'We will turn the page and get ready to fight our butts off': Arkansas playing for season against UCLA
A resilient effort in extra innings came up short in Arkansas‘ Women’s College World Series debut.
Nebraska cleanup batter Ava Kuszak deposited a game-sealing two-run homer directly over the center field wall to walk off the No. 5 seed Razorbacks (47-12) 5-3 in the bottom of the tenth before a WCWS record crowd of more than 12,600 fans that hung tough through a late Thursday night at Devon Park in Oklahoma City (Okla.).
“I thought it was a big time World Series game that we just were not on the winning end of,” Arkansas head coach Courtney Deifel said. “I was proud of our players’ fight and I was proud of how poised they were on this stage. We will turn the page and get ready to fight our butts off.”
Hogs outfielder Kailey Wyckoff got the scoring started in the second inning with a two-run bomb, Nebraska tied it in the fourth, then each squad plated a run in the eighth to put it at 3-3 prior to Kuszak’s heroics. Nebraska center fielder Hannah Coor knotted the game up at three in the eighth with a one out solo shot, prior to that Arkansas right-hander Payton Burnham had sat down 12 consecutive Huskers in relief.
ALSO READ: Hadley Hays, niece of Arkansas legend Ryan Mallett, always remembers who she is playing for
Now in the loser’s bracket, Arkansas takes on powerhouse and No. 8 seed UCLA (52-9) Friday in prime time, who fell to top-seed Alabama 6-3 in the opening round. The Bruins boast the most national titles (12) in Division I college softball history, as well as most appearances (34) in the WCWS.
This year’s version of UCLA has been historic at the plate as the only lineup to ever surpass 200 home runs, currently at 202, led by NCAA leader and single-season record holder Megan Grant and Jordan Woolery, who have 41 and 34, respectively. Righty Taylor Tinsley is the ace of the Bruins’ pitching staff and has posted a 3.14 earned run average across 221 innings with 86 walks and 184 strikeouts in 46 appearances.
How to Watch
Who: No. 5 Arkansas Razorbacks vs. No. 8 UCLA Bruins
When: Friday, May 29 at approx. 8:30 p.m. CT
Where: Devon Park – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
How to watch: ESPN
Radio: Sirius XM Channel 84
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Projected Starting Pitchers
Arkansas – RHP Payton Burnham (14-3, 1.90 ERA)
UCLA – RHP Taylor Tinsley (32-7, 3.14 ERA)
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BetSaracen Odds
Below are details on the betting odds for the game and Double R Prop bets. To get in on the action, visit BetSaracen.com and click on the Arkansas Specials tab.
(Lines and odds are subject to change at any point after the publishing of this story. HawgBeat does not guarantee any bet as a winner or loser. You must be at least 21 years of age to use BetSaracen. If you have a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit 1800gambler.net)
*All odds accurate as of the publishing of this story. They are subject to change.*
Moneyline/Spread
– Arkansas: -115
– UCLA: -115
Run Line
– Arkansas: +1.5 (-180)
– UCLA: -1.5 (+140)
Total Runs
O/U: 11.5 (-115/-115)
Double R Props
• Arkansas OVER 3.5 runs and UCLA OVER 3.5 runs (-110)
• Brinli Bain OVER 0.5 hits and OVER 0.5 runs scored (-120)
• Arkansas OVER 1.5 home runs and UCLA OVER 1.5 home runs (+260)
(More available on the BetSaracen app)
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