FAYETTEVILLE — Kentucky softball Coach Rachel Lawson acknowledged even she might have been be a little surprised a few years ago if someone told her that the Wildcats and the University of Arkansas would be squaring off in mid-April for a spot near the top of the SEC.
But that’s exactly what’s on tap this weekend at Bogle Park.
No. 8 Kentucky (28-9, 8-4 SEC) will take on the No. 7 Razorbacks (30-7, 9-3) in a battle of teams ranked among the top 10 in the USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association poll. The Razorbacks jumped up three spots in this week’s poll after sweeping then-No. 17 Auburn, while Kentucky remained the same after taking two of three from Ole Miss.
“I’m in my 15th season and if you would have told me Arkansas and Kentucky would be playing in a weekend series in April and both teams are in the top part of the league, I would have told you, you were crazy,” Lawson said.
The Razorbacks come into this weekend leading the SEC in batting average (.345), tied with Georgia in slugging percentage (.633) and leading in on-base percentage (.440). Arkansas ranks second in the country in runs scored (7.89), but Kentucky isn’t far behind in sixth (7.11).
Arkansas Coach Courtney Deifel expects a great weekend, but she’s not sure whether pitching or hitting will win out.
“I think we both play an exciting style of softball,” Deifel said. “Sometimes you go into a weekend and you think it’ll be a pitcher’s duel and it’s like a slugfest. I don’t think you ever know what’s it’s gonna look like.
“I know we both have very potent offenses, so I expect there to be runs scored on both sides. I don’t know how many. I just hope we have more.
“I have so much respect for [Lawson] as a person and coach. When I look at similarities, she and her staff have done an incredible job of building the Kentucky program. … That program’s all class. They do it the right way. They take care of their players and make’em better.
‘When we look at that, I think that’s where we’re similar. We find players that work really well in our system. I think we develop our players really well and we take care of them. … I think we get there differently but ultimately we’re putting out a really competitive product right now and putting our schools on the map.”
Redshirt junior Chenise Delce, the SEC Pitcher of the Week, enjoyed a big weekend. The transfer from Tulsa tossed 7 2/3 scoreless innings and picked up two wins against Auburn. She also got a win over Southeast Missouri State, allowing a run over five innings on Monday.
Offensively, designated player Linnie Malkin hit three home runs in Monday’s doubleheader sweep of SEMO. Taylor Ellsworth and KB Sides also combined to drive in 11 runs.
Lawson said the SEC is similar to the NFL with the competitive balance in softball.
“All the school are putting resources into softball, drawing great athletes,” Lawson said. “The women are getting strong and fast and parity among the league is awesome.”
The way the Arkansas offense is producing gives the entire team confidence against pretty much anyone, Deifel said.
“I just think our pitchers have a ton of confidences in what people are doing around them,” Deifel said. “It’s allowing them to get better every time they go out there. “