Arkansas Softball Fact Sheet #5

This Week: Arkansas opens Southeastern Conference play with a doubleheader at No. 12 Georgia, Saturday, March 11 at noon. The series concludes Sunday at noon.

In Review: The Lady’Backs were undefeated in the Country Inn and Suites Arkansas Invitational. Arkansas beat Jacksonville State, 2-1 in 11 innings and 6-2, Northwestern State, 7-0 and 3-1 in eight innings, and Centenary, 3-0 and 1-0.

Versus Georgia: Arkansas trails in the all-time series with Georgia 9-15. The Lady’Backs opened the 2006 season as they fell to the Bulldogs, 7-6, in nine innings, Feb. 10, in the Diamond Fun and Sun Classic, in Miami, Fla.

Jacksonville State Recap: In the longest game of the season, Arkansas defeated the Gamecocks, 2-1 in 11 innings, in the tournament opener. Senior Blaire Perry led the Lady’Backs with two hits including the game-winner. Sophomore relief pitcher Katy Henry took the win. In the second game, the Lady’Back offense was jump started as they won, 6-2. Junior outfielder Rachel LeMaster was 3-for-4 at the plate.

Northwestern State Recap: In the sweep of the Demons, Arkansas opened the day with a 7-0 victory. Senior catcher Shana Easley hit the first Lady’Backs home run in Fayetteville this season on her way to three hits in the game. In the second extra inning game of the invitational, Arkansas won, 3-1, in eight innings. Henry earned the win with 11 strikeouts in a complete game.

Centenary Recap: After a loss in the previous meeting this season, Arkansas returned the favor defeating Centenary, 3-0 and 1-0. In the final game of the tournament, Henry threw her first career no-hitter while tallying a season-high 13 strikeouts.

No No: Katy Henry’s no-hitter against Centenary was only the sixth in school history and the first since 2004. Henry finished with a 4-0 record in the tournament along with 41 strikeouts in 25.1 innings.

Third Time’s a Charm: In the Country Inn and Suites Arkansas Invitational, the Lady’Backs recorded five triples. Sophomore infielder Dayna Huckabee led the team with two.

Stolen Bases: The Lady’Backs were near perfect in stolen bases in the tournament as they finished 13-for-14. LeMaster paced the squad with six.

Double Trouble: Offensively, LeMaster led the Lady’Backs with 10 hits and a .435 batting average in the invitational.

It’s Out of Here: Shana Easley went yard twice in the tournament. She is the only Lady’Back to hit a home run in Fayetteville so far this season.

At the Peak: Junior pitcher Sarah Topham has left the team. A recurring injury has hampered her availability in the 2005 and 2006 seasons.

Drake Recap: In the home opener, the Lady’Backs needed eight innings to defeat the Bulldogs, 1-0. Junior Meagan Harney came off the bench to pinch hit and she recorded the game-winning RBI with a double that scored freshman Brandy Baze. Junior pitcher Kayce Odle earned her first win at Arkansas with a seven strikeout, complete game performance.

Penn State Recap: The first ever meeting between the Lady’Backs and Nittany Lions was a good one. After a scoreless seven innings, both teams scored in the eighth but the Lady’Backs couldn’t make a comeback in the tenth and fell, 3-2. Freshman infielder Kayla Johnson had both the Lady’Back RBIs.

North Dakota State Recap: In Saturday’s game, Arkansas defeated the Bison, 3-0. Henry recorded her first win of the year with a season-high nine strikeouts in a complete game. Huckabee finished with a pair of doubles are RBIs.

Missouri-Kansas City Recap: In Arkansas’ 3-0 win over UMKC, Odle recorded the win while only giving up one hit and setting a season-high strikeout mark with seven.

Missouri State Recap: Trailing 2-1 in the seventh inning, the Lady’Backs scored two runs in their final at bat to take the win, 3-2. Huckabee was the spark as she recorded the game-winning RBI.

In Other News: North Dakota State pitcher Amber Garrett threw a perfect game in a 1-0 win over Drake. Garrett’s accomplishment is the first perfect game at Lady’Back Yard in recent memory.

Ring of Fire: The Lady’Back pitching staff had a very productive showing in the Lady’Back Invitational. Perry, Henry and Odle combine for a 0.36 team ERA with 35 strikeouts. Both Odle and Henry finished the weekend with 2-0 records. Odle led the team in strikeouts with 16 in 15.2 innings.

Leading the Way: Easley paced the Lady’Backs with a .412 batting average and seven hits in the tournament. Arkansas had three others batting over .300.

Just Another Day: Huckabee was a major factor in the Lady’Back offense with a .308 batting average and a team-high three doubles and four RBIs.

UAB Recap: In the first-ever meeting with the Blazers, the Lady’Back bats were cold. UAB held Arkansas to a season-low two hits. Easley and sophomore infielder Samantha Buckner led the team. Easley was 1-for-2 and Buckner was 1-for-3 with an RBI. Perry recorded four strikeouts and in three innings pitched.

Centenary Recap: For the first time in six games, Arkansas lost to Centenary. Freshman catcher Whitney Cloer tallied her first career home run against the Ladies to give the Lady’Backs a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Cloer finished the game with all four of the Arkansas RBIs when she hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning. Senior outfielder Mindy O’Malley and Perry had a supporting role when they were 2-for-4 and 1-for-2, respectively, at the plate.

Welcome Back: In the win against Iowa, Perry recorded her first victory of the year while throwing a no-hitter through five innings. Offensively, Perry led the team with five hits while posting a .250 batting average. With her performance over the weekend, Perry was named to the all-tournament team.

Georgia Recap: In addition to Easley’s two RBIs, freshman Carrie Egnor and O’Malley also recorded two RBIs apiece. O’Malley also recorded her first double of the season against the Bulldogs.

North Carolina Recap: Odle recorded seven strikeouts while Buckner and Harney both came off the bench and went 1-for-1, which were doubles.

Iowa Recap: In the upset, Perry and Henry combine for 16 strikeouts against the Hawkeyes while only allowing one hit. At the plate, Buckner and Huckabee were 2-for-3.

Championship Recap: In the rematch with Iowa, Perry and O’Malley hit doubles with pinch-hitter Johnson going 1-for-1. Against North Carolina, Johnson and Harney both went 2-for-3. In relief, Henry dominated the Tar Heels from the circle as she struck out five of the six batters she faced.