Razorback Roundup -- March 9

RAZORBACK ROUNDUPMarch 9, 2009BASEBALL (9-2) The No. 21 Razorbacks went 4-1 on the week with a series sweep of Valparaiso and taking two of three from California. The series with California set Baum Stadium records for tickets sold (25,529) and actual attendance (21,429). Senior Chase Leavitt had an unbelievable weekend against California as he reached base 14 times in 17 plate appearances, including 11 straight times between Friday and Sunday. In Sunday’s series-clinching victory, he went 4-5 with two runs and five RBI. Senior Ben Tschepikow was instrumental in the Friday win as he hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth with two out to force extra innings. Arkansas makes its first road trip of the season for a mid-week set at Centenary College in Shreveport, La., before returning to Baum Stadium for the start of SEC play against the Florida Gators.MEN’S BASKETBALL (14-15, 2-14) The Hogs are in Tampa, Fla., for the SEC Tournament at the St. Pete Times Forum this week. Arkansas plays the final game on Thursday, at 8:45 p.m. (central) against Florida. The game is being televised by Raycom Sports. If the Razorbacks advance, they play Auburn on Friday at 8:45 p.m. in another game televised by Raycom. Arkansas ended its regular season Sunday with a 75-58 loss at Vanderbilt. Freshmen Courtney Fortson and Rotnei Clarke combined for 35 of Arkansas’ 58 points. Arkansas closed it’s home season with a 98-91 overtime loss to Ole Miss on Wednesday, the team’s fifth loss by five points or less, and/or in overtime. WOMEN’S BASKETBALL (17-13) Junior Charity Ford was named the SEC Sixth Woman of the Year, guard Ceira Ricketts was named Co-Freshman of the Year, and Lyndsay Harris and Ricketts were named to the SEC All-Freshman team. Arkansas’ regular season ended with a 65-60 loss to Ole Miss in the opening round of the SEC Tournament. Senior Whitney Jones turned in her fifth double-double of the season to lead the Razorbacks. Arkansas returns to practice awaiting Selection Monday for the Women’s NCAA and Women’s NIT tournaments.FOOTBALL The football team will hold pro day Tuesday inside the Willard and Pat Walker Pavilion. Players are expected to begin testing at 11 a.m. and conclude at approximately 1 p.m. MEN’S GOLF No. 12 Arkansas competed in the Seminole Intercollegiate last weekend, tying for fifth with a score of 12-over 876 (296-287-293) in a field of 12 teams. Vanderbilt won the tournament with a one-under score of 863 (290-286-287). Senior Jason Cuthbertson tied for third with a one-under score of 215 (73-75-67), just two strokes behind tournament winner Ryan Haselden of Vanderbilt. David Lingmerth also cracked the top 10 at a tie for sixth, scoring an even par 216 (73-68-75). The team next sees tournament action Friday at the Border Olympics in Houston, Texas.WOMEN’S GOLF Arkansas begins the spring ranked 24th in the Golf World/NGCA Golf Coaches’ Poll, it was announced last week. It is the first poll of the spring season – a season the Razorbacks have yet to start. Arkansas opens this week at the LSU/Cleveland Invitational in Baton Rouge, La. Sophomore Kelli Shean and senior Lucy Nunn emerged as the fall leaders for the four-event start to the season. Shean leads the team with a 74.42 stroke average followed closely by Nunn with a 74.92 average.GYMNASTICS (7-4, 3-3) The 10th-ranked Razorbacks closed the 2009 home regular season with a win over No. 18 Minnesota Friday. Junior Michelle Stout won her first all-around title of the season and the second of her career while senior Alex LaChance was honored after the meet. Arkansas travels to Texas Woman’s University for a quad meet Friday followed by the SEC Championship. The Razorbacks host the 2009 NCAA South Central Regional April 4 in Barnhill Arena.MEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD No. 2 Arkansas is competing at the NCAA Indoor Championships Friday and Saturday in College Station, Texas. Currently the Razorbacks have eight automatic qualifiers for the meet. The list of accepted entries is released Monday (today) at 8 p.m. Arkansas has eight provisional marks awaiting entry to the meet.WOMEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD No. 11 Arkansas competes at the NCAA Indoor Championships Friday and Saturday in College Station, Texas. Currently the Razorbacks have three automatic qualifiers for the meet. The list of accepted entries is released Monday (today) at 8 p.m. Arkansas has 10 provisional marks awaiting entry to the meet.SOFTBALL (11-9): Arkansas split its four-game set at the Oklahoma State Mizuno Classic in Stillwater, Okla., over the weekend. The Razorbacks opened with a 6-3 win over Drake, avenging a loss to the Bulldogs earlier in the season. Whitney Cloer hit a grand slam in the bottom of the fifth to break a 1-1 tie and lift the Razorbacks to victory. Arkansas extended its winning streak to five by beating Cleveland State, 3-1, to start day two. Amie Hubbard drove in two runs and Miranda Dixon pitched a complete game with 10 strikeouts. A six-run sixth inning by Northern Colorado was the downfall of the Razorbacks in the day’s second game, a 6-2 loss to the Bears. In the final game against host Oklahoma State, the Razorbacks erased a six-run deficit behind a pair of solo home runs by Cloer and Brittany Robison, and a grand slam by Jessica Robison. The Cowgirls scored a run in the bottom of the seventh, however, for a 7-6 win. Arkansas begins SEC play Wednesday with a doubleheader against South Carolina at 3 p.m. at Bogle Park.SWIMMING AND DIVING (10-1, 3-1) Razorbacks Erica Totten and Lynette Ng were in Austin, Texas, last weekend at the Austin Grand Prix looking to qualify for their respective home country’s world championship team. Totten, competing for the Republic of the Philippines, set four Filipino records over the course of the three-day event in the 400 free LC meters, 800 free LC meters, 200 IM LC meters and 400 IM LC meters. Ng, competing for Singapore, set career-best times in the 50 free, 100 free and 200 back. This week, the Razorback divers are in Columbia, Mo., for the NCAA Zone Diving Championships Friday through Sunday.MEN’S TENNIS (6-5, 0-2): No. 47 Arkansas opened SEC play last weekend and was defeated by No. 20 Alabama (6-1) and No. 26 Auburn (4-1). The Razorbacks continue the season with three straight road matches beginning Wednesday at Oklahoma State. The match begins at 2 p.m. UA returns to league action with matches at Kentucky and Vanderbilt on Friday and Sunday, respectively. WOMEN’S TENNIS (6-3, 1-1): After losing Friday to No. 37 Alabama, 4-3, the 28th-ranked Razorbacks bounced back strong, 6-1, over No. 50 Auburn on Sunday. Senior Aurelija Miseviciute, ranked No. 10 overall, finished the weekend 4-0 overall in singles and doubles. With wins over No. 82 Tiffany Welcher and Auburn’s 11th-ranked Fani Chifchieva, Miseviciute moves to 16-1 overall against ranked opponents on the season. The Hogs play host to No. 14 Kentucky on Friday and 33rd-ranked Vanderbilt on Sunday.OLYMPIC SPORTS PRESS CONFERENCETuesday at 1 p.m. in the Barnhill Arena interview room.