Arkansas Softball Fact Sheet #18
In the News
In its final Southeastern Conference weekend series, Arkansas hosts Kentucky for a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday, April 23 and finale is set for Sunday, April 24 at 1 p.m. Seniors Ashley Carter and Zenobia Davison will be honored and Fox Sports South is televising the game regionally.
In Review
Arkansas split a doubleheader Tuesday, April 19 against Oklahoma City. The Lady’Backs won 7-4 after falling 1-0.
Last Week
Back in SEC play, the Lady’Backs played Mississippi State to the wire in all three games of the series in Starkville, Miss. Arkansas fell 5-4 and 1-0, April 16, and 2-1, April 17.
History
Arkansas leads the all-time series with Kentucky 12-9 as the Lady’Backs won the series last season in Lexington.
The Mighty Bats
In the Oklahoma City doubleheader, junior outfielder Mindy O’Malley and sophomore pitcher Sarah Topham hit over .500. O’Malley led the team as she went 4-for-7 with a triple, while Topham was 2-for-4.
No Softie
LeMaster continues to be a stead force at the plate for the Lady’Backs as she has a team-high .388 batting average, 64 hits and 21 stolen bases.
In the Circle
Freshman pitcher Katy Henry and Topham dominated on the mound against Oklahoma City as the pair combined for a 0.50 ERA. In the win, Topham had five strikeouts without a walk while Henry earned her first career save. Henry finished with nine strikeouts in seven and two-thirds innings.
Something Extra
The Lady’Backs were perfect in stolen bases 7-for-7 versus Oklahoma City as senior outfielder Zenobia Davison led the way with three.
In the Books
Sophomore outfielder Rachel LeMaster rewrote the record books as she recorded her 21st stolen base of the season, which ranks second on the school list for stolen bases in a single season.
Good Numbers
The 2005 Lady’Back squad has already surpassed some of the 2004 season statistics. Currently this season, Arkansas has 141 runs, 44 doubles, eight triples, 16 home runs and 117 RBIs, which are improvements from the 2004 season. The 2005 crew is tied for the school record of home runs in a season with 16.
The Dish
In the Mississippi State series, three Lady’Backs hit over .400 with senior infielder Ashley Carter leading the way. Carter went 4-for-9 with her second home run of the week and two RBIs. Topham hit .429 and LeMaster finished .400.
In the circle
In eight and one-thirds innings, Topham only allowed eight hits and one earned run in the Mississippi State series.
Z Power
Davison led the Lady’Back offense against SMS as she had a .600 batting average with three hits.
Cubed
Freshman infielder Samantha Buckner and O’Malley each had four hits in a game versus SMS. The pair also recorded doubles with .571 batting averages.
Timing
Carter hit her first home run of the year in the first game of the SMS doubleheader. Carter’s two-run monster led the squad with two RBIs.
Cajun Country
LeMaster led the Lady’Backs at the plate as she hit .455 with five hits including a double. LeMaster had three RBIs in the series with the Tigers.
We Have a Winner
Henry recorded her first SEC win of her career as she threw six innings while only allowing LSU five hits and two earned runs in the first game of the LSU series.
Pacemaker
Sophomore infielder Kallie Foglesong was the Lady’Backs leader at the plate in the Border War as she was 3-for-6 with a double.
Add it up
Junior catcher Shana Easley and freshman infielder Dayna Huckabee each recorded two RBIs in the Border War. Huckabee hit a two-RBI double against Tulsa, which was her fifth double of the season.
Records
When the Lady’Backs scored six runs in the second inning of the Tulsa game, it tied a season-high mark for runs in a single inning.
Peachy
In the Georgia series, LeMaster led the Lady’Backs as she went 4-for-9 with her first double of the season.
Out of Here
For the first time since the South Carolina series, the Lady’Backs hit a home run in a conference game. Junior infielder Barbara-Jean Southmayd hit her fourth home run of the season against Georgia to lead the squad with four.
Young Gun
Henry gave No. 13 Georgia all that it could handle as she allowed only five hits and recorded five strikeouts in the 1-0 loss.
Make a Note
Huckabee tied the school record for home runs in a game when she hit two home runs in the second game of the doubleheader against Centenary. The pair of home runs marked the first ones of Huckabee’s career.
Fond Farewell
Davison recorded her first career home run against Centenary. Davison hit an inside the park home run to give the Lady’Backs an insurance run in the first game of the doubleheader.
To the Nines
Freshman pitcher Kelly Ninemire picked up her first career win versus Centenary as she threw two and two-thirds shutout innings. Ninemire had five strikeouts while only giving up two hits.
Free Ball
In the first Lady’Backs extra inning game of the season, Henry held Florida to four hits and she had six strikeouts.
One-Two Punch
O’Malley and LeMaster led the way for the Lady’Backs against Stephen F. Austin. The pair went 4-for-8 to pace Arkansas at the plate. O’Malley also recorded her first career triple.
Double Trouble
Buckner recorded a pair of doubles against Western Division foe, Auburn. Buckner led the team in doubles and batting average with .333 mark in the Auburn series.
Impact
In her first appearance of the season, sophomore pitcher Cassy Long derailed the Tigers as she threw three and two-thirds innings. Long shutout Auburn and only allowed one hit.
Home Run Derby
For the first time in the 2005 season, the Lady’Backs hit multiple home runs in a game. In the March 9 game, Buckner and Easley recorded home runs.
Easy Does It
Easley led the Lady’Backs at the plate in the conference opener versus South Carolina. She was 5-for-9 with a double and a home run, her first of the year.
First Impression
In her first appearance of the year, junior pitcher Linzee Roby recorded five strikeouts at OU in six innings. Roby also held the Sooners scoreless for three innings.
Record Books
Henry not only earned her first career win but she also wrote her name in the Arkansas record books. Against Louisiana-Monroe at the Lady’Backs Invitational, Henry finished with 15 strikeouts, which ties Heather Schlichtman for the second most strikeouts in a game.
Going, Going, Gone
Southmayd and Foglesong hit home runs in the Lady’Backs home debut, Feb. 26. Foglesong hit her first home run of the season against UMKC. Southmayd hit a three-run home run versus Louisiana-Monroe. The Feb. 26 home run performances marked the second time Arkansas has hit home runs in consecutive games.
Out of the Park
Southmayd and Buckner recorded two-run, home runs in consecutive games. Southmayd’s home run was her first of the season in the 7-6 victory over Purdue. Buckner’s home run against New Mexico State was the first career of her career.
The Next Chapter
First-year head coach Jamie Pinkerton begins his tenure with the Lady Razorbacks after four successful seasons as the head coach of the Tulsa Golden Hurricane softball team. Pinkerton was a two-time Western Athletic Conference Coach of the Year.
Pinkerton’s staff includes former TU assistant coach Tiffany Redding-Pitts and former Lady’Back Aly Sartini.
