FAYETTEVILLE — Georgia right-hander Shelby Walters tossed her sixth shutout of the season as the 14th-ranked Bulldogs blanked the eighth-ranked Arkansas softball team 4-0 Friday night at Bogle Park.
Walters kept the Razorbacks off balance all seven innings. She earned her 15th victory, which is one shy of leading the SEC. The graduate transfer from Duke allowed 2 hits and struck out 4 with 1 walk and 1 hit batter.
“I thought she threw a good game,” Arkansas coach Courtney Deifel said. “I thought she kept us off balance really well. We just really couldn't get anything going. I don't know if it's coming off last night, kind of the punch in the gut that I felt…But I think on a night like tonight, you just have to tip your hat to Walters and say she threw a great game, and hope that we're going to be better tomorrow.”
After two quiet innings, the Bulldogs’ bats woke up in the third. Georgia (31-7, 11-2 SEC) scored three runs, highlighted by a two-run home run by Sara Mosley. It was the 63rd homer of the season for Georgia, which ranks fourth nationally and first in the SEC.
Ellie Armistead also hit an RBI single to score Sydney Chambley, who led off the inning with a single.
The Bulldogs got back on the board two innings later when a throw from Arkansas shortstop Atalyia Rijo sailed over Halvorson at first base. The error allowed Dallis Goodnight to score from second base and stretch the Georgia lead to 4-0.
Hannah Camenzind pitched the opening 4 1/3 innings for Arkansas and allowed 4 runs on 5 hits with 1 strikeout and 2 walks. Nikki McGaffin and Robyn Herron both entered in relief over the final 2 2/3 innings and each allowed one hit, but no runs.
The three freshman pitchers held Georgia below its season scoring average, but had no run support to reward the outing.
“I was pleased with the way they competed,” Deifel said of the pitchers. “Obviously a great hitter in Mosley got the home run there, but overall I was really happy with the way they competed and went right at them.”
Walters found herself in a nice rhythm from the third through fifth innings. She retired every Razorback she faced during that span.
Her only mistake in the final two innings was a full-count walk to Raigan Kramer, which snapped her streak of 10 consecutive outs. She closed the door on Arkansas (27-11, 8-6) with five consecutive outs to end the game.
Arkansas’ two hits came in the first two innings, with singles from Lauren Camenzind and Halvorson. The Razorbacks hit multiple balls sharply throughout the game that Georgia fielded cleanly.
“That's the game sometimes,” Deifel said. “I mean, I think we hit some hard shots at Armistead at short [and] I thought she played them routinely — she plays a very good shortstop.
"I think that you have to know that you had a good at-bat…so the game kind of evens out at some point.”
The Razorbacks have not been swept in a series this season, but Georgia will have a chance to do so Saturday. Game 3 will begin at 5 p.m.
“Any game you can get is huge,” Deifel said. “And for us, it's about pride tomorrow. We have to dig in and find a way how to get one…Georgia's a very good team, they're very complete [and] they're very tough. I feel like we've competed really well with them, so tomorrow's about pride and trying to figure out a way to get one."