NORMAN, Okla. Tori Cooper drove in two runs and Autumn Russell had three hits Saturday evening but a seventh-inning rally came up short in a 5-3 loss to No. 6 Oklahoma in the first elimination game of the NCAA Norman Regional. Arkansas season ends with a 31-24 record and the programs seventh NCAA Tournament appearance, and its first under head coach Courtney Deifel.
Playing on its home field, Oklahoma (51-9) was the visiting team in Saturdays elimination game and responded with two runs in the top of the first inning off freshman starter Autumn Storms. But the Razorbacks answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning, the most allowed by Oklahoma in a first inning this season.
After a Russell single, Loren Krzysko doubled to left center to give Arkansas (31-24) runners on second and third with nobody out. Cooper delivered with a two-run single up the middle to bring both runners home, and pushed her season total to 40 RBI. With the bases loaded after an intentional walk to Nicole Schroeder, the Razorbacks took a 3-2 lead on a sacrifice fly by Madison Yannetti.
Cooper, who entered her junior season with 16 career RBI, became the seventh player in program history to reach 40 RBI in a single season. She and Schroeder, the team leader with 49 RBI, are the fourth Razorback teammates with 40 RBI each in the same season, and the first duo to do so since the 2014 campaign.
The Sooners tied the ballgame with a run in the second and scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch in the top of the fourth. Arkansas had runners on second and third with one out in the third but the threat was cut short when Paige Parker snagged a liner back to the circle and flipped to third for a double play. In the fifth frame, the Razorbacks put together a bases-loaded chance with two outs but came up empty on a groundout to first.
Oklahoma tacked on an insurance run in the fifth and led 5-3 entering the bottom of the seventh. Caroline Hedgcock worked the final 3.1 innings of the game, giving up one run on three hits. She worked around a lead-off double in the seventh with two pop ups and a nice play up the middle by shortstop A.J. Belans who fielded the ball up the middle and spun to fire a strike to first base.
With the team down to its final three outs, Cooper got things going with a hit back at the pitcher and Belans knocked another base knock through the right side of the infield. Arkansas had runners on second and third after a throw to third trying to get the advancing Haydi Bugarin, on to pinch run for Cooper. However, Oklahoma pitcher Paige Lowary quieted the would-be rally by striking out the next three hitters to end the game.
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