(Photo Courtesy of Arkansas Athletics)
FAYETTEVILLE – The University of Arkansas softball team extended its winning streak to six games Wednesday with a 9-1 win over Northwestern State at Bogle Park. Jayme Gee and Chloe Oprzedek paced the offense with two RBI each while Grace Moll pitched her third complete game of the season. With Wednesday’s result, the Razorbacks improve to 8-3 on the season.
The Razorbacks batted around in the bottom of the first and plated six runs on six hits including a lead-off triple by Devon Wallace and a pair of doubles from Kasey Fagan and Clarisa Navarro. With four runs already in and runners on second and third, Oprzedek capped the scoring with a two-run single into center field. Wednesday’s first inning marked the fifth time this season the Razorbacks scored five or more runs in one frame.
Moll pushed her record to 4-1 with her outing against Northwestern State (4-5) and struck out five hitters while giving up just three hits and one earned run. After allowing a run in the second, she faced the minimum over the final three innings, working around a walk in the fourth thanks to Gee throwing out a runner at second base. Over her last four starts, Moll has lowered her ERA more than five points to its current 1.88 figure.
Arkansas stretched its lead to 8-1 in the fourth with an RBI double by Fagan and a sacrifice fly by Gee. In the bottom of the fifth, pinch hitter Sierra Bronkey delivered the game-ending hit to score pinch runner Ashley Martindale who stole second after coming in to run the bases for Jessica “Reggie” Harrison who drew a walk to begin the scoring sequence.
@RazorbackSB Notables
• All-time series: Arkansas leads, 7-6, and has won the last six meeting between the two programs
• Outscored opponents 53-3 during six-game home stand
• Scored eight or more runs in each win this season
• Third-consecutive game won in five innings
• Wednesday’s win was the 387th in program history
• Chloe Oprzedek recorded the 74th and 75th RBI of her career with first-inning single
• Devon Wallace drew two walks to push her SEC-leading total to 16
• Devon Wallace led off the bottom of the first with the first triple of her career, 52nd extra-base hit of career
• Grace Moll has lowered ERA from 7.00 to 1.88 over her last four starts
