The Terrific Ten has you covered on all the best highlights from all the action across college softball on Saturday!
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1. Playing a doubleheader on Saturday after a Thursday rainout altered the series schedule, Texas rode the hot bat of Reese Atwood to win the first game of the day, then put together some early offense and held a lead in the series finale to complete the sweep. In the day’s opener, Atwood followed up her Saturday night heroics by notching her third consecutive game with a walk-off hit, smacking a 3-run home run that cleared the left field wall and gave the Horns the 3-2 come-from-behind victory. After being no-hit through the first six innings, Atwood and the Longhorns found a way to win in the final frame. The Longhorns finished the day and the series with a 5-2 win over the Cowgirls in the finale.
2. Arkansas’ offense showed up and showed out on Saturday, as the Hogs scored 22 runs in two games to sweep a doubleheader against Kentucky. After scoring eight runs in the first game of the day, the Hogs scored fourteen in five innings in the nightcap, riding a 9-run second inning to the run-rule win. Rylin Hedgecock swung the hottest bat of all, clubbing a trio of home runs in the second game and driving in seven runs in the affair; Hedgecock hit a home run in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd innings of game two and was also hit by a pitch in the game. Chenise Delce threw a complete game in game one of the day, while Hannah Camenzind and Robyn Herron both appeared in the circle in game two.
3. On the day that Michigan officially unveiled and dedicated Carol Hutchins Stadium, the Wolverines put together quite the performance on the diamond. The Wolverines scored 15 runs in game two of their series against Northwestern, putting together an absolutely magnificent offensive performance. In a 12-run third inning, the Wolverines sent a total of 18 batters to the plate – to put the offensive onslaught into proper perspective, Northwestern starting pitcher Cami Henry left the game with one out in the third inning and returned to the circle with one out in the fourth. Out of the game for just three outs, a total of *seventeen* Michigan hitters came to the plate between Henry’s exit and re-entry.
4. After rain delayed their game for a while, Washington and Utah returned to the diamond to complete game two of their conference series. Washington superstar Baylee Klingler took matters into her own hands, hitting a walk-off home run that gave her Huskies the 6-5 win. After Utah tied the game in the seventh inning, it took until the 9th inning before Klingler stepped to the plate and crushed the longball, her 11th home run of the season and second of the weekend.
5. In a matchup of ASun heavyweights, Central Arkansas put together a quality performance at home against Liberty, sweeping a doubleheader against the Flames. The top two teams in the ASun, the matchup was much-anticipated and also happened to be the first-ever meeting of the two squads. In game one of the day, UCA played their traditional small ball and got on base often against Liberty ace Karlie Keeney, ultimately taking the 6-1 win to begin the series. In game two of the day, it was a much tigther affair, ultimately ending in a 1-0 decision in favor of the Bears. Jordan Johnson got the win in game one, while Kayla Beaver was victorious for Central Arkansas in game two.
