COLUMBIA, S.C. – Highlighted by Robyn Herron’s 5.1 scoreless frames in relief, No. 14 Arkansas defeated No. 25 South Carolina, 4-3, in Friday’s series opener at Carolina Softball Stadium.

Picking up their seventh consecutive win against the Gamecocks, Arkansas will look to clinch their fourth straight series win vs. South Carolina at 10:30 a.m. CT Saturday on SEC Network with Eric Frede (play-by-play) and Madison Shipman (analyst) on the call.

The Hogs boost their record to 29-10 overall and 8-5 in SEC play. Arkansas also seals its eighth ranked victory of the season.

Herron (8-7) shut the door on South Carolina’s offense after entering the circle in the bottom of the second with two down and a runner on first. Herron got Arkansas out of the bottom half after forcing a fly out to left. The southpaw sophomore from Tampa pitched 5.1 innings of scoreless ball and allowed just four hits while punching out six. Herron tossed two 1-2-3 frames.

Accounting for her second consecutive multi-hit effort and 11th on the year, Cylie Halvorson powered Arkansas with a 2-for-3 performance while scoring two runs. Nia Carter came through big for the Razorbacks, finishing 1-for-3 with an RBI. Hannah Gammill registered her third straight game with an RBI after puncturing a sacrifice fly to score Bri Ellis in the third.

It was a back-and-forth affair beginning in the bottom of the first when South Carolina plated a run off an RBI single for a 1-0 lead. The Hogs responded in the top of the second on Carter’s RBI single to left that scored Gammill from second. South Carolina’s left fielder then bobbled the ball to allow Halvorson to score from first and Carter to advance to second, putting Arkansas in front 2-1.

South Carolina regained the lead on a two-run home run in the home half of the second. In the top of the third, Gammill’s sacrifice fly evened it at 3-3. Arkansas secured its final run in the top of the sixth when the Gamecock shortstop committed a fielding error followed by a throwing error, allowing Halvorson to come home from second for a 4-3 lead.

Up Next

Game two between Arkansas and South Carolina is set for 10:30 a.m. Saturday on SEC Network. Sunday’s series finale begins at Noon on SEC Network+.

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