TAT: Softball Splits Doubleheader Against Oklahoma State

This article originally appeared on October 21, 2013 on The Arkansas Traveler website, uatrav.com.

The Arkansas softball team finished their home fall schedule by splitting a doubleheader against Oklahoma State at Bogle Park Sunday.

In game one, the Razorbacks rode strong pitching and hot bats to score in every inning except one and beat the Cowboys 10-2.

After senior Clarisa Navarro reached on an error in the first inning, she stole second, advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on another passed ball. From that point on, it was all Razorbacks.

Sophomore Stephanie Canfield added a run with an RBI-single in the first to put Arkansas up 2-0. The next inning, senior Chloe Oprzedek knocked a two-run home run over the right field fence.

An RBI-double by freshman Reggie Harrison and RBI-singles by freshman Parker Pocklington and junior Kasey Fagan pushed the Razorbacks’ run total to seven.

The final scoring of the game came in the sixth inning, when senior Jayme Gee and Oprzedek each hit an RBI-double and Oprzedek scored on a fielding error by Oklahoma State’s center fielder.

Oprzedek finished the game 2-for-3 with 3 RBIs, while Gee was the only other Arkansas player with multiple hits, finishing 2-for-2 with one walk.

“Chloe has come up big for us throughout her career,” head coach Mike Larabee said. “Usually when we need a big hit, she gets it.”

The Cowboys’ only runs came in the third and fourth innings. Shianne Hughes scored after reaching on an error in the third, while Simone Freeman knocked in a run with a single in the fourth.

Despite only scoring two runs, Oklahoma State did not have a shortage of baserunners. They left 10 runners on base, including leaving the bases loaded twice.

In the fourth inning, they had the bases loaded with no outs when Arkansas brought junior Kimmy Beasley in from the bullpen. Freeman’s RBI-single was the only run they got out of the inning, as Beasley struck out two and got another batter to pop out.

In the pitchers’ circle, Fagan and Beasley combined to strike out 13 batters and allow one earned run on seven hits.

“I thought Fagan and Beasley pitched real well,” Larabee said. “(Fagan) really had her offspeed working and I was really excited when Beasley came in with the bases loaded and no outs and just gave up one run.”

The second game was a completely different story, as Arkansas’ bats went cold and Oklahoma State won 4-0.

The Razorbacks did not collect a hit until the third inning and finished the game with just four hits. Fagan had half of them, going 2-for-3 with a pair of singles.

While the Razorbacks struggled to get going offensively, the Cowboys took advantage of three errors by Arkansas’ defense.

“I was really disappointed with our defense,” Larabee said. “We’re not going to win too many games playing the way we did.”

After Danielle Riddle led off the second inning with a double for Oklahoma State, Miranda Cavin reached on an error by sophomore Kelly Young. Riddle eventually scored on a sacrifice fly that would have been the third out of the inning.

In the third inning, Young retired the first two batters she faced. She then walked two hitters, one of which scored on a passed ball.

The Cowboys’ other two runs came in the fifth inning and were direct results of poor fielding by the Razorbacks.

Arkansas’ pitchers also struggled during the second game. Four pitchers combined to give up eight hits and eight walks, while not recording a single strikeout.

For Oklahoma State, Freeman was dominate in the pitchers’ circle. She pitched a complete game shutout, allowed four hits and struck out seven.

“I thought (Freeman) threw a very good game,” Larabee said. “She changed speeds, was getting ahead and not giving our hitters anything to swing at.”

The Razorbacks conclude their fall schedule Saturday with a doubleheader against Louisiana Tech in Texarkana, Ark. The first game is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.