Behind a no-hitter from freshman Payton Burnham and a career-high five RBI from junior Kailey Wyckoff, the No. 3/4 Arkansas Razorbacks defeated Saint Louis, 10-0 (5 inn.) in the Hogs’ NCAA Regional opener on Friday night at Bogle Park.
Burnham was magnificent during her first collegiate no-hitter, using only 66 pitches to retire 15 of her 17 batters faced while striking out six and walking one during five innings of work. With the victory, Burnham improved to 14-2 on the season.
The 10-0 five-inning blanking marked the Razorbacks’ fifth-straight NCAA Regional opener victory and was the 22nd win by run-rule this season, which is a program record.
Arkansas jumped on Saint Louis early by pounding out five runs on four hits and four walks to take a 5-0 lead in the first. The Hogs would then add a run in the second inning and four runs in the bottom of the fourth, three of which came off a bases-clearing double from Wyckoff.
Wyckoff led the Razorbacks (41-12) at the plate with a 3-3 day that featured a double, two singles, two runs scored and a career-high five RBI. She tied an Arkansas NCAA Tournament record in both hits and RBI. She holds the single-game tournament hits record with 10 others while joining Danielle Gibson as the only Razorbacks to drive in five runs in an NCAA tournament game. Gibson accomplished the feat on May 20, 2022, in an 11-0 win over Princeton. Kennedy Miller also highlighted the Hogs’ offensive outburst with two RBI courtesy of a two-run single in the bottom of the first inning.
Taylor Hochman (16-8) took the loss in the Billikens’ (34-23) first NCAA Tournament contest in program history by allowing 10 runs on seven hits and seven walks in 3.1 innings of work.
UP NEXT
Arkansas (41-12) will continue NCAA Regional play by facing Oklahoma State (34-18) on Saturday at Noon.
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