Arkansas Softball Fact Sheet #15

This WeekThe University of Arkansas softball team swept Louisiana Tech Wednesday in a midweek doubleheader in Sherwood, Ark., before hosting Southeastern Conference foe, No. 6 LSU at Lady’Back Yard Saturday and Sunday.
RecapThe Lady Razorbacks used back-to-back-to-back home runs in game two and a solo home run in game one to sweep a doubleheader against Louisiana Tech in front of 2,930 fans in Sherwood, Ark., Wednesday. This past weekend the Lady’Backs won the first game of an SEC series against Mississippi 7-0, before falling in dramatic fashion the next two games to drop the series. A walk-off solo home run in the bottom of the seventh in game two (0-1) and a walk-off grand-slam home run in the bottom of the seventh in game three (4-7) doomed the Lady’Backs.
She’s on FireFreshman Miranda Dixon went 5-for-6 with a home run, an RBI and two runs scored against Lousiana Tech. Dixon is on a five-game hitting streak batting .643 against the last two opponents.
Single-game Home Run RecordThe Lady’Backs hit three home runs, a team single-game record, in three contests this season, March 4 against Louisiana-Monroe, March 18 against Nebraska and April 18 against Louisiana Tech. Versus the Lady Techsters Arkansas hit the three home runs consecutively in the sixth inning.
First Collegiate HomersWednesday freshmen Brittany Robison and Teighynne Hulsey launched their first collegiate home runs. Sophomore Hillary Freeman also hit her first homer against Kansas, April 3.
Run Rachel RunSenior Rachel LeMaster broke the career stolen base record with the 73rd stolen base of her career April 15 in Oxford, Miss. LeMaster earned her 20th stolen base of the season and the 73rd of her career after stealing second base in the top of the first inning. She beat the previous record of 72 set by Dana Gulick from 1997-2000.
Bachkora Ties Triple RecordFreshman Jessica Bachkora tied the record for most triples in a single season after hitting her fourth triple of the year April 14 against Ole Miss.
Most Home Runs in a Single SeasonSophomore Whitney Cloer and Dixon lead the team and are tied for second on the list for most home runs in a single season with six. Junior Dayna Huckabee sits tied for third with five home runs.
About LSULSU comes into the series ranked 6th in the nation. The Tigers defeated cross-town rival Southern in a midweek game Tuesday before traveling to Fayetteville for the SEC series. LSU swept a doubleheader from Mississippi State this past weekend in two close nine-inning games. LSU won 4-1 and 4-3.
Versus the TigersLSU leads the all-time series against the Lady’Backs 31-7, but Arkansas won last year’s series upsetting the No. 11 Tigers twice. Game one went to Arkansas 3-2, while LSU took game two 4-3. The Lady’Backs then downed the Tigers Sunday, 3-2 in nine innings.
Hitting StreaksLeMaster had the longest hitting streak on the team this season with an eight-game streak that ended April 15 against Florida. During the streak she hit .367 with 11 hits, three runs, one double and two RBIs. Bachkora and sophomore Kayla Johnson had six-game hitting streaks.
Creeping UpCloer began the year batting .243 through the first half of season. The second half she increased her batting average almost .100, hitting .338. Cloer’s slugging percentage also jumped from .338 to .622.
Blasting RecordsThe 2007 Arkansas softball team broke the single-season home run record smashing its 20th home run of the season against Kansas, April 3. The previous record was 19 set in 2005. The Lady’Backs have 25 home runs this season.
Record-Breaking Game OneIn the first game of the series against Kentucky, Arkansas tied the single game records for most runs scored (14) and most hits (19), and broke the record for most runs batted in (14). The previous record of 19 hits was in a 19-inning game against Alabama in 1999, while the 2007 Lady’Backs tallied their 19 hits in just seven innings.
Another Single Game RecordCloer broke the single game record for most hits in a game with five. Cloer was 5-for-5 with four RBIs, two runs scored, two doubles and one home run March 31 against Kentucky.
Pinkerton’s 200th WinHead coach Jamie Pinkerton picked up the 200th win of his career as a Division I head coach Sunday, April 1, in the final game of the Kentucky series.
Bring Out the BroomArkansas swept Kentucky March 31-April 1. The last time the Lady’Backs swept an SEC opponent was against Kentucky in 2005.
Leading the WayJessica Bachkora continues to lead the Lady’Backs with a .304 batting average, 27 runs, 52 hits, 10 doubles, four triples, and a .350 on-base percentage.
LeMaster’s 200th HitRachel LeMaster collected the 200th hit of her career in the final game of the Tennessee series, March 25. LeMaster is fourth on the career list with 214 hits. The current record is 224 held by Danica White.
Fanning the OpponentJunior Katy Henry is third in the SEC in strikeouts with 210. Tennessee’s Monica Abbott leads the way with a commanding 498 K’s while Auburn’s Anna Thompson is second with 248.
Top ThievesLeMaster and Bachkora account for 70% of the Lady’Backs’ stolen bases.LeMaster leads the team with 20 and is followed closely by Bachkora with 15. Arkansas has 50 stolen bases as a team.
It’s Out of HereDayna Huckabee tied the career home run record March 18 with a two-out, two-run blast in the first inning against Nebraska. She hit five home runs this year and 12 in her career.
Dixon Homers Three TimesMiranda Dixon hit three home runs and was 7-for-7, helping the Lady’Backs to two victories March 4 at Lady’Back Yard. Dixon put Arkansas up 6-5 against Northern Iowa with a two-run shot on two outs in the fifth inning. Against ULM she hit a lead-off home run in the fourth inning to bring the Lady’Backs within one run of the Warhawks, and homered again in the seventh to put the Lady’Backs up 8-4. Dixon had seven hits, seven RBIs and four runs on the day. She also marked a new Lady’Back Yard record, hitting two home runs in a game.
Bachkora Breaks Triple RecordBachkora broke the school record for most triples in a single game on Feb. 25 against Missouri. Bachkora hit two triples, breaking the previous record of one.
Preseason PredictionsArkansas was selected to finish fourth in the SEC Western Division. The Lady’Backs received 37 points trailing LSU with 14 points, Alabama with 15 points and Auburn with 30 points. Tennessee was unanimously voted as the overall champion with 10 votes while Florida received one vote.
2008 SigneesAmanda Caldwell of Victoria, Texas, Lauren Chisom a Bentonville, Ark. native, Leslie Dixon from Edmond, Okla., Lauren Iverson of Grove, Okla., Emily Jones a Joplin, Mo. native, Kim Jones from Lenexa, Kan., Jacey Juden of Arkansas City, Kan., and Wynne, Ark. native Layne McGuirt signed national letters of intent to play softball at Arkansas and officially become part of the Lady’Back program in the 2007-08 academic year.