Green gets grand slam against Northwestern State

FAYETTEVILLE — Kayla Green wasn’t going to let the freezing cold keep her from taking a big swing Thursday in the Woo Pig Classic.

Green centered-up a Northwestern State pitch and crushed a grand slam as Arkansas closed out the first day of the classic with an 8-2 win at Bogle Park.

After getting up on the board first following Ashley Diaz’s single in the first inning, Green approached the plate with Diaz, Katie Warrick and Keely Edwards on base. She only needed one pitch to tack four more runs on the board on a big fly over the left field wall for all the run support Arkansas (13-4) would need.

“She is such a powerful hitter,” said Arkansas coach Courtney Deifel. “When in one swing you can put four runs on the board, it’s an instant game changer.”

Green’s grand slam comes less than a week after Danielle Gibson’s history-defining night that included one of her own.

Northwestern State (8-7) kept the game from being mercy-ruled after a two-run homer by Cayla Jones with two outs in the fifth inning.

Razorbacks pitcher Autumn Storms (6-0, 1.44 ERA) struck out nine batters and allowed four hits.

Northwestern State’s starting pitcher Samantha Guile (2-4, 3.54 ERA) allowed six hits and seven runs.

SHORT HOPS: The Razorbacks improved to 3-2 when playing a game starting after 6 p.m. and 11-2 when the first score comes from Arkansas. … Diaz is one home run away from moving up to No. 6 in career homers in program history. … Green and Gibson each have at least three home runs for the Hogs this season. … In the day’s first game, Arkansas blanked Omaha 2-0.

ON DECK: Arkansas: Will play a rematch with Omaha at 4:45 p.m. today, followed by Nevada at 7 p.m. Admission is free to the public.

Northwestern State: Will play Boston University at 10 a.m. today, followed by Nevada at 2:30 p.m.

ON THE WEB: arkansas razorbacks.com