softball rubber match with Mizzou

[flippinhogmana]

Storms started her third straight game, Belans homered to give her a lead but she struggled two straight innings with the tigers leaving four runners on base, then in the third they got a single and a homer to take a 2-1 lead.
In the top half of the 4th-Belans hit another solo home run to tie it up

[flippinhogmana]

Cooper followed with a walk, so its one on, nobody out for the hogs in the top of the 4th still
next batter Schroeder flied out to cf, one down
next batter Krzysko will face a different pitcher
she gets behind 0-2 and strikes out swinging, two down but Cooper somehow advances to second
next up Yani, 0-1 today so far, and hahaha, gets down 1-2 and then hits her first homer since the opening weekend (her fourth now), 4-2 hogs!
Bugarin strikes out swinging, to the bottom of the fourth fighting hogs up 4-2

[flippinhogmana]

Hedgcock relieved Stomrs after the Mizzou homer and finished the third, still in the circle (she worked three decent innings yesterday as well)
1st batter gets ahead 2-1, now even at 2-2, now full count, and then Hedgcock strikes her out
second batter gets behind 0-1, then 0-2, then flies out to left, two down
third batter has a 1-1 count, now 1-2, then 2-2 and grounds out.
Hedgcock has been coming on of late, and may prove herself today as our second reliable pitcher.
to the top of the fifth, hogs up 4-2

[flippinhogmana]

top of the order up, lets see if Hiers, Russell and Diaz can continue the resurrection
Hiers 0-2 so far, gets ahead 1-0, then grounds out to third next pitch,
Russell, 1-2 on the day, gets behind 0-1, then 0-2, then grounds out to first, two down for Diaz
Diaz 0-2 on the day, grounds out to 3b on the first pitch, 4-2 hogs to the bottom of the fifth

[flippinhogmana]

top of the order for the tigers
first batter 1 for 2 on the day, works a 1-1 count and then grounds out
2nd batter pops up to ss on the first pitch, two down
3rd place hitter works a 2-2 count, then grounded out, to the top of the 6th, hogs up 4-2
The thing you have to like about Hedgcok and Storms, they throw strikes

[flippinhogmana]

Belans up (2-2, two solo homers) gets ahead 1-0, now 1-1, now 2-1, 3-1 (I dont think they want to give her a third homer!) and then unintentionally, intentionally walk her to lead off the inning, one on nobody out for Cooper
new pitcher now for the tigers by the way and Beringhele runs for Belans
Cooper gets behind 0-1, then 0-2, 1-2, 2-2, now full count, and walks, two on nobody out
Nicole Schroeder is up and lets hope she can find herself, 0-2 on the day, gets behind 1-2, strikes out swinging
Krzysko up with one down, runners on 1st and 2nd, count 1-1, grounds to first but runners advance, 2 down
can Yani continue her heroics?  works 1-1 count, 2-1, 3-1, 3-2, and fouls out to the catcher, 4-2 hogs to the bottom of the 6th

[flippinhogmana]

middle of the order for the tigers starting with the clean up hitter who homered last time off storms, the tigers have  been hitless since, Mack works a 1-1 count, then flies out to cf, one down
5th place hitter gets ahead 1-0, 2-0, 3-0, 3-1, now full, and reaches on an error by ss, one on, one out
6th place hitter, falls behind 0-1, now 1-1, now 1-2, 2-2, and strikes out looking, two down, runner on first
7th place hitter, gets ahead 1-0, lines out to Hedgcock fielding her position well, to the top of the 7th, 4-2 hogs

[flippinhogmana]

Bugarin up then the top of the order, Bugarin one of the heroes yesterday, 1 for 2 today, works 1-1 count, then 1-2 and strikes out swinging
Hiers 0-3 today, gets ahead 1-0, then taps out to the pitcher, two down
Russell, 1-3, gets ahead 1-0 and then singles to center on the next pitch, one on, two down for Diaz
Diaz, 0-3 today, gets behind 0-1 and then flies out to center field, 4-2 hogs to the bottom of the 7th

[flippinhogmana]

Both teams have had six hits, both have left five on base, the hogs have the only error, but it didnt figure in any scoring, the hogs have two more homers among their hits though and that is the difference in the score.

Bottom two of the order up for the tigers then top of the order
8th place hitter, gets behind 1-2, and lfies out to rf,\
9th place hitter, gets pinch hit for, ph gets behind 0-1, 0-2, grounds to Hedgcok who again fields her postion and throws her out, two down, tigers with their last out,
1st place hitter, gets behind 0-1,grounds out for the WIN.   

[flippinhogmana]

Thoughts on the hogs and the series, the hogs have now beaten two teams (Mizzou and Tenner) who are ranked and have a better conference record), if memory serves on their own home field, they have played all the other tough.

I think despite the fact that Mizzou is ranked, the Hogs were the better team.  If Hedgcock can be the 2nd reliable pitcher (and this was her best outing), the Hogs could still win some series and perhaps even their conference record although that is a long shot.  They are through the brutal part of their schedule.  It will be interesting the rest of the way.  If Moll could discover the strike zone, if Hiers quits letting balls through her wickets, and if Nicole starts to hit again, the hogs could become a very good team.  They are now 4-11 in conference and moving up the standings with the series win.

[flippinhogmana]

http://www.arkansasrazorbacks.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/022417-U-of-Arkansas-v-FL-AM-17.jpg

A. J. Belans being congratulated by teammates for her two homer day.

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The University of Arkansas softball team hit three home runs and Caroline Hedgcock collected the first win of her career Sunday afternoon in a 4-2 road win over No. 25 Missouri. The victory clinched the series for the Razorbacks and pushed the team's record to 24-14 overall with a 4-11 mark in SEC play. A.J. Belans and Madison Yannetti each hit a home run—two for Belans—in the win.
The last time Arkansas won an SEC road series against a ranked team was 2013 when the team took two of three from then-No. 8 Missouri. That series also began with a game-one loss followed by wins on Saturday and Sunday.
Final: Arkansas 4, #25 Missouri 2 | Box Score
After getting out of a two-on, no-out jam in the bottom of the first inning, Arkansas got on the scoreboard with Belans' solo home run to left. The Hollywood, Fla., native deposited a 1-1 offering from Missouri starter Cheyenne Baxter over the fence in left field for her fifth big fly of the season.
Making her third start of the series, Autumn Storms pitched out of early trouble before Missouri (21-16, 4-7 SEC) broke through with a two-run shot by Kirsten Mack. The home team stranded runners on second and third in the first and second innings. Hedgcock came in to relieve Storms and recorded the final two outs of the third to keep Arkansas within one.
In a similar start to the second, Belans led off the fourth frame with a solo shot to center field to tie the game. The two-homer performance is the Razorbacks' fifth of the year, joining teammates Nicole Schroeder (three times) and Tori Cooper (once) in the feat. Belans is also the first Razorback since Devon Wallace (2012, Alabama) to hit two home runs in an SEC game. Yannetti put Arkansas in front with a two-run shot to left center, her fourth long ball of the year.
The final four innings belonged to Hedgcock who retired the first nine Missouri hitters she faced before a one-out error put a runner on first in the sixth inning. She responded with her second strikeout of the game and grabbed a liner back to the circle for the third out of the frame. Including a 1-2-3 seventh inning, Hedgcock retired 14 of the 15 hitters she faced without allowing a hit or walk in 4.2 innings of relief.
Up Next
The Razorbacks begin a five-game home stand Tuesday, April 11, when they host Tulsa. First pitch of the midweek matchup is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Bogle Park. The game will be streamed live on SEC Network+ and also be available through the WatchESPN app.

[flippinhogmana]

Hogs move from 14 to 10th in the conference standing with the two wins and are only a game out on the win side from 7th place (a lot of the teams haven't played nearly as tough a schedule as us or as many games-Some have play four or five conference games less-not know if that is weather or scheduling.  Missouri and MS ST just ahead of us int he standing only have four wins also, but less losses (MIzzou only eight, having played only 12 games to our fifteen). From seventh on down in front of us also have tougher remaining schedules.

[psycHOGlogist]

You've got the mojo back, flippin!!!! (I was on the road this weekend and following along, but couldn't post. Great job taking down what had been a pretty hot Mizzou team who took 2/3 from Bama the previous weekend.)

Up next - a mid-week rematch vs Tulsa at Bogle (Tuesday). Time for some revenge. Then highly ranked TAMU comes in for the weekend.

[flippinhogmana]

You've got the mojo back, flippin!!!! (I was on the road this weekend and following along, but couldn't post. Great job taking down what had been a pretty hot Mizzou team who took 2/3 from Bama the previous weekend.)

Up next - a mid-week rematch vs Tulsa at Bogle (Tuesday). Time for some revenge. Then highly ranked TAMU comes in for the weekend.

More importantly I sense that the players are getting their mojo working.  It wasn't enough for Storms and Nicole to be carrying them earlier with some help from Russell and Hiers.  It doesn't seem like a player can stay consistently hot but other players are emerging, Bugarin, Cooper, Diaz at times, Russell has stayed pretty consistent, Vani seems to getting it going again, Belan is cranking it up, and most importantly if Moll cant find the strike zone, Hedgcock coming on could give the hogs a one-two punch in the circle for some time to come.      To truly become a top twenty five or better team they need Nicole and Grace Moll to get their mojo back too!  I think their coach has some moxie and grit too!