Lady'Backs host first fall tournament

FAYETTEVILLE – The University of Arkansas softball team hosts Crowder College, Seminole State College and Bacone College in its first fall tournament Sunday, Sept. 10, at Lady’Back Yard. The Arkansas Fall Festival begins at 9 a.m. when Seminole State meets Crowder. The Lady’Backs take the field at 11 a.m. facing Crowder. Arkansas plays Seminole State at 3 p.m. and concludes the tournament with Bacone at 7 p.m. Admission is free to the public. The Lady Razorbacks began fall practice Aug. 26 and this is head coach Jamie Pinkerton’s first look at his team in a game situation. “Since we’ve returned to school, we’ve been working on conditioning and acclimating eight newcomers to our team,” said Pinkerton. “The coaching staff and the players are really excited to get started and to build on the good finish from last year.” Arkansas softball welcomes eight newcomers and returns 12 players from the 2006 squad. Even though the team lost three of its top four hitters to graduation and over 50 percent of its pitching staff, Pinkerton is very optimistic about this year’s squad. “Our players reported back in really good shape and overall as a team, I feel we’re more talented,” said Pinkerton. “We’ll see a lot more team speed and a lot more hustle this year.” The Lady’Backs have two new faces on the mound, freshmen Teighynne Hulsey and Miranda Dixon, both from Edmond, Okla. Hulsey, Dixon and junior Katy Henry, who threw more than half of Arkansas’ innings last season, are expected to start one game each at Sunday’s Arkansas Fall Festival. Competition has been strong for all positions and the coaching staff hopes to find a solid lineup this fall. “In the fall winning is nice, but that’s not our main concern,” said Pinkerton. “We want to put the pieces of the puzzle together to see what the squad’s going to look like.” Arkansas hosts two more fall tournaments. Sept. 16, Arkansas hosts Connors State College, Neosho County Community College and Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College in the Lady’Back Fall Festival and on Sept. 30 the Lady’Backs welcome Carl Albert State College, Rogers State University and Oklahoma Baptist University for the Arkansas Fall Invitational. For more information about Arkansas softball log on to LADYBACKS.COM.