Lexington, Ky. — Arkansas’s offense delivered two home runs to secure a 3-0 victory over Mississippi State in the SEC softball tournament Wednesday afternoon.
The Razorbacks (42-10, 15-9 SEC) scored once in the second inning on a solo homer and added a two-run shot in the fifth. The Bulldogs (38-18, 9-15 SEC) threatened in the fourth but failed to score, leaving runners on first and second with no outs before going down in order.
Arkansas pitcher Payton Burnham kept Mississippi State off balance throughout the game, striking out two batters in a complete game effort, according to the school. The Bulldogs had their best scoring chance in the fourth, but the offense struggled to capitalize despite putting runners on base with no outs in that inning.
Freshman Kinley Keller led Mississippi State at the plate, finishing 3-for-4 with two doubles and a walk. Keller also made strong reads on fly balls in the outfield, according to her postgame comments. Nadia Barbary, who reached 199 career hits, said Arkansas’s pitcher did well but emphasized the need for her team to stick to their offensive plan in future matchups.
The Bulldogs will await their NCAA Tournament destination, with the selection show scheduled for Sunday at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN2. Mississippi State’s next opponent and tournament details will be announced then.
