Arkansas hosts Lady'Back Invitational

FAYETTEVILLE – The University of Arkansas softball team opens the 2007 home season hosting the Clarion Inn-Lady’Back Invitational beginning Friday at Lady’Back Yard. The Lady Razorbacks started the year 4-6 and take on Missouri-Kansas City Friday at 3:45 p.m. and Wichita State at 6 p.m. On Saturday, Arkansas meets Missouri at 1:30 p.m. and Colorado State at 3:45 p.m. The tournament concludes Sunday with bracket play at 9:30 a.m. and 11:45 a.m., followed by the championship at 2 p.m. “The ladies are real excited about being at home,” said head coach Jamie Pinkerton. “There’s something about being able to wear the home whites that gets the team excited.” Arkansas comes off of a 3-2 weekend at the Texas A&M Aggie Classic. The Lady’Backs defeated Texas-San Antonio twice, 8-0 and 7-0, and Rutgers 8-6. Their losses were against No. 3 Texas A&M (9-0), 1-4 and 0-11. The Lady’Backswere notat full strength their first two weekends of play, but freshman Brittany Robison is expected to return to action Friday as well as sophomore Brandy Baze. “We’re going to be a lot stronger defensively with Brittany at shortstop,” said Pinkerton. “Dayna (Huckabee) can move to third base and she has so much range there. She can cut off the 5-6 hole and is very good on bunt coverage.” Colorado State, Missouri, Missouri-Kansas City and Wichita State travel to Fayetteville for the three-day invitational. “I’m real happy with the field that’s coming in,” said Pinkerton. “It’s a good cross section of teams. I expect the games to be closely contested and to continue to put our athletes in situations that will help us when we get into SEC play.” The Rams opened the season 4-7. At the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic last weekend Colorado State defeated No. 11 Cal, 2-0, but also fell to No. 9 UCLA, 10-2 in five innings. Colorado State leads the series 2-1 against Arkansas. Their last meeting was in 2006 when the Rams defeated the Lady’Backs 6-4 in San Luis Obisopo, Calif. Missouri swept St. Louis in a doubleheader Wednesday. The Tigers lead the series with Arkansas 2-1 and the last meeting was in Gainesville, Fla., in 2004 where Missouri beat Arkansas 5-3. UMKC opened the 2007 season indoors, dropping two games to Missouri, 12-1 and 11-0, with both games ending in five innings. Arkansas leads the all-time series 3-0 against UMKC. The Lady’Backs defeated the Kangaroos 3-0 at the Lady’Back Invitational last year. Wichita State lost to No. 15 Washington in a 9-0 run-rule game at the USF/Wilson Invitational. They also lost to No. 24 South Florida by a score of 2-0 and ended the weekend 2-3. Arkansas leads the series 4-2, but lost the last double header in Wichita in 2004, 1-0 and 3-0. For more information about Arkansas softball or for tickets please call the Lady Razorback Ticket Office at 57-LBACK or log on to LADYBACKS.COM.