FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. The University of Arkansas softball team closed out its regular season with a 10-0 loss to Georgia Sunday afternoon at Bogle Park. A.J. Belans tallied her team-leading 12th double of the season and Loren Krzysko extended her on-base streak to 14-consecutive games. The Razorbacks will enter next weeks SEC Tournament with a 31-21 overall record under second-year head coach Courtney Deifel, a 14-game improvement from last season.
Prior to Sundays game, Arkansas celebrated its senior and graduating class of Parker Pocklington, Marley Harmon, Betina Beringhele, Grace Moll, Stephanie Canfield, Kylie Smith, Shelby Hiers, Nicole Schroeder and manager Katie Magness. The team also recognized its opponent with a flower for Georgias seniors.
Trailing 3-0 through four and a half, the Razorbacks put together their first scoring threat of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning. Madison Yannetti drew a one-out walk, and after a Georgia error at shortstop, the home team had runners on second and third with one out. However, the would-be rally was cut short with a fly out to right field and ground ball to short. Prior to the fifth, Arkansas lone base runner came courtesy of a walk to Ashley Diaz in the third frame.
Georgia (33-21, 6-18 SEC) added two more runs in the top of the sixth to push its advantage to 5-0. The Razorbacks looked to respond with another rally in the home half of the inning that started with a walk to Krzysko. On the first offering in her at-bat against reliever Kylie Bass, Belans lined a double to left center for Arkansas first hit of the game and to put two runners in scoring position for a second-straight inning. The visitors got out of the jam with a fly ball to right field.
The Bulldogs tacked on five more runs in the top of the seventh inning to cushion its lead. Sundays finale marked the first time Arkansas has given up double-digit runs this season. Cortni Emanuel paced Georgias offense with three hits and two runs scored in the game.
The Razorbacks return to postseason play begins Wednesday against Alabama in the first round of the SEC Tournament in Knoxville, Tenn. The 5-12 matchup will serve as the opening game of the tournament with first pitch set for 11 a.m.
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