UA sweeps S. Carolina

Braxton Burnside and Linnie Malkin each hit home runs as No. 19 University of Arkansas defeated No. 20 South Carolina 3-2 on Sunday afternoon to finish a sweep of the Gamecocks in Columbia, S.C.

Braxton Burnside and Linnie Malkin each hit home runs as No. 19 University of Arkansas defeated No. 20 South Carolina 3-2 on Sunday afternoon to sweep the Gamecocks in Columbia, S.C.

Arkansas (20-2, 3-0 SEC) swept a road conference series for the first time since 2009 and won its 19th consecutive game.

Malkin’s home run in the top of the fourth inning broke a 2-2 tie. It was her ninth home run of the season.

Redshirt freshman pitcher Jenna Bloom (4-1) recorded her first SEC win of her career. Bloom went 41/3 innings, allowing 4 hits, 2 earned runs and 3 walks to go along with 3 strikeouts. Mary Haff did not allow a batter to reach base over 22/3 innings of relief and recorded eight outs on just 17 pitches to earn her second save of the year. Haff struck out two and lowered her ERA to 0.90.

South Carolina starter Kelsey Oh (1-4) took the loss.

Arkansas opened the scoring with two runs in the first. Sam Torres took a four-pitch walk to start the game and Burnside hit the next pitch from Oh over the wall in center field. Burnside’s home run was her fourth of the series and 15th of the season. The Razorbacks have now outscored their opposition 37-6 in the first inning.

South Carolina (13-6, 0-3) tied the game third inning with a two-run double by Mackenzie Boesel.

Both teams had four hits. Arkansas returns to action Tuesday with a home nonconference game against Liberty.