FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — For the first time in program history, Arkansas softball hosted a NCAA Super Regional. The fans showed out to pack Bogle Park, but, unfortunately for the Razorbacks, so did Arizona.
The Wildcats brought the power from Tucson. They started the scoring in the top of the first, with a two run homer from Dejah Mulipola off Mary Haff. Another run in the third made it a 3-0, still manageable if you're the Razorbacks.
Things felt a lot more manageable after the fourth ,when Hannah McEwen hit a solo homer to cut the deficit to 3-1. The top of the fifth, things went the opposite direction.
Another two-run homer chased Haff from the circle and made the game 5-1 Arizona. Jenna Bloom entered and gave up a two-run double, and the Wildcats led 7-1.
Aly Manzo got one back with a solo homer in the bottom of the fifth, but Arizona just kept coming. Bloom gave up two homers in the bottom of the sixth before being replaced in the circle by Allie Light, Razorbacks trailing 10-2.
The power display continued with a Hannah Gammill homer in the bottom of the sixth, but with just one runner on base, it only served to cu the deficit to 10-4.
Arkansas now faces elimination, with Arizona just one win away from a trip to Oklahoma City for the College World Series. Game two of the SUper Regional goes down Saturday at 4:00pm at Bogle Park.