New faces in the circle and a run-rule on Saturday led to a 2-2 performance for the softball team at the Razorback Invitational this week. 

The Shockers played several nationally ranked teams  in Arkansas. Their first ranked match up came against No. 24 Illinois. They beat Illinois 8-3 on Friday. Freshman Alison Cooper threw a complete game in the circle and recorded first career start. 

Neleigh Herring, Addison Barnard and Lauren Lucas all homered. Lucas recorded her first career home run.

Against Longwood, the Shockers didn’t get going offensively until the fifth inning with a homer and an RBI from Sydney McKinney. The Shockers ultimately took a 4-2 loss after a walk off home run from Longwood. 

On Saturday, the Shockers run-ruled Western Illinois 11-0. Freshman pitcher Kenzie Schopfer threw a complete game and only allowed two hits in her first career start in the circle. 

Lucas continued her strong offensive performance on Saturday by getting the Shockers going in the fourth inning with a solo shot. Barnard and McKinney kept the offensive momentum going with back to back home runs in the fifth. This gave Barnard five home runs so far this season, and McKinney four. 

The Shockers closed out the week with a matchup against No. 10 Arkansas. Arkansas got the bats swinging in the third with a grand slam. By the fourth, the Shockers were down 0-7. They started to make a comeback in the fifth, but fell short by losing 7-4. 

The softball team will head to Charlotte, North Carolina to play in the Niner Invitational starting on Feb. 25.