FAYETTEVILLE - Monk Kreder had three hits and James McCann drove in three runs as the No. 15 University of Arkansas baseball team downed Ball State, 9-3, Sunday afternoon at Baum Stadium. On the mound, Brett Eibner picked up the victory for the Razorbacks (2-1) in the series finale. The Razorback offense showed balance with eight players getting at least one hit, six players scoring at least once and five players collecting an RBI. The start of Sunday's game was delayed approximately 15 minutes by rain in the Northwest Arkansas area.

"Today was a fairly well-played game," head coach Dave Van Horn said. "It moved along all right through the first four or five innings and then it slowed down a lot. I'm glad we got it in because both teams needed to play."

Jarrod McKinney and Collin Kuhn opened the game for the Arkansas offense with a pair of singles in the bottom of the first inning. After two fly outs, Zack Cox delivered the Razorbacks' first run with a bloop single that fell in front of the Ball State center fielder. McCann continued his hot start to the 2010 season with a three-run shot to left field. Kuhn and Cox crossed the plate in front of the sophomore catcher and Arkansas led, 4-0, after one.

On a limited pitch count, Eibner made the most of his three innings of work. His first three pitches of the game missed the zone, but he made a quick recovery to strike out the side. Eibner allowed two hits with no walks and five strikeouts before being relieved by Drew Smyly to start the fourth.

The Hogs tacked on another run in the fifth, all the action coming with two outs. After a single by Andy Wilkins, Kreder doubled to deep right center which plated a run to give Arkansas a 5-0 cushion. Kreder hit a team-high .625 during the opening weekend. Against Ball State, the junior transfer had five hits, the most of any Razorback, drove in three and drew three walks.

"He has been solid for three games," Van Horn said. "We decided to split up the two lefties (Wilkins and Cox) and move him to the clean-up spot and Cox down a little bit. I think it was a more solid lineup."

Back-to-back doubles to start the top of the sixth by Ryan Chenoweth and Kolbrin Vitek produced the first run for Ball State (1-2). The Cardinals had a chance to extend the inning with a runner at third and one out, but Cox, playing at second base, made two nice plays in the field, including snagging a line drive headed for the outfield, to end the inning.

In relief duty, Smyly gave up one run and five hits in four innings. He matched Eibner's strikeout total of five. On the day, the Razorback pitching staff-Eibner, Smyly, Jordan Pratt and Jason Fuqua-had 14 strikeouts and just one walk. The Cardinals kept their walk total down to four, but Arkansas picked up six base runners when four players-twice each for Kuhn and McCann-were plunked at the plate.

"Starting out, I thought Brett threw the ball extremely well," Van Horn said. "He was 3-0 on the first batter and came back to strike him out. That set the tone for his three innings. He looked good and was pretty smooth. I thought Smyly threw well. He got behind in the count, came back and got out of a couple of jams. He had a runner at second and third and then struck out the side. It was good to see that from a couple of veteran guys with good arms."

Arkansas put up a four spot in the seventh inning to further its lead. Kuhn started the inning by getting hit by a pitch and then advancing to second on a wild pitch by Ball State reliever Justin Warrington. Wilkins followed with a walk before Kreder poked a single through the right side of the infield to bring Kuhn home. Cox drew a walk and the bases were loaded. With one down, Wilkins scored on an infield single by Travis Sample. Tim Carver put the finishing touch on the inning with a two-run single into right field and the Hogs led, 9-1.

Ball State made a late attempt to get back into the game. The visitors scored a pair of runs in their half of the eighth and loaded the bases in the ninth but Fuqua got Vitek to strike out swinging to end the game and clinch the opening series for the Razorbacks.

The Razorbacks return to the field Feb. 26 for the first game of a weekend series with Troy. First pitch from Baum Stadium is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. Arkansas' first seven games of the season, and 12 of the first 15, come on its home field.

SATURDAY
DENTON, Texas -- Arkansas hit five total home runs and got solid pitching in a pair of wins over Missouri State and Buffalo on Saturday at the North Texas/Sleep Inn Invitational. The Razorbacks defeated Missouri state, 6-5, in their first contest of the day, and won, 6-0, over Buffalo in game two.

“I love the way we started the day, jumping out to a sizable lead in that first game,” Arkansas head coach Mike Larabee said. “We had a few opportunities to slam the door, but weren’t really ever able to. I like the way the kids held on. Between games I told them I wanted to see some consistency. We’ve kind of been up and down to start the season, so I wanted to see them come back and play well in game two and they certainly did that.”

The Arkansas offense scored 12 combined runs in the day’s two contests. They scored eight of those runs on five home runs, three of which came off the bat of senior center fielder Jessica Bachkora. The Razorback pitching staff combined to throw 14 innings, allowing five runs on eleven hits. Hope McLemore highlighted the day and continued her winning ways, tossing a complete-game shutout while allowing only two hits in the win over Buffalo.

“I thought Hope pitched very well again today,” said Larabee. The players seem to really respond and play well behind her. She had great command for most of the day and I thought the defense played really well behind her.”

In game one, Bachkora led off the Razorback half of the first inning with the home run, for the second time in as many games. Missouri State’s Ashley Knehans hit a solo shot of her own in the top of the second to tie the game, 1-1. Prior to giving up that home run, Arkansas starter Layne Mcguirt retired the first five batters of the contest.

Arkansas (5-4) would add five more runs in the bottom of the second inning. Bachkora hit her second home run of the day over the left field bleachers with Tori Mort and Becca Carden on base. After Brittany Griffiths grounded out, seniors Sandra Smith and Miranda Dixon hit back-to-back solo home runs to give Arkansas the lead, 6-1, heading into the third. Missouri State would score one run in the third, two in the fourth and another in the sixth to pull within one heading into the seventh.

McLemore came on in relief of Kim Jones who replaced McGuirt. With the potential tying run aboard and two outs in the seventh, McLemore struck out the only batter she faced and received the save, the second of her career.

McGuirt got the win to ascend to 2-0 on the year. The starter threw four innings, allowed four runs on seven hits and struck out five. Jones threw two and two-thirds innings allowing one earned run on four hits.

The loss gave Missouri State (0-6) its third one-run loss of the tournament.

Both offenses started slow in game two, as the two teams were scoreless through three innings.  No runs crossed the plate until the top of the fourth, when Arkansas freshman shortstop Courtney Breault and Carden hit back-to-back RBI doubles to give the Razorbacks the advantage, 2-0, heading to the bottom of the inning.

Arkansas wouldn’t score again until the seventh, when Bachkora hit her third home run of the day, and fourth in three games. It was a two-run shot that brought  Jessica Waddle home to score. The Hogs would add two more runs on RBI base hits by Dixon and Breault.

McLemore retired 12 of the last 14 batters she face for a complete-game shutout victory. Buffalo (1-2) had only one runner advance past second base.


No. 15 Baseball
FAYETTEVILLE - The No. 15 University of Arkansas baseball team dropped a 5-2 decision to Ball State Saturday afternoon at Baum Stadium. Playing catch up the entire game, the Razorbacks (1-1) had their opportunities to even the score or take the lead, but 12 runners left on base kept the home team on the short end of game two's outcome.

"We had our chances," head coach Dave Van Horn said. "We had guys that didn't put the bat on the ball, completely opposite of last night where we're driving in runs with sacrifice flies. There were a couple of times where we had a runner on third with less than two outs and couldn't get them in."

Ball State (1-1) struck early with two runs in the top of the first inning. An error at third base by Zack Cox put a runner at first and Kolbrin Vitek drove in the run with a triple to right center. Vitek eventually came around to score the second run on a sacrifice fly to give his team the 2-0 lead. Arkansas starter Geoffrey Davenport got out of the inning with a strikeout to limit the damage to two runs.

After stranding Jarrod McKinney in scoring position in the bottom of the first, the Razorbacks cut their deficit in half with James McCann's RBI single in the second. Monk Kreder led off the inning with a walk but was erased on a fielder's choice that left Brett Eibner on first. On a balk by Ball State starter Cal Bowling, Eibner stood at second and crossed the plate on the hit by McCann.

Both teams left a pair of runners on base in the third inning. After his shaky start, Davenport settled down to pitch four effective innings. The sophomore left hander allowed four hits, walked none and struck out seven Cardinal hitters. In the top of the fourth, Davenport's last inning of work, he struck out the side swinging on just 12 pitches.

With one out in the bottom of the fourth, McCann got into scoring position with a line drive down the left field line that landed on the chalk and the sophomore catcher pulled into second with his first double of the young season. However, Matt Vinson struck out and Matt Reynolds fouled out to the shortstop to end the inning.

The Cardinals pushed another run across the plate in their half of the sixth when Vitek scored after leading off the inning with a single. He came around to score on a double-play ball to up the visitors lead to 3-1.

Arkansas got that run back in the next half inning. Kreder opened the inning with a single to left field. On as a pinch runner, Kyle Atkins stole second. Eibner followed with a walk to give the Hogs two on with no outs. McCann laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners to second and third. Atkins came in to score when a pitch got away from Ball State catcher Kevin Franchetti. The scoring chance ended when BSU reliever, and game winner, Morgan Coombs struck out the last two hitters of the inning.

The Razorbacks left the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh and Ball State increased their lead to the final margin with a two-run home run by Zach Dygert.  Coombs worked out of trouble in the eighth inning and retired the side in order in the ninth to secure the victory for the visiting Cardinals.

FRIDAY
The Arkansas Razorback softball team split their first two games of the North Texas Sleep Inn Invitational, losing to North Texas, 10-2, Friday afternoon, and beating Sam Houston State, 12-1, in the night cap.

“Our first game today wasn’t a real good one”, Razorback head coach Mike Larabee said.  “We always talk about the three phases, pitching, hitting and defense, and I don’t think we did very well in any of those facets in game one. Between games I told them they still had time to turn it around and it get it right. They came out in game two and it was just a 180-degree difference.”

Arkansas (3-4) wasted no time getting on the board in game two, as Jessica Bachkora lifted Tomi Garrison’s first pitch into right center field for a solo home run. Sam Houston State first baseman Amy Brown would match Bachkora’s feat in the bottom of the first with a solo shot of her own. That was the only the scoring play for the Bearkats.

Freshman pitcher Hope McLemore (2-1) threw six innings, holding the Bearkats to one run on four hits, while striking out eight. Layne McGuirt would finish off the game inside the circle, striking out all three batters she faced. Tomi Garrison (0-1) got the loss.

“Hope has been working the change up well for us.” Larabee said. “You have to have a change up at this level, it’s just such a great equalizer. She competed very well for us tonight and showed a lot of heart.”

The Arkansas offense didn’t get going until the fourth, when left fielder Becca Carden lifted a two-run home run into left field that scored Courtney Breault who had led off the inning with a single. The home run snapped a 0-for-12 streak for Carden at the plate. She ended the contest 3-4 with three RBI and a run scored.

The Hogs added three runs in the fifth, an inning that saw four straight singles by Brittany Robison, Breault, Carden and Jessica Waddle after back-to-back doubles by Brittany Griffiths and Miranda Dixon to lead off the inning. Arkansas led, 6-1, after five.

Senior first baseman Sandra Smith hit a two-run home run in the sixth and a three-run shot in the seventh. Bachkora scored on a passed ball to round out the Arkansas scoring. Smith finished game two 5-5 from the plate with 5 RBI, Bachkora was 2-5 with a run scored and two RBIs.

In game one, North Texas (2-2) started the scoring early, as Megan Rupp reached base to lead off the top of the first inning and would later come around to score. UNT would never surrender the lead.

Lisa Johnson, the UNT designated player led the way, going 2-3 with a hone run and two RBI. Jennifer Smith also hit a home run. She finished the day 1-3 with two RBI and two runs scored.

Arkansas got on the board in the fourth inning as Lindsey Wells came home to score on an RBI single off the bat of Brittany Robison. Wells was running for Jessica Robison who had singled to lead off the inning. The Hogs’ second run of the game came in the fifth, when Brittany Griffiths reached on an error and was singled in by Jessica Robison.

North Texas scored five runs in the final two innings for a 10-2 victory. The loss dropped Arkansas to 2-4. After losing their first game of the day to Drake, the win vs. Arkansas evened UNT’s record at 2-2.

The Hogs’ game-one starter, Dixon (0-2), allowed five runs on eight hits, striking out two and walking one. Ashley Lail (1-1) threw a gem for the Mean Green. She allowed one earned run on three hits, and stuck out three in a complete-game effort.

Arkansas will face Missouri State and Buffalo Saturday at 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., and finish the weekend Sunday at 11:30 a.m. against Drake. Saturday’s contests will be played at Pioneer Field on the campus of Texas Woman’s University. Sunday’s match up against Drake will be at UNT’s Lovelace Stadium.