Arkansas set for full home park

Courtney Deifel, head softball coach at Arkansas, is shown at Bogle Park at the University of Arkansas on Friday, March 25, 2021.
Courtney Deifel, head softball coach at Arkansas, is shown at Bogle Park at the University of Arkansas on Friday, March 25, 2021.

FAYETTEVILLE -- University of Arkansas softball Coach Courtney Deifel admitted that there's no place like home, but a capacity crowd at Bogle Park for this weekend's Fayetteville Regional could make her team's advantage even greater.

The NCAA announced Wednesday that seating capacity would be opened to 100% for softball regionals after initially saying it would be restricted to 50%. That's great news for Deifel's No. 6 overall seeded Razorbacks, who open the tournament at noon today against Manhattan College (22-14).

"I was excited for 50 percent Razorback fans," Deifel said. "One hundred percent obviously is incredible. We're looking for a really electric atmosphere around here this weekend."

If the only other time Arkansas (40-9) hosted a regional is an example, she could be right.

More than 6,000 fans came through the turnstiles for the Fayetteville Regional in 2018. Attendance for each of the Razorbacks' three games rank No. 5, 7 and 9 all-time in Bogle Park history. The crowd of 2,142 when Arkansas clinched a super regional berth ranked third all-time in 2018.

Deifel said there's no question the home crowd was an advantage for her team hree years ago and it definitely could be again.

"I remember talking to some of the other coaches in that regional, every move they made the crowd was on their back a little bit," Deifel said. "They go out to argue a call and the whole crowd around Bogle was yelling at them. Especially coming off a year like this year, it's gonna feel like a ton of people. So that's really exciting."

Outfielder Hannah McEwen was in the lineup when the Razorbacks claimed their first regional title.

"Everything we've done this year has prepared us for this moment," McEwen said. "The news of a full Bogle is very exciting. It's something we've been wanting all year and looking forward to. It's perfect timing to get it now."

She said there's added comfort playing at home and helps everyone stay calm.

"Being in your own dugout and in your own facilities, it makes a big difference," McEwen said. "It's like just another day of going to practice."

In addition, power-hitting shortstop Braxton Burnside and pitcher Autumn Storms are both ready to go, Deifel said.

Burnside, who is tied for second in the country with 24 home runs, missed the Razorbacks' last game against Tennessee in the SEC with an undisclosed injury. Storms had also been dealing with an undisclosed ailment near the end of the season.

With a win, Arkansas would advance to face the Stanford-South Dakota State winner at 1 p.m. Saturday. The two first-round losers will clash in an elimination game at 3:30 p.m. in the double-elimination tournament.

McEwen said the Razorbacks aren't about to overlook Manhattan, which is making just its second NCAA Tournament appearance ever and first since 1999. The Jaspers won the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament, despite coming in as the No. 6 seed.

"It's definitely hard not to look ahead knowing no matter what you're going to be playing a different team," McEwen said. "We're trying to stay with Manhattan and focus on them because you can't get to anyone else before you get through them."

Manhattan Coach Tom Pardalis said the crowd will be a different experience for his team, which played in front of almost no fans this season.

"Anything more than 20 people watching our games, that would be a full house to us," said Pardalis, who will retire at the end of the season. "We lost 10 home games due to covid, and even after that the parents weren't allowed to watch their kids play.

"So the parents are making the trip out here to watch them. I told the kids to enjoy the atmosphere. Look around before the game starts and once the game starts, you gotta focus on what we do."

NCAA Fayetteville Regional

ARKANSAS VS. MANHATTAN

WHEN Noon today

WHERE Bogle Park, Fayetteville

RECORDS Arkansas 40-9

Manhattan 22-14

TV SEC Network

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