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game. Day smashed an RBI double to right-center field that featured a throwing error, which allowed an additional run to score before Ella McDowell tied the game at 5-5 with an RBI double into the right-center field gap. Arkansas loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth courtesy of a single from Rijo and consecutive walks from Raigan Kramer and Bri Ells to set the stage for Day, who gave Arkansas a walk-off victory with a single up the middle.

Rijo had a 4-4 day at the plate that featured a homer, two runs scored and an RBI. Her four hits were a career high and a single-game NCAA Tournament program record, besting the previous mark of three that 11 individuals held. Day (2-5, 2B, 2 RBI) also highlighted the Hogs at the plate in the win.

Payton Burnham earned her 15th victory of the season and second win in as many days by throwing four scoreless innings in relief while yielding just two hits and a walk. The Eugene, Ore., product improved to 15-2.

Oklahoma State (34-19) ace Ruby Meylan took the loss for the Cowgirls after allowing three runs on nine hits and six walks while striking out three in her 5.1 innings of work.

HOW IT HAPPENED

In the circle, Arkansas started Robyn Herron for the 22nd time this season while Oklahoma State started their ace, Ruby Meylan.

Herron issued a flyout to open the game and then registered back-to-back strikeouts to complete a 1-2-3 inning.

Reagan Johnson reached on an infield single to lead off the home half of the first inning. Bri Ellis then followed with a one-out walk before both advanced a base on a groundout. However, Meylan would keep the Hogs off the scoreboard with an inning-ending strikeout.

The Cowgirls’ Tallen Edwards reached base on a two-out walk in the top of the second inning. She would not advance farther than first, however, as Arkansas and Herron escaped the inning unscathed with a 4-3 groundout.

Kennedy Miller singled into left field with one out in the bottom of the second inning. Rijo reached on an infield single before a 5-3 double play ended the inning.

Oklahoma State took a 1-0 lead with two outs in the top of the third courtesy of an RBI single from Amanda Hasler.

Raigan Kramer drew her 46th walk of the season with one out in the bottom of the third. Ellis then followed with her second walk of the contest. Kailey Wyckoff tied the game at 1-1 with a bloop single that fell just inside the left-field line, scoring Kramer from second.

In the top of the fourth inning, Oklahoma State took a 2-1 lead on a two-out RBI triple from Tia Warsop. The Cowgirls added another run on an RBI double from Rachel Hathoot.

Rijo registered her second hit of the game, courtesy of a single up the middle with one out in the bottom of the fourth. Karlie Davison followed with a walk. Both advanced a base on a groundout, but Meylan and Oklahoma State would escape the jam with a flyout to left-center field.

Oklahoma State added two insurance runs in the fifth inning courtesy of an RBI double from Hasler and an RBI groundout from Karli Godwin. Arkansas made a pitching change and brought in Payton Burnham with one out in the inning following the RBI double.

The Cowgirls went to the bullpen and brought in Rylee Crandall, who spun a 1-2-3 bottom of the fifth inning.

Burnham pitched a 1-2-3 top of the sixth inning, highlighted by a sliding catch from left fielder Raigan Kramer.

Atalyia Rijo cut the Pokes’ lead to 5-2 with a solo home run to right field with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning. The solo shot was Rijo’s sixth of the season.

Burnham threw a scoreless inning in the seventh, allowing just one hit. Johnson made an incredible leaping catch at the wall for the second out of the frame.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Kramer singled to center field with one out and Ellis walked to bring the tying run to the plate in Courtney Day. Following the walk to Ellis, Oklahoma State re-entered Meylan in the circle. Day got the Hogs within one with a double to right-center field, scoring Kramer while a throwing error on the play plated Ellis and moved Day to third. Kasey Wood entered as a pinch-runner in place of Day after the double and would score on a game-tying double to right-center field from Ella McDowell. Meylan issued a strikeout to end the inning and keep the score deadlocked at 5-5.

Burnham was nails in the top of the eighth, registering a 1-2-3 frame that featured three flyouts.

Rijo led off the top of the eighth by singling through the left side for her fourth hit of the contest. A sacrifice bunt from Davison moved her to second before Johnson grounded out to advance her to third. Kramer and Ellis then drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. Day completed the comeback by driving a 2-2 pitch up the middle for a walk-off single, bringing home Rijo and giving Arkansas a 6-5 victory.

QUOTABLES

Arkansas Head Coach Courtney Deifel: “I am just so incredibly proud of this group. It is one of the most resilient and grittiest performances that we have had in my time here and that I have seen in general. I am proud of them for staying the course when it didn’t feel like it was going our way, and we weren’t getting any breaks. We stayed the course and let the game come back to us in the unwavering belief that this group has in themselves and each other is incredible. I am just really proud of them. Our work is not done, and we know we still have a lot of work ahead of us, but today was huge. The character, fight and heart of this team… I am really proud of them.”

NOTABLES

• The win was the Razorbacks’ first extra-inning victory in the NCAA Tournament in program history.

• Atalyia Rijo had a career-high four hits in the win, which was an Arkansas NCAA Tournament single-game record. 11 others previously held the single-game record of three.

• The Razorbacks are 22-26 all-time in NCAA Tournament play, including a 15-14 mark under Courtney Deifel. She is the only coach in program history with a winning record in NCAA Tournament Play.

• Bri Ellis scored her 63rd run of the season which is the second-most in program history trailing only KB Sides who scored 67 in 2022.

• Courtney Day extended her career-best reach-based streak to 17 games with two hits in the contest.

• Bri Ellis tied a career-high with four walks in the win.

• With two doubles today, Arkansas set the single-season program doubles record with 83.

• Reagan Johnson increased her reached-base streak to 13 games with a first-inning single.

UP NEXT

Arkansas (42-12) will face Oklahoma State in a rematch in the NCAA Fayetteville Regional Final Sunday at 3 p.m. The if necessary game is set for 5:30 p.m. tomorrow.