Lady'Back softball announces 2007 schedule

FAYETTEVILLE – Nineteen homes dates, including two home tournaments, 11 NCAA Tournament teams and two Women’s College World Series teams highlight the 2007 University of Arkansas softball schedule. Arkansas will play a minimum of 24 games against opponents that competed in the NCAA Tournament in 2006. Three of the tournament teams Arkansas faces made the Super Regionals while two of those teams continued on to the World Series. “I’m really happy with the way the schedule turned out,” said head coach Jamie Pinkerton. “If we continue to improve and remain above .500 this schedule should help us accomplish our goal of making the NCAA Tournament.” The season opens with the first of three consecutive tournaments beginning Feb. 9-11 in Tampa, Fla., where the Lady Razorbacks face Virginia, Western Kentucky and host South Florida before seeded-championship play. The Lady’Backs travel to College Station, Texas, for the Texas A&M Aggie Classic, Feb. 16-18. Arkansas plays Texas-San Antonio, Rutgers and NCAA Tournament team and host Texas A&M. Arkansas opens its home season the next weekend, hosting the Clarion Inn-Lady’Back Invitational. The Lady Razorbacks welcome Missouri-Kansas City, Wichita State, Missouri and Colorado State. The Lady’Backs hit the road for a mid-week doubleheader against tournament team Oklahoma on Feb. 28. The home portion of the schedule heats up the beginning of March. Arkansas hosts the Holiday Inn Express-Arkansas Invitational March 2-4 taking on Utah State, Northern Iowa and Louisiana-Monroe. North Texas comes to Fayetteville for a game March 6. Southeastern Conference play begins at Lady’Back Yard March 10-11 against South Carolina. Pinkerton made the schedule in hopes of preparing his team for the SEC portion of games. “The schedule sets us up nicely for SEC play,” said Pinkerton. “The tournament at Texas A&M early in the season gets us ready for similar environments we will see in the SEC.” Arkansas meets Western Illinois March 14 before traveling to Lincoln, Neb., for the Big Red Tournament March 16-18. The season continues with consecutive SEC road games to Alabama March 21 and Tennessee March 24-25, both 2006 World Series teams. Arkansas hosts conference foe Auburn mid-week before traveling to Stillwater, Okla., March 29 for the Border War against Tulsa and Oklahoma State. The Lady’Backs have home games against Kentucky March 31-April 1, then travel to Kansas April 3, and Florida April 6-7, before returning home for a mid-week doubleheader against Alcorn State April 11. Arkansas travels to Mississippi, April 14-15, and returns home to face Louisiana Tech April 18, and LSU April 21-22. The Lady’Backs go to Wichita State on April 25, return home for their final home series against Georgia April 28-29, then end their regular season with a road trip to Mississippi State May 4-5. For more information and tickets please call the Lady Razorback Ticket Office at 57-LBACK or log on to LADYBACKS.COM.

2007 ARKANSAS SOFTBALL SCHEDULE