Arkansas pitcher Hope McLemore has started 12 games for the Razorbacks this season. PHOTO: Gareth Patterson.
Arkansas’ softball team is ending the season at home against Summit Conference opponent University of Missouri- Kansas City.
After tough road losses against top ranked Tennessee, most recently Sunday’s 9-1 loss to the Volunteers, Arkansas looks to prepare for next year and get things back on track.
“Even to get a hit off Tennessee was big,” coach Mike Larabee said. “We can take any hit we got and take that to next year. If our girls remember that they were capable of doing it, then they’ll know they can do it again.”
In the season finale this weekend, the Kangaroo’s will look to work over the Hogs with stolen bases and bunts. UMKC leads the conference with over 100 stolen bases, and get most of their production off slap-hits and beating out grounders.
“We’re working on bunts and slap-hits in practice for sure,” Larabee said. “We’ll live with the hits, but we want to make sure we’re ready to cover the bunts, because they have some great bunters that could do some damage.”
Women’s track up to speed in outdoor season
Not even a logistics nightmare could slow down coach Lance Harter’s track team.
Despite being involved in three different meets across the country in one weekend, the Hogs racked up wins and set national records.
At the Penn Relay’s, junior Tina Sutej continued her domination by becoming the first two-time winner in the pole-vault event.
“She’s doing so well, even in dismal weather,” Harter said. “She even jumped at the NCAA record a few times, so once she get some fair weather, she’ll be jumping at unseen heights.”
At the Drake Relay’s in Iowa, 4×400-meter runners Regina George, Shelise Williams, Gwendolyn Flowers and Whitey Jones broke the meet and school record with a time of 3:28.63. The previous record had stood for 24 years, set by Alabama in 1987 with a time of 3:31.0.
“That is truly amazing,” Harter said. “In our sport, breaking a record is in the tenth of a second, but these girls did it by about three. That is something you almost never see, which is why it’s so impressive.”
On the other coast, sophomore Stephanie Brown competed in the Payton Jordan Invitational at Stanford University. She set a personal-best of 2:04.31 in the 800m, which is the fastest time in six years for an Arkansas runner.
“Not even the travel was going to stop us,” Harter said. “Even with all the planning and moving around, we got some big performances from some big time athletes.”
Close Call for Men’s Track at Penn Relay’s
Arkansas had two heartbreaking races at the Penn Relay’s, finishing second in both events participated in.
The distance medley relay team was edged out at the last second along with the 4xMile.
“It was a major tune-up meet,” coach Chris Bucknam said “We did everything you could do besides win there, so even though there is a let-down, we’re still pleased with the top three finishes.”
Arkansas is currently No. 15 in the outdoor rankings, while Southeastern Conference foes Florida and LSU are both in the top 5. Before the SEC Championships, Arkansas will have one more meet on May 6.
“It’s a small, one night meet, but it gives guys time to come down,” Bucknam said. “Really the Penn Relay’s was the tune up meet, because we ran 95 percent of our guys, and whoever didn’t run will run in the Arkansas Twilight this Friday.”
Not all was dark with the second place finish in the DMR. Junior Duncan Phillips seemed to have recovered well from his injury, as he helped the team finish in second place at just over nine minutes.
The Arkansas Twilight will start at 6pm on Friday and lasts about two hours.