Burnside smashing record for No. 8 Razorbacks

Arkansas batter Braxton Burnside (25) against Mississippi State during an NCAA softball game on Friday, March 26, 2021, in Fayetteville. (AP Photo/Michael Woods)

FAYETTEVILLE — Braxton Burnside didn’t start her college softball career as a Razorback, but she is poised for a big finish in Fayetteville.

The redshirt senior shortstop is attacking the record books at the University of Arkansas just like she’s ambushing opposing pitching.

Burnside, who smashed the single-season Arkansas home run record over the weekend, added another homer Tuesday to give her 20 on the season. And the Razorbacks have 13 games remaining on the regular-season schedule.

Burnside At a Glance

Position Shortstop

Class Senior

Height 5-6

NOTEWORTHY Broke the Arkansas program record for home runs in a season last weekend. … Currently ranks second in the country with 20 home runs, third (46) in RBI and fourth (106) in total bases. … Named co-SEC Player of the Week twice this season. … Hit. .392 with a team-best 31 hits, to go with 3 doubles, 5 home runs and 20 RBI in 25 starts last year before the season was shut down because of the pandemic. … Transferred to Arkansas after her sophomore season at Missouri. … Became just the third player in SEC history to drive in 10 runs in a game, hitting two grand slams and a double against North Dakota State as a freshman. … Earned SEC All-Freshman honors in 2017 while at Missouri. … Set an Arkansas high school record with 44 career home runs at Paragould High School.

The 23-year-old from Paragould, who transferred to Arkansas after her sophomore season at Missouri, takes great pride in being an in-state player helping the Razorbacks compete against the best teams in the country.

“I think I treasure the game just a little bit more, and to be able to represent my home state just means the absolute world to me,” Burnside said. “I’m absolutely honored to be in the record books here at Arkansas, and it’s just a little bit sweeter that it’s at Arkansas.

“Never in a million years did I think I was going to end my career as a Razorback. I’m just super thankful my story’s going to end here in Fayetteville. At the same time, I hope I’m just a stepping stone … my number one thing is I just want to have the state of Arkansas have success and see this program continue to propel forward like it has in the last three-to-five years.”

Burnside’s 20 home runs not only surpassed the previous school record of 17, but ranks second in the country — two behind Oklahoma’s Jocelyn Alo. She’s third in the nation in RBI (46) and fourth in total bases (106). Burnside’s been red-hot lately, going 6 for 12 with 3 homers and 8 RBI while drawing 6 walks in her last 5 games.

Arkansas wasn’t even really in the picture when Burnside was smashing home runs at Paragould High. She set the state record with 44 career homers in 2016, a mark that was surpassed by Pangburn’s Tylar Vernon with 57 in 2018, according to the Arkansas Activities Association record book.

“I remember getting one letter from [Arkansas],” Burnside said. “I was never really recruited by them.”

She chose to attend Missouri, where her college career got off to a fast start. Burnside was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team. She earned national attention by hitting two grand slams and driving in 10 runs against North Dakota State as a freshman. She’s one of only three SEC players to record 10 or more RBI in a game.

But a coaching change during her sophomore year had Burnside looking to make a change.

“I loved my time at Missouri, but after the season was over I wasn’t extremely happy where I was,” Burnside said. “I was just ready for a change softball-wise, and I was just ready for a change of scenery. I just felt like I needed to start fresh.

Arkansas Coach Courtney Deifel had great respect for Burnside competing against her in the SEC. But Deifel couldn’t help but feel like the Arkansas product was one that got away even though she and her staff never really had a chance to recruit Burnside.

“She’s right in front of our face, this incredible athlete at Missouri, and we’re just like, ‘Man, that burns,’ ” Deifel said.

When Burnside was looking to transfer, Deifel didn’t hesitate.

“I think it took all of the time it took to punch her number in my phone is all the time it took for me to call her,” Deifel said. “Because we just had a tremendous amount of respect for her as a player, an opponent and a competitor.”

She’s been all that and more as a Razorback, Deifel said.

“She’s elevated our program from the moment she said yes,” Deifel said. “She’s great in the classroom, great off the field with the choices she makes. She has great connections and relationships with everybody on the team. She’s a true leader in everything she does.

“We knew we hit the jackpot when she said yes that day, but we didn’t know to the extent that we had. She’s incredible.”

A redshirt year followed by a season cut short by the pandemic has been frustrating at times but helped Burnside with some perspective. Her focus this year has been to enjoy the game.

“My goal was not 20 home runs,” Burnside said with a laugh. “That just never crossed my mind. My goal was to come out and enjoy every single moment this year, absolutely have fun, to play free and to play loose.

“Learning from my redshirt year and the covid year, it just gave me a bigger appreciation for the game. I think this year I’ve found the perfect balance to go out and player super loose, super free. This team is just so incredibly fun. At the same time, we’re really good. We just go out there and get the job done.”

Burnside has helped No. 8 Arkansas (32-3, 12-0 SEC) put together a special season to this point. The Razorbacks sit atop the league standings with the highest national ranking in school history and now brace for their first top-10 matchup as No. 3 Alabama comes to Fayetteville for a three-game series that begins tonight in Bogle Park. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m.

Officials will allow approximately 300 more fans in the berm this weekend. Attendance had been capped at just over 700 because of covid-19 protocols.

Arkansas is riding a 12-game winning streak. It has the most wins in the country and now owns the single-season school record for home runs (69), after hitting six in Tuesday’s 9-1 win over Missouri State. That six-homer game also was a school record.

Burnside said the team is excited for the opportunity against the Crimson Tide (29-4. 9-3).

“We’ve over-the-moon excited,” Burnside said. “This is a great opportunity and I know we’re up for it. I’m never surprised with this team. We’re prepared and whenever you prepare, the results show for it.”