GAINESVILLE, Fla. —Three years ago, Chenise Delce pitched a shutout against Arkansas softball, leading Tulsa to a win in the NCAA Stillwater Regional.
On Saturday, she pitched the No. 1-seeded Razorbacks to thefirst SEC Tournament championship in program history. Delce was announced as SEC Pitcher of the Year on Friday and followed it with a five-hit, one-run performance against Florida to send Arkansas to its first SEC Tournament final since 1999.
With a shutout performance from Delce, Arkansas (44-9)defeated No. 7 seed Missouri 4-0at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium Saturday. Delce was efficient, only throwing 68 pitches in seven innings. She was named to the SEC All-Tournament team along with Kacie Hoffman, Danielle Gibson and Mary Haff, while also being awarded the SEC Tournament MVP.
"It means a lot.I mean, it's kind of funny, looking back," Delce said. "I did not envision all of this. ... Just being here, it's been a journey,and I've been glad to be here and work with these girls and these coaches. So it's been really fun."
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Delce (17-2) leads the Arkansaspitching staff with a 2.19ERA and 161strikeouts. In her first season with the Razorbacks, shehas split time evenly with senior Mary Haff, who won SEC Co-Pitcher of the Year in 2021.
Delce mastered a drop ball in a day early in the season. The added pitch hasled her to give up only 10 home runs this season and 5.7 hits per game. Arkansas coach Courtney Deifel said she's never seen a pitcher learn a pitch so quickly.
"It's not normal," Deifelsaid, laughing. "And it's stinkin'dirty. I mean, it's just a crazy pitch.But no, I've never seen anything like it."
Missouri(36-20) saw Delce and that drop ball for the first time this season and struggled, only recording twohits.
Deifel remembers sitting down with Delce early in the year and her pitcher saying, "I just feel like I'm one pitch away. I'm one pitch away." Deifel said she's seen Delce constantly strive to improve.
"She's incredibly coachable, she is incredibly consistent and she just gives the team this consistent presence that sets a tremendous tone for our defense and our offense," Deifel said. "And just so steady.She doesn't ride the highs and lows, which you can so easily do in this game, and she just continues to get better."
Arkansas gave the stout Missouri defense all it could take andgot things going right away with SEC Player of the Year KB Sides and Hannah McEwen hitting singles to lead off.Sides scored the first run of the day off an RBI single from first-team All-SEC infielder Danielle Gibson.
The Tigers hadn't made an error all tournament until Arkansas' third run in the fifth inning, when Sides made it home after an overthrow to third.The Razorbackshad 11hits, but the Tigers' defense turned three double plays to limit the damage.
After Sides' second run of the day, Arkansas loaded the bases with no outs. Missouri was able to get two outs at home, but a wild pitch sentGibson home from third to give Arkansas a 4-0 lead after five innings.
Deifel took home SEC Coach of the Year honors for the second straight year and has added an SEC Tournament crown to her resume. The seventh-year coach has taken the Razorbacks from a single-win conference season in 2016 to its second consecutive SEC regular-season championship and first SEC Tournament title this season.
"Fromyear one, which everyone keeps reminding me that we weren't that good in year one, I know," Deifel said."Butweneeded that, and every step that we've taken is an important part of our journey.So I'm just really proud of our players. I'm really proud of our staff, and I'm just really grateful for everyone that's taken a chance on us and trusted us."
Deifel has led Arkansas to 12 wins over ranked opponents and back-to-back40-win seasons for the first time since 1999-2000. The Razorbacks are set to make their fifth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament under Deifel.
"I can honestly say, I think we're playing our best softball right now, right at the time that we want to be," Deifel said. "So I we needed all of that adversity (this season).We grew as a group, and we became stronger as a group through it, and we're in a really good spot right now."
With a No. 4 ranking in the USA TODAY/NFCA coaches poll and No. 4RPI, the Razorbacks are in position to host both an NCAA regional and super regional. The NCAA selection show is Sunday at 6 p.m. (ESPN2).
