Razorbacks show muscle in weekend finale

Danielle Gibson, who hit four home runs on Saturday, added an RBI single in Arkansas softball's 10-2 victory over IUPUI on Sunday.

FAYETTEVILLE — An explosive fourth inning that culminated in the second home run of the season for Kayla Green led No. 12 Arkansas to a mercy-ruled 10-2 victory over IUPUI in the conclusion of the Razorback Invitational at Bogle Park.

After a low-scoring three innings and tied at 1-1, Arkansas (12-3) took control in the fourth inning.

Maggie Hicks opened up the inning with her only hit of the game and Nicole Duncan reached first after being hit by pitch. With two runners on base, Sydney Parr smacked her first double of the season that extended the Hogs to a 4-1 lead after Hicks reached home.

Danielle Gibson, who crushed four home runs on Saturday, added an RBI single and the Razorbacks plated another on an error by IUPUI (3-12).

Arkansas wasn’t done. Following hits by Katie Warrick and Ashley Diaz, Green put the game into mercy-rule contention with her three-run homer over the right-center wall to give Arkansas a 10-1 lead.

“She [Green] has good at-bats more than she doesn’t,” said Arkansas coach Courtney Deifel. “She hung in that at-bat long enough to get a pitch that she could drive and she took advantage of it.”

Arkansas pitcher Autumn Storms (5-0, 0.99 ERA) started and concluded the weekend by striking out five Jaguars and allowing one run and four hits. Lauren Graves made her second appearance in the circle to close out the game.

“They do a good job of giving us a chance to win,” Deifel said. “We asked them to give us a chance to win and they do that for us.”

Jaida Speth and Delainey Turner each scored for IUPUI. Emily Berrisford led IUPUI with two of the team’s five total hits.

SHORT HOPS: Over the Razorback Invitational, Arkansas outscored its opponents 36-16 with a 4-2 record. … Hannah McEwen led the team with a .474 batting average over the past four days. … After her home run, Green joins Warrick, Gibson and Haydi Bugarin in having two or more homers this season

ON DECK: Arkansas: Will host Omaha at 5 p.m. on Feb. 28 in the opening game of the Woo Pig Classic at Bogle Park. Admission is free to the public.

IUPUI: Will travel to Louisville for the Cardinal Classic. The Jaguars’ first game will be on March 2 at 1 p.m. against Indiana State.

ON THE WEB: arkansasrazorbacks.com