UA softball looks to keep momentum

FAYETTEVILLE — Courtney Deifel recalls the battles her University of Arkansas softball team had a year ago against Ole Miss.

The Razorbacks swept the Rebels in a three-game series at Bogle Park, but two of those wins were one-run victories in extra innings.

She expects no less fight when No. 10 Arkansas travels to Oxford, Miss., for their SEC series that begins today.

“They’re playing really well right now,” Deifel said. “I think they’re playing as good as they’ve played all year. We had some battles here last year. It’s a game of inches and the inches favored us that weekend.”

Ole Miss (25-7, 3-3 SEC) is coming off a sweep of No. 24 Missouri and has won four games in a row. Senior Ann Borgen ( 3- 3) earned SEC Pitcher of the Week honors, picking up two wins in the series. She allowed only one run in nine innings.

The Rebels are are also 13-0 at home this season.

The Razorbacks (22-6, 4-2 SEC) took two of three from No. 20 LSU, winning the rubber game 7-3 on Monday. Linnie Malkin hit a grand slam in the first inning to give Arkansas an early lead, and Chenise Delce finished it off with four scoreless innings of relief.

“I feel like we fought our butts off this past weekend,” Deifel said. “I feel like we’re in a good place. I feel like we’re finding new ways to win.”

Arkansas managed to claim the series despite subpar work from pitching ace Mary Haff. Last year’s SEC Pitcher of the Year took the loss Saturday and allowed 7 earned runs on 9 hits over 3 2/3 innings in 2 appearances against LSU.

Deifel said she expects Haff (9-3) to bounce back.

“If her career tells us anything, it tells us that she will,” Deifel said. “It’s a timing thing, just a couple things. She’s a seasoned veteran and she knows how to get herself back in line, and I expect her to be back to Mary this weekend.”

The offense took up the slack at times despite an off-weekend from first baseman Danielle Gibson, who entered the series with the top batting average in Division I. Arkansas won the series despite Gibson going 1 of 9.

“It wasn’t Gibby’s weekend, but she hit a lot of balls hard right at them,” Deifel said.” I know she’s going to be rearing to go this weekend, and I think everybody’s just continuing to be more confident.”

Outfielder/designated player Kacie Hoffmann finished 5 of 8 and drove in three runs in the series to earn SEC Freshman of the Week honors. She’s hitting .405 with 4 homers and 14 RBI in 28 games, but only 13 starts.

Hoffmann has shown maturity already, dealing with a shoulder injury early in the season, Deifel said.

“She’s such a strong hitter,” Deifel said. “I’m just really proud of her because it hasn’t even to this point been a straight line. … She’s come in and when we’ve put her in pinch-hit roles she has stepped up big-time and the moment’s not too big for her.

“I think one of the things she does so well is she just has a short- term memory. You can get her looking silly on a pitch early in the at-bat, and then she’ll crush it the next time you give it to her. I think that’s just an offensive mentality. She’s strong, she has great hand-eye [coordination] and she has an offensive mentality.”