McDowell’s homer lifts #12 Arkansas softball to series sweep of Kentucky

HOGS LEAD!!!!@EllaMcDowell_6's solo 💣 to center field puts us ahead!

B6 | Arkansas 2, Kentucky 1 pic.twitter.com/Ffoyu2OKd3
— Arkansas Softball (@RazorbackSB) March 30, 2025

A sixth-inning solo home run from freshman Ella McDowell and strong pitching and defense helped the No. 12/14 Arkansas Razorbacks defeat Kentucky 2-1 to complete a series sweep of the Wildcats on Sunday afternoon at Bogle Park.

It marked the first sweep over a conference opponent since March 31-April 2, 2023, when Arkansas swept Mississippi State in Starkville, Miss. It was the first sweep at Bogle Park for the Hogs since April 29-May 1, 2022, when they took all three games against South Carolina.

Both teams got on the scoreboard in the first inning as Kentucky’s Ally Hutchins led off the contest with a solo home run to center field to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. Arkansas tied things up in the bottom half on a sacrifice fly from Bri Ellis. Following four and a half scoreless frames, McDowell stepped to the plate to lead off the sixth inning and smashed a 1-1 pitch from Kentucky pitcher Carson Fall over the wall in center field for a game-winning solo home run. Kentucky threatened in the seventh, loading the bases with two outs, but the Razorbacks’ Payton Burnham would issue an infield popup to Karlie Davison at second base for the game’s final out as Arkansas improved to 26-7 and 6-6 in SEC play.

Reagan Johnson paced the Arkansas offense by tying a single-game season-high with three hits during a 3-4 effort at the plate, in addition to stealing two bases and scoring a run. McDowell (2-3, HR, RBI, R) and Karlie Davison (2-2, BB) also registered multiple hits in the win.

Payton Burnham improved to 8-2 on the season after picking up the victory in relief, courtesy of three shutout innings that featured a strikeout and just two hits and two walks allowed. Reis Beuerlein was impressive in her fifth start of the season. The right-handed junior’s only blemish was the leadoff homer, as she allowed just one run on a hit and a walk while striking out three in four innings of work.

Carson Fall took the loss for Kentucky (21-15, 5-7 SEC) to fall to 3-3, she allowed two earned runs on five hits and five walks while striking out two in five innings pitched.

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