Arkansas Softball Heads to Texas with Momentum After Opening Weekend

Razorbacks leave opening weekend behind and heads to Texas, where tougher tests and early-season answers await this roster.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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The Arkansas Razorbacks softball team finished the opening weekend of the 2026 season with a 4-1 record at the Kickin' Chicken Classic in Conway, South Carolina. The team scored 60 runs across five games, showcasing a powerful offense and strong pitching. Now they head to the States Up! Invitational in San Marcos, Texas to face tougher competition.

Why it matters

Arkansas softball has high expectations this season, and their performance in the opening weekend has given the team and fans confidence in their ability to compete at a high level. The upcoming tournament in Texas will be an early test to see how the team handles better competition and whether they can maintain the momentum from their strong start.

The details

In the opening weekend, Arkansas scored 60 runs, with senior first baseman Tianna Bell going 11-for-18 with 8 runs scored and 4 RBIs. Sophomore pitcher-utility Cam Harrison also had a strong weekend, recording 1 save, 8 strikeouts, and allowing just 4 hits and 1 earned run over 8 innings. Head coach Courtney Deifel was encouraged by the team's performance, but noted there is still room for improvement as they head to the States Up! Invitational.

  • The Razorbacks finished the Kickin' Chicken Classic in Conway, South Carolina with a 4-1 record.
  • Arkansas heads to the States Up! Invitational in San Marcos, Texas this weekend.

The players

Courtney Deifel

The head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks softball team.

Tianna Bell

A senior first baseman for the Arkansas Razorbacks softball team who had a strong offensive performance in the opening weekend.

Cam Harrison

A sophomore pitcher-utility player for the Arkansas Razorbacks softball team who had a solid pitching performance in the opening weekend.

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What they’re saying

“We had good swings and we stayed ready. That's what we've been working on, and you could see it in how we approached each at-bat.”

— Tianna Bell, Senior first baseman (si.com)

“It felt good to help both on the mound and in other parts of the game. We're building our confidence, but we know there's room to get better.”

— Cam Harrison, Sophomore pitcher-utility (si.com)

“We opened with some good energy. We had a lot of runs, but more importantly, I liked how we competed and how we pushed through in key moments.”

— Courtney Deifel, Head coach (si.com)

What’s next

The Razorbacks head to the States Up! Invitational in San Marcos, Texas this weekend where they will face Wichita State, Clemson, BYU and Texas State.

The takeaway

Arkansas softball's strong offensive performance and balanced pitching in the opening weekend has given the team and fans confidence heading into tougher competition at the States Up! Invitational. However, the team knows there is still room for improvement as they look to maintain their momentum and prove they can compete at a high level against better opponents.