Arkansas softball opens fall season

FAYETTEVILLE – The University of Arkansas softball team opens the 2007 fall season Saturday, Sept. 15 at Lady’Back Yard. The Lady Razorbacks welcome Carl Albert State College, Connors State College and Evangel University for the one-day tournament. The Arkansas Fall Festival begins at 9 a.m. and runs all day. The Lady’Backs take the field at 1 p.m. facing Connors. Arkansas plays Evangel at 3 p.m. and concludes the tournament with Carl Albert at 7 p.m. Admission is free to the public. “We’re geared up and ready to go,” said head coach Jamie Pinkerton. “We began practice on the third and we’ve been battling the weather a little bit, but it’s been really good to get inside and work individually with the hitters. In some aspects we’re ahead of the game but in other aspects we‘re a little rusty. We have to go out and knock the rust off and be ready for this weekend.” Arkansas returns 17 players from the 2007 squad that finished 21-43 and 6-22 in the Southeastern Conference. Seniors Samantha Buckner, Katy Henry and Dayna Huckabee lead a team that welcomes nine newcomers. Henry and sophomores Miranda Dixon and Teighynne Hulsey are back in the circle this season along with freshmen Kim Jones and Layne McGuirt. “This weekend gives us a chance to get out and see where we’re at,” Pinkerton said. “We’ve got a couple freshmen pitchers, Teighynne is back and we’ll get Miranda and Katy some work. In the three games we’ll also try to fit in nine newcomers. It’s going to be a work in progress this fall.” The Lady’Backs host three more fall tournaments. Sept. 23, Arkansas hosts Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, Texarkana and Tulsa in the Lady’Back Fall Festival. Sept. 30, the Lady’Backs welcome Crowder, Northeastern State and Seminole for the Arkansas Fall Invitational. Oct. 6 Arkansas concludes its fall schedule with the Lady’Back Fall Invitational. Missouri State, Oklahoma State and Rogers State come to Fayetteville. For more information about Arkansas softball please log on to LADYBACKS.COM.