Lady'Backs win with five doubles and three home runs

FAYETTEVILLE – The University of Arkansas softball team laced five doubles and three home runs in a five-inning, 11-2 win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Friday evening at Lady’Back Yard.

The Lady Razorbacks (26-17) tallied 12 hits, scored runs in every inning and played errorless ball to pick up their 26th win of the season. The Islanders dropped to 14-21. Arkansas’ five doubles tied the record for most in a game.

“It was good to get back on the field and play at home,” said head coach Jamie Pinkerton. “I was really pleased with how they went about their business today. They hit the ball extremely hard, hit line drives and had good approaches at the plate.”

Senior Samantha Buckner led the team going 3-for-3 with two runs and two RBI. Sophomore Brittany Robison was also perfect with a 2-for-2 performance, a double and an RBI from the eight hole. Sophomore Jessica Bachkora had two of the team’s doubles along with two runs and two RBI. Junior Kayla Johnson homered for three RBI and a run scored. Sophomore Sandra Smith and junior Whitney Cloer also hit home runs, while senior Dayna Huckabee and junior Jocelyne Moncrief also added doubles.

Bachkora led off the bottom of the first inning with a double down the left field line and advanced to second on a ground out by Johnson. Sophomore Miranda Dixon pushed the Lady’Backs first run across the plate scoring Bachkora with a sacrifice fly to center field.

In the second inning, a single up the middle by Buckner, two doubles by Moncrief and Bachkora and two home runs by Johnson and Smith added five runs and increased Arkansas’ lead to 6-0. Johnson hit her third homer of the week and seventh on the year with a three-run shot. Smith’s long ball was her 11th of the season and she holds the single season record.

Huckabee led off the third inning with a double a bounce away from the center field wall. Buckner followed with a single down the left field line that plated Huckabee. Robison then hit the Lady’Backs’ fifth double of the game before the side was retired.

In the top of the fourth, the Islanders scored off of a two-run home run to left field by Margo Hurdt.

Arkansas answered in the bottom of the inning as Cloer led off with the Lady’Backs third home run of the evening. RBI singles by Buckner and Robison and a walk by Bachkora with the bases loaded scored Dixon, Huckabee and Buckner, respectively, and put the Lady’Backs up 11-2.

Henry (14-8) threw a complete game and picked up the win in the circle. She gave up two runs on three hits, walked one and struck out five.

The Lady’Backs finish the three-game set with a doubleheader against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 1 p.m. Saturday.

“Hopefully we can come back out tomorrow and string a couple more together,” said Pinkerton.

For more information and tickets please call the Razorback Ticket Office at 57-LBACK or log on to LADYBACKS.COM.