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FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas softball has turned into one of the most consistent programs in the country under head coach Courtney Deifel.
All that's missing is the milestone first trip to Oklahoma City.
The Razorbacks open the Fayetteville Regional and begin their NCAA Tournament journey against Fordham on Friday, May 15. The Hogs are the No. 5 national seed and would play every game inside Bogle Park during a potential run to the Women's College World Series.
Will these next two weeks be the breakthrough for Deifel at Arkansas? Here are two reasons the Razorbacks will be one of the final eight teams standing, one reason they won't and our official prediction.
Robyn Herron (15-6, 1.98 ERA), Payton Burnham (12-3, 1.89 ERA) and Saylor Timmerman (9-2, 3.03 ERA) are a three-headed monster in the circle. The trio of Razorbacks have all thrown more than 60 innings this season, keeping them fresh for the postseason run.
Burnham and Herron have combined for seven shutouts, and that duo also has plenty of NCAA Tournament experience. It nearly got Arkansas across the finish line in 2025 and will look to make amends this May.
According to the RPI, no team in the country played a more difficult schedule than Arkansas. The Hogs faced five regional hosts during the SEC slate and won three of those weekend series.
The next two weeks might even be a slight reprieve for Arkansas coming off the grueling conference schedule. Even a potential super regional against 12-seed Duke won't match the difficulties of facing top seeds like Alabama, Texas and Oklahoma.
This Arkansas team is loaded with three dominant pitchers, a stacked lineup from top-to-bottom and a core group of veterans. The Hogs also received a relatively favorable draw with none of the SEC powers in their pod.
Still, it's impossible to erase all doubts until Arkansas goes out and accomplishes its mission of reaching the Women's College World Series.
Last year, food poisoning played a role in a super regional loss to Ole Miss. The 2022 loss to Texas was heartbreaking, and Arizona played a role in early exits during the 2021 and 2024 postseasons. The Wildcats are a potential opponent next round.
The drought will end. Arkansas will go 3-0 during the regional and then sweep whoever comes to Bogle Park in the following weekend.
Payton Burnham will continue her stellar career and be the best pitcher in the circle. At the plate, look for Tianna Bell to put a stamp on her first-and-only season with the Hogs, who will make the 220-mile drive west to Oklahoma CIty in late May to play for the national championship.
Jackson Fuller covers Arkansas football, basketball and baseball for the Southwest Times Record, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at [email protected] or follow him @jacksonfuller16 on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Will Arkansas softball reach first Women's College World Series?
Continue reading...
All that's missing is the milestone first trip to Oklahoma City.
The Razorbacks open the Fayetteville Regional and begin their NCAA Tournament journey against Fordham on Friday, May 15. The Hogs are the No. 5 national seed and would play every game inside Bogle Park during a potential run to the Women's College World Series.
Will these next two weeks be the breakthrough for Deifel at Arkansas? Here are two reasons the Razorbacks will be one of the final eight teams standing, one reason they won't and our official prediction.
Arkansas softball's pitching depth could overwhelm opponents
Robyn Herron (15-6, 1.98 ERA), Payton Burnham (12-3, 1.89 ERA) and Saylor Timmerman (9-2, 3.03 ERA) are a three-headed monster in the circle. The trio of Razorbacks have all thrown more than 60 innings this season, keeping them fresh for the postseason run.
Burnham and Herron have combined for seven shutouts, and that duo also has plenty of NCAA Tournament experience. It nearly got Arkansas across the finish line in 2025 and will look to make amends this May.
A battle-tested group
According to the RPI, no team in the country played a more difficult schedule than Arkansas. The Hogs faced five regional hosts during the SEC slate and won three of those weekend series.
The next two weeks might even be a slight reprieve for Arkansas coming off the grueling conference schedule. Even a potential super regional against 12-seed Duke won't match the difficulties of facing top seeds like Alabama, Texas and Oklahoma.
Postseason voodoo
This Arkansas team is loaded with three dominant pitchers, a stacked lineup from top-to-bottom and a core group of veterans. The Hogs also received a relatively favorable draw with none of the SEC powers in their pod.
Still, it's impossible to erase all doubts until Arkansas goes out and accomplishes its mission of reaching the Women's College World Series.
Last year, food poisoning played a role in a super regional loss to Ole Miss. The 2022 loss to Texas was heartbreaking, and Arizona played a role in early exits during the 2021 and 2024 postseasons. The Wildcats are a potential opponent next round.
Prediction: Arkansas makes deep run at WCWS
The drought will end. Arkansas will go 3-0 during the regional and then sweep whoever comes to Bogle Park in the following weekend.
Payton Burnham will continue her stellar career and be the best pitcher in the circle. At the plate, look for Tianna Bell to put a stamp on her first-and-only season with the Hogs, who will make the 220-mile drive west to Oklahoma CIty in late May to play for the national championship.
Jackson Fuller covers Arkansas football, basketball and baseball for the Southwest Times Record, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at [email protected] or follow him @jacksonfuller16 on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Will Arkansas softball reach first Women's College World Series?
Continue reading...
