Arkansas softball wins first SEC Tournament title in program history

GAINESVILLE, Florida — Three years in the past, Chenise Delce pitched a shutout towards Arkansas softball, main Tulsa to a win within the NCAA Stillwater Regional.

On Saturday, she pitched the No. 1-seeded Razorbacks to the first SEC Event championship in program historical past. Delce was introduced as SEC Pitcher of the Yr on Friday and adopted it with a five-hit, one-run efficiency towards Florida to ship Arkansas to its first SEC Event remaining since 1999. 

With a shutout efficiency from Delce, Arkansas (43-9) defeated No. 7 seed Missouri 4-0 at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium Saturday. Delce was environment friendly, solely throwing 68 pitches in seven innings.

Delce (17-2) leads the Arkansas pitching workers with a 2.25 ERA and 161 strikeouts. In her first season with the Razorbacks, she has cut up time evenly with senior Mary Haff, who gained SEC Co-Pitcher of the Yr in 2021.

Delce mastered a drop ball early within the season, main her to surrender solely 10 dwelling runs this season and 5.7 hits per sport. Missouri (36-19) noticed Delce and that drop ball for the primary time this season and struggled, solely recording two hits. 

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Arkansas gave the stout Missouri protection all it might take and bought issues going immediately with SEC Participant of the Yr KB Sides and Hannah McEwen hitting singles to guide off. Sides scored the primary run of the time off an RBI single from first-team All-SEC infielder Danielle Gibson.

The Tigers hadn’t made an error all event till Arkansas’ third run within the fifth inning, when Sides made it dwelling after an overthrow to 3rd. The Razorbacks had 11 hits, however the Tigers’ protection turned three double performs to restrict the harm.

After Sides’ second run of the day, Arkansas loaded the bases with no outs. Missouri was capable of get two outs at dwelling, however a wild pitch despatched Gibson dwelling from third to offer Arkansas a 4-0 lead after 5 innings.

Arkansas coach Courtney Deifel took dwelling SEC Coach of the Yr honors for the second straight 12 months and has added an SEC Event crown to her resume. The seventh-year coach has taken the Razorbacks from a single-win convention season in 2016 to its second consecutive SEC regular-season championship and first SEC Event title this season. 

Deifel has led Arkansas to 12 wins over ranked opponents and back-to-back 40-win seasons for the primary time since 1999-2000. The Razorbacks are set to make their fifth consecutive look within the NCAA Event beneath Deifel.

With a No. 4 rating within the USA TODAY/NFCA coaches ballot and No. 4 RPI, the Razorbacks are in place to host each an NCAA regional and tremendous regional. The NCAA choice present is Sunday at 6 p.m. (ESPN2).