Central Arkansas Supports Lady'Backs in Sweep

SHERWOOD, Ark. – The University of Arkansas softball team defeated Louisiana Monroe, 3-2 and 4-3, Wednesday, April 19, in Sherwood, Ark.

Senior Blaire Perry recorded six hits and freshman catcher Whitney Cloer hit her second home run of the season as the Lady Razorbacks (23-26) won the doubleheader in front of 2,187 fans at the Sherwood Sports Complex.

Arkansas softball assistant coach Tiffany Redding said the Lady’Back offense was effective while the pitching staff of Perry, junior Kayce Odle and sophomore Katy Henry was strong.

“We’ve been waiting for our bats to come around and they finally did,” she said. “Blaire was huge. She was big time for us and we had some different people step up.”

In the first game, the Lady’Backs struck first when freshman infielder Sandra Smith and Perry singled to place runners on the corners for freshman infielder Carrie Egnor. Arkansas took a 1-0 lead when Egnor drove in Smith in the second inning.

Louisiana Monroe answered in the top of the third inning when senior infielder Lindsay Schafer hit a two-run home run to take a 2-1 advantage.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Arkansas reclaimed the lead, 3-2, after Cloer hit a two-run home run over the center field wall.

Henry (12-12) earned the win while recording nine strikeouts and giving up three hits in a complete-game performance. Offensively, Perry was 3-for-3 at the plate with Smith contributing a pair of hits.

In the second inning of game two, Arkansas went ahead, 1-0, when freshman outfielder Jocelyne Moncrief hit a two-out RBI-single. Moncrief drove in Perry, who leadoff the inning with a base hit.

In the third inning, the Lady Indians tied the game, 1-1. Arkansas responded in the bottom of the inning with two runs on three hits to retake the lead, 3-1. Perry drove in two runs with a ground-rule double. Smith and freshman infielder Kayla Johnson recorded singles in the inning.

Louisiana Monroe evened the score, 3-3, in the fifth inning. The Lady Indians scored two runs on two hits including senior infielder Nicole Bethurum’s two-run home run.

The Lady’Backs took a 4-3 lead when Perry scored on sophomore infielder Dayna Huckabee’s ground-rule double.

In the circle, Perry started the game and collected five strikeouts in five innings. Odle (4-5) took the win as she threw two innings of relief. Perry was 3-for-3 in the nightcap.

For more information on Arkansas softball, log on to LADYBACKS.COM.