Razorback Roundup -- April 27

RAZORBACK ROUNDUPApril 27, 2009BASEBALL (29-12, 13-7): Arkansas got back to its winning ways last week as it went 3-1 with a mid-week victory at Oral Roberts before traveling to Tennessee to take two of three games. By virtue of its loss to Tennessee on Saturday, the Razorbacks drop to second in the SEC West, a half game behind LSU, which travels to Arkansas’ Baum Stadium this weekend for a three-game showdown of the top two teams in the division. In the national polls, Arkansas ranked between No. 7 and No. 13 last week with their high ranking coming from Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. Freshman Zack Cox batted over .500 in three games with seven hits, four for extra bases and four RBI. The Razorbacks belted five home runs in their 15-8 victory at Tennessee on Sunday. The five dingers are a season best. Andy Wilkins and Scott Lyons each hit two home runs in Sunday’s win. Wilkins now has 13 on the season and leads the Razorbacks with 34 RBI. Arkansas’ 15 runs against Tennessee on Sunday is the second time this season the Hogs have tallied at least 15 against a conference opponent this year (Miss. St.-20). The last time was during the 2002 season when they scored 18 and 16. Junior Dallas Keuchel earned his sixth win of the season and fifth in SEC play on Friday. The Razorbacks play another tough opponent on Tuesday as Oklahoma comes to Baum Stadium. The LSU series this weekend could decide the division.MEN’S BASKETBALL: Courtney Fortson has been named a freshman All-American by CollegeHoops.net. The 5-11, 180-pound point guard from Montgomery, Ala., was the top freshman playmaker in the nation (No. 18) and second overall in the SEC with 5.9 assists per game. He was also 13th in the conference in scoring (14.8) and 24th in rebounding (5.5). He was named to the CollegeHoops.net third team. Head coach John Pelphrey announced the signing of freshman guard Julysses Nobles of Jackson, Miss., for next year. Nobles, a finalist for Mississippi’s Mr. Basketball award, is ranked the No. 46 point guard in the nation by ESPN. He averaged 20.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 6.3 assists in leading Callaway High to the state title.FOOTBALL: Center Jonathan Luigs was selected in the fourth round of the 2009 NFL Draft Sunday by the Cincinnati Bengals held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Luigs was chosen with the sixth pick of the fourth round, the 106th selection overall. MEN’S GOLF: Arkansas was idle last week after its second-place finish at the SEC Championship. The Razorbacks are off this week as well and await the announcement of the 2009 NCAA Regional Championship selections Monday, May 4. Junior Jamie Marshall was named to the SEC Community Service Team last week with more SEC honors for men’s golf to be announced this week. The Razorbacks were again named to the Golf World/Nike Golf Division I Coaches’ Poll last week. Arkansas is No. 13 with 285 points, moving up from No. 21 in the previous poll. WOMEN’S GOLF: Arkansas was off last week after its SEC Championship second-place finish. The Razorbacks are off this week as well and await the announcement of the 2009 NCAA Regional Championship selections late today (Monday, April 27). Senior Lucy Nunn was named to the SEC Second-Team and the SEC Community Service Team last week. GYMNASTICS (11-9, 3-3): Although the season is over, Arkansas, which finished fifth in the nation at the NCAA Championship, is still getting things done. The Razorbacks had seven student-athletes named to the SEC Winter Academic Honor Roll. Senior kinesiology major Alex LaChance paced a strong group that included juniors Amy DeFilippo and Casey Jo Magee, who also major in kinesiology. Juniors Sarah Nagashima, apparel studies, and Michelle Stout, marketing, were also selected. A pair of sophomores also earned recognition – Stacy Bartlett, majoring in hotel and restaurant management, and Molly Lewis, who is undeclared. In addition, the gymnastics team announced the signing of Amanda Siebert from Springdale, Ark., last week. MEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD: Senior Andy McClary anchored Arkansas to a Penn Relays title in the 4xMile relay. Senior Alex McClary, sophomore Michael Chinchar, junior Dorian Ulrey and McClary combined for a time of 16:16.11 to take the 4xMile title. The win is Arkansas’ 45th Penn Relays title and its 20th in the 4xMile. Saturday’s relay win is Arkansas’ first Penn Relay title since winning the 4xMile in 2006. Remarkably, three of the four 4xMile relay legs came back three hours later to run in the 4×800-meter relay, their third race of the weekend. Joining sophomore Chris Bilbrew, the McClarys and Ulrey combined for a solid time of 7:18.16 and a third-place finish. Andy McClary (2:56.1), Bilbrew (46.7), Alex McClary (1:48.9) and Ulrey (4:01.1) combined for a time of 9:32.79 in the distance medley relay. The Razorbacks finished seventh in the championship sprint medley relay. Mychael Stewart, J-Mee Samuels, Marek Niit (47.4) and Bilbrew (1:52.2) combined for a time of 3:21.85.WOMEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD: At Missouri Southern, junior Katie Stripling improved her NCAA-leading mark in the pole vault and improved on her school record. Stripling won with a clearance of 14-4. She improved her previous NCAA and SEC best of 14-3.25. Her mark is a new personal best and improves her existing school record. She led a 1-4-5-6-8-9 finish for Arkansas in the event. Stripling now holds four of the five marks on Arkansas’ all-time list and a student-athlete now must clear 14 feet to earn a spot on the list. At the Drake Relays, the Razorback 4×400-meter relay finished eighth while the sprint medley relay finished fourth. Etienne Chaplin also finished ninth in the university long jump. Her best jump of the day measured 18-9.75.SOCCER: The 2009 spring exhibition four-game season came to a close Saturday for Arkansas with a 3-0 win over Missouri State at Razorback Field. The Hogs’ aggressive play led to 11 shots on goal and nine corner kicks in the victory. Following the game, the Razorback coaching staff and student-athletes hosted a youth clinic for fans in attendance.SOFTBALL (25-24, 10-14): The Razorback clinched a spot in the 2009 SEC Tournament despite an 0-4 week on the field. It will be Arkansas’ first appearance at the post-season conference tournament since 2006 and the team’s second berth under head coach Jamie Pinkerton. The Hogs opened their week with an extra-inning setback against Missouri State. The Bears scored in the top of the eight to come away with a 2-1 win. In defeat, freshman Tori Mort recorded the first three-hit performance of her career and has reached base in five consecutive games. Arkansas traveled to Gainesville, Fla., for a weekend series against No. 1 Florida. On day one, the Razorbacks dropped a pair of 11-0 decisions to the nation’s top-ranked team and the Gators completed the sweep with a 6-0 victory Sunday. Arkansas hosts UMKC for a non-conference doubleheader Wednesday at Bogle Park. The Razorbacks close out the regular season with a weekend series in Fayetteville against Georgia. Senior Day is scheduled for Sunday before the 11 a.m. first pitch.MEN’S TENNIS (10-14, 2-9): The No. 47 Razorbacks traveled to Auburn, Ala., for the SEC Championship last week. In their first-round match with No. 12 Kentucky, the Hogs captured the doubles point with wins at No. 2 doubles behind Matt Hogan and Dmitry Lebedev, and on Court 3 with Taylor King and Matt Walters. Battling on all six courts in singles, the Hogs were unable to halt a comeback by the Cats, even with a dominant performance by sophomore Chris Nott at No. 2 singles which gave them a 2-0 lead. The Wildcats posted wins in the next four completed matches at Nos. 3, 4, 5 and 6 singles, eliminating the Hogs from the tournament, 4-2. The Razorbacks expect Blake Strode to be named as an individual competitor in the 2009 NCAA Tournament on Wednesday.WOMEN’S TENNIS (13-7, 8-3): Arkansas played host to the SEC Women’s Tennis Championship last week. The Razorbacks, ranked No. 14, were the No. 2 seed and earned a bye into the second round. One student-athlete short due to illness and forced to default one match in singles and doubles, Arkansas fell to No. 26 Ole Miss, 4-3. Aurelija Miseviciute, who recently moved up to No. 2 in the nation, defeated No. 33 Kristi Boxx at No. 1 to improve to 36-3. Misevicuite was also named the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year and the SEC Player of the Year. Sophomore Anouk Tigu and senior Ela Kaluder earned second-team All-SEC honors. NCAA Tournament selections are announced Tuesday at 4:20 p.m. on ESPN News.OLYMPIC SPORTS PRESS CONFERENCE:Tuesday at 1 p.m. in the Barnhill Arena interview room.