The odds were stacked against Arkansas when the NCAA tournament started.
The Razorbacks were sent to the same regional as the No. 1 ranked team in the country.
It was that No. 1 team that proved to deliver the final blow as Oklahoma knocked off Arkansas 14-1 in five innings in the Norman Regional and eliminated the Razorbacks in the process.
Arkansas (36-20) committed four errors and left seven runners on base, including the bases loaded in both the first and third innings.
“Oklahoma is a great team,” Arkansas coach Mike Larabee said. “You cannot give them opportunities or it will snowball. They have a good lineup and will make you pay. Next year hopefully we will be playing a regional in Fayetteville and we will have an easier draw.”
The Sooners (50-4) ended any thoughts of a second game as they scored five runs in the third inning and then tacked on six more in the fourth.
Lauren Chamberlain and Shelby Pendley each drove in three runs for the Sooners and both homered in the win. Arkansas’ Devon Wallace hit her 13th home run of the season in the fourth, providing the Razorbacks’ lone run.
Arkansas broke school records in team batting average (.283), slugging percentage (.470), on base percentage (.390), walks (229) and runs scored (304).
“I am very proud of our team,” Larabee said. “We are building a program. This is something that we are going to build on. We set a lot of records this year and we have to take the next step next year.”
Oklahoma will host one of eight Super Regionals next week in Norman.
