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Arkansas waited three years to return to Supers; four-hour rain delay no match

Originally posted on Arkansas Razorbacks on SI
By Daniel Shi | Last updated May 19, 2025 1:11 AM ET

The fans at Bogle Park left disappointed in 2023, and again in 2024. Both times Arkansas earned the right to host a regional, but couldn't make it count.

For what remained of the 3,155 that stuck it out through a 4:15 delay in the regional final against Oklahoma State, the wait was well worth it. The Hogs run-ruled Oklahoma State 12-0 in six innings.

The program waited 3 years for this moment, so rain and hail conditions in the area, an extra four hours seemed almost obsolete.

The team did the most obvious thing to stay locked in, watch other teams do what they couldn't, play softball.

"It was just a really good vibe in the team room watching softball," second baseman Karlie Davison said. By the time we got on the field, it was like, OK, let's go, it's our turn. We had some FOMO watching those games. When it was our turn, we were really ready.

When it finally came time to play, there was no question which team was the better one on the field.

The Razorbacks dominated every facet of the regional final, outhitting Oklahoma State 14-3.

Robyn Herron spun a complete game on just 74 pitches. The Arkansas offense chased Oklahoma State's ace Ruby Meylan after just two innings and charged her with five runs.

Herron was so dominant that she hardly broke a sweat, retiring 12 of the first 13 hitters on just 32 pitches. 10 of the 12 outs came within the first three pitches of an at-bat.

Just like we drew it up. HOGS TO THE SUPERS. pic.twitter.com/v4TTqebr37
— Arkansas Softball (@RazorbackSB) May 19, 2025

"It feels good to not throw a lot of pitches," Herron said. Some days I'm a strikeout pitcher and some days it's more of a pitch to contact day. They both end up in outs. I'll take a low pitch count."

The Hogs played clean defense, going error-free compared to the Cowboys' three costly errors.

It's about a complete of performance in what was the biggest game in program history for the past three years.

"How could I not say yes," coach Courtney Deifel said when asked if it was the best her team has played. "They were phenomenal in every aspect of the game tonight.

"This is the best we've played tonight. We were firing on all cylinders. We brought it, Every single person on the roster. Everybody in the dugout brought the best they had for us tonight."

Perhaps the biggest illustration of the nature of the game, all nine starters got on base at least once.

The only player on the team go hitless was first baseman and national player of the year Bri Ellis. Ellis didn't record a hit in any of the three games across the regional.

The bottom of the lineup combined to go 7-for-11, accounting for eight of the 12 RBIs led by shortstop Atalyia Rijo, who did not record an out in back-to-back games.

Is back-to-back four-hit games good?

Just asking on behalf of Tal pic.twitter.com/ONozniaR51
— Arkansas Softball (@RazorbackSB) May 19, 2025

This year's team's fate would be different than the past two. It didn't matter that the five-time defending world series participant Oklahoma State was in their region, the 2025 team would forge its own path.

"They're different in how they approach everything," Deifel said. "They're different in their competitive energy, just the competitive connection they have with each other and just their intentionality with what they do. They play with a ton of passion. They just do the little things right."

And the fans that suffered the heartbreak of the team the past two years now get to feel the elation of having more softball at Bogle in the Super Regional.

"You could just feel all the fans stand up," Deifel said. "It's like we got you, let's do this, we're doing this, and you could feel it all around Bogle. You could feel it in our dugout too, so I don't know which one came first, but it was just such a collective energy."

The journey continues in Fayetteville against a familiar foe in the Super Regional. Arkansas will face Ole Miss, a team that beat the Razorbacks two out of three to open SEC play.