Arkansas had Oklahoma beat then one pitch changed everything

The No. 6/8 Arkansas Razorbacks had No. 1 Oklahoma right where they wanted them Friday night at Love’s Field. The Hogs built a four-run lead and looked to be in control. Then came the bottom of the third inning — and everything changed.

Oklahoma erased the deficit with a single swing, and despite a gutsy seventh-inning rally, the Razorbacks couldn’t quite pull off the comeback, falling 8-7 in the opening game of the three-game SEC series.

The loss drops Arkansas to 35-7 overall and 10-6 in SEC play. Oklahoma improved to 41-5 and 14-2 in conference games.

Strong start that couldn’t last

Both coaches went with their left-handed aces to open the series. Arkansas turned to Robyn Herron, while Oklahoma gave the ball to Audrey Lowry, who entered the game with a 18-2 record.

It was a quiet first inning for both sides. Brinli Bain drew a one-out walk in the top of the first to become the game’s first baserunner, but the Razorbacks couldn’t get her home.

Herron answered by fanning Kai Minor and Kendall Wells in the bottom half before working around a walk to escape unscored upon.

Things picked up in a hurry in the second inning. Tianna Bell and Atalyia Rijo hit back-to-back singles to open the frame.

Kennedy Miller walked to load the bases with one out, and then Karlie Davison delivered a two-run groundball single up the middle to give Arkansas the early 2-0 lead.

Reagan Johnson moved runners over with a sacrifice bunt, but Lowry got a foulout to keep the damage limited to two runs.

Herron kept rolling in the bottom of the second, striking out two more Sooners. Abby Abagani singled with one out and swiped second base with two outs but was stranded.

Bell goes deep, then Imerling answers

The Razorbacks wasted no time adding to the lead in the third inning.

Ella McDowell led off with a single to left field, and Tianna Bell stepped in with one out and launched a towering two-run blast to left to push the Arkansas advantage to 4-0.

Bell’s home run was her 45th of her career, the most among all active Razorbacks, and her 13th round-tripper of the 2026 season.

Oklahoma struck back immediately. In the bottom of the third,

Isabella Imerling crushed a grand slam to right field to knot the game at 4-4 in one swing. Just like that, the Razorbacks’ four-run cushion was gone.

Lowry retired Arkansas in order in the top of the fourth. Oklahoma then put Abby Dayton on base with a one-out single, which prompted Arkansas to pull Herron and hand the ball to Saylor Timmerman.

Timmerman issued a pair of walks but got a pair of flyouts to escape the frame without allowing a run.

McDowell puts Arkansas back ahead

With one out in the top of the fifth, Ella McDowell sent a solo home run to the upper deck of the left-field bleachers. The blast gave the Hogs a 5-4 lead and showcased exactly why McDowell’s name keeps appearing at the top of the Arkansas lineup card.

McDowell finished the game 3-for-4 with a solo homer, two RBI and three runs scored. Friday was her ninth career three-hit game and her 24th career multi-RBI game.

Oklahoma didn’t stay down for long. The Sooners put runners on base in the bottom of the fifth via a single and a hit-by-pitch. An RBI fielder’s choice tied the game at 5-5, and then Lexi McDaniel roped a two-run double to give Oklahoma a 6-5 lead heading into the sixth.

The Razorbacks went down in order in the top of the sixth. Oklahoma added another run in the bottom half on a fielder’s choice, an RBI single and a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 8-5. Reis Beuerlein came in from the bullpen and got the final out of the inning to hold the score there.

Seventh-inning surge falls short

Arkansas wasn’t done. The Hogs came to bat in the top of the seventh trailing by three and started chipping away.

Reagan Johnson drew a one-out walk and moved to second on a passed ball. McDowell then came through with a two-out RBI single to score Johnson and make it 8-6. Cam Harrison followed with a pinch-hit double down the right-field line that plated McDowell and pulled the Hogs within one at 8-7.

With the tying run standing on second base and the go-ahead run at the plate, Oklahoma turned to Alyssa Parker out of the bullpen. Parker induced a groundout to second base to end the game and earn her first save of the season.

Timmerman took the loss for Arkansas, falling to 8-1 on the year after surrendering two earned runs and four total on three hits and three walks across 2.1 innings.

Herron allowed four runs on five hits and two walks while striking out five in 3.1 innings of work. Lowry improved to 19-2 for the Sooners after striking out three and giving up seven runs on eight hits.

Reagan Johnson’s night also included a bit of history.

Her start in the leadoff spot on Friday was her 204th in that role, which is the second-most in program history, trailing only Devon Wallace’s 205 starts from 2012 to 2015.

What’s Next for Razorbacks

Arkansas will look to even the series Saturday night at 7 p.m. at Love’s Field. The game will be streamed on SEC Network+.

The Hogs’ season record of 35-7 still reflects a strong campaign, and there’s still plenty of softball left to play in this important SEC series against the nation’s top-ranked team.