SEC Tournament: Arkansas amped for another chance at Alabama
Arkansas (42-10) continues SEC Tournament play against Alabama (47-6) on Thursday after shutting out Mississippi State in the Second Round.
Tianna Bell hit a solo home run in the bottom of the second inning for the game’s first run, then a two-run shot by Kailey Wyckoff in the fifth would be all the 7-seeded Hogs needed behind a complete, three-hit performance from Payton Burnham.
You can catch the full box score here.
The Alabama/Arkansas matchups will begin at the conclusion of the Auburn/Florida matchup that is set for first pitch at 10 a.m. CT. Arkansas got one win over the Crimson Tide when the two met for a series at Rhoads Stadium in March, but Alabama came took the series with a pair of 4-1 victories.
Notables from Arkansas’ win over Mississippi State
- Tianna Bell hit her team-leading 15th home run of the season. Her 15 home runs this season tie a single-season career high she set in 2025 at Cal.
- Payton Burnham tossed her fourth seven-inning complete game shutout of the season and her sixth of her career.
- Payton Burnham’s complete-game shutout was the first by an Arkansas pitcher in an SEC Tournament contest since Chenise Delce accomplished the feat (7 IP, 5 K, 2 H) during a 4-0 win over Missouri to give Arkansas the SEC Tournament Championship on May 14, 2022.
- Arkansas has won a game at the SEC Tournament in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1999-2001.
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Statistical comparison
| 2026 Stats | Arkansas | Alabama |
| Batting average | .341 | .328 |
| OPS | 1.012 | 1.011 |
| Runs per game | 7.6 | 6.5 |
| Home runs | 70 | 83 |
| Stolen bases (success rate) | 31 (94%) | 68 (86%) |
| ERA | 2.46 | 1.56 |
| Opponent batting average | .213 | .169 |
| Fielding percentage | .981 | .978 |
How To Watch
Who: 7-seed Arkansas Razorbacks vs. 2-seed Alabama Crimson Tide
When: Thursday, May 7 at (approx.) 1 p.m. CT
Where: John Cropp Stadium – Lexington, Kentucky
How to watch: SEC Network
Players To Watch
ARKANSAS
LHP Robyn Herron
2026 stats: 1.86 ERA, 26 GP, 101.2 IP, 64 H, 27 ER, 38 BB, 158 K, .173 BAA
1B Tianna Bell
2026 stats: .377/.456/.717, 52 GP, 159 AB, 60 H, 9 2B, 15 HR, 55 RBI, 20 BB, 16 K
UTL Brinli Bain
2026 stats: .360/.511/.551, 52 GP, 136 AB, 49 H, 17 2B, 3 HR, 33 RBI, 41 BB, 18 K
3B Ella McDowell
2026 stats: .346/.432/.610, 159 AB, 55 H, 9 2B, 11 HR, 50 RBI, 22 BB, 13 K
LF Dakota Kennedy
2026 stats: .353/.451/.750, 46 GP, 136 AB, 48 H, 10 2B, 1 3B, 14 HR, 43 RBI, 22 BB, 21 K
ALABAMA
RHP Jocelyn Briski
2026 stats: 1.46 ERA, 28 GP, 129.2 IP, 86 H, 27 ER, 17 BB, 167 K, .181 BAA
RHP Vic Moten
2026 stats: 1.61 ERA, 27 GP, 122 IP, 62 H, 28 ER, 44 BB, 151 K, .147 BAA
1B Brooke Wells
2026 stats: .413/.533/.937, 52 GP, 143 AB, 59 H, 12 2B, 21 HR, 58 RBI, 37 BB, 22 K
DP Alexis Pupillo
2026 stats: .400/.508/.780, 53 GP, 150 AB, 10 2B, 1 3B, 15 HR, 51 RBI, 26 BB, 20 K
RF Ana Roman
2026 stats: .333/.474/.675, 53 GP, 123 AB, 41 H, 4 2B, 1 3B, 12 HR, 41 RBI, 29 BB, 23 K
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