Huckabee Homers Lady'Backs Fall in SEC Opener

ATHENS, Ga.,- The University of Arkansas softball team nine game-winning streak was broken, Saturday, March 11, in Athens, Ga., after the Lady Razorbacks fell to No. 12 Georgia, 6-1 and 6-3.

In the first game, the Lady’Backs fell behind 4-0 when the defense had a moment of weakness and committed two errors. Georgia took advantage of the blunders and scored on three hits to take the lead in the fourth inning.

Arkansas softball head coach Jamie Pinkerton said the Lady’Backs weren’t at the top of their game in the first Southeastern Conference series of the season.

“We kind of sputtered in a couple of facets of the game,” he said. “Once again, against ranked opponents the big inning came back and bit us.”

After the fourth inning mishap, sophomore infielder Dayna Huckabee answered for the Lady’Backs in the fifth with a leadoff home run, her first of the season to put Arkansas on the scoreboard.

Offensively, junior outfielder Rachel LeMaster led the Lady’Backs going 2-for-3 with a stolen base. Perry (3-4) took the loss as she threw a complete game while giving up only two earned runs.

In the second game, the Lady’Backs were trailing 1-0 in the top of the fifth inning, when they utilized a two-out rally to take a 3-1 lead. Arkansas used three hits and a Georgia error to score. Huckabee and freshman outfielder Jocelyne Moncrief started the rally with a pair of singles. Huckabee then scored when LeMaster reached on a Bulldog error.

With two runners in scoring position, senior outfielder Mindy O’Malley singled to right field and scored Moncrief and LeMaster.

Georgia responded with five runs on six hits in the bottom of the inning to regain the lead, 6-3. Junior pitcher Kayce Odle replaced sophomore starter Katy Henry (6-3) in the middle of the Bulldogs at bat. At the plate, Huckabee paced the team as she was 2-for-3.

Pinkerton said the Lady’Backs needed better timing against Georgia as Arkansas stranded 10 runners in the doubleheader.

“We just didn’t get the big hit to put us over the top,” he said. “In the second game, we didn’t close it out on the mound and we weren’t as sharp defensively.”

The series concludes Sunday at noon. For more information on Arkansas softball, log on to LADYBACKS.COM.