Razorback Roundup -- Sept. 8

RAZORBACK ROUNDUPSept. 8, 2009BASEBALL: The baseball team begins fall practice on Tuesday at Baum Stadium. The Razorbacks, coming off a third-place finish at the College World Series, return many of their position players from a year ago and have 45 days to conduct their fall practice schedule which culminates in the annual Cardinal-White series. Several Razorbacks had very productive summers, including now sophomore Zack Cox, who was named the West All-Star MVP in the Cape Cod League; Brett Eibner, who participated in the Cape Cod League Home Run Derby; and Andy Wilkins, who helped Team USA (Collegiate) capture the World Baseball Challenge Championship.MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY: The Razorbacks recorded a perfect score of 15 points at their 2009 season opener, the Arkansas Invitational, Friday night in Fayetteville. Freshman Solomon Haile made the most of his Razorback debut and took the four-mile race win in a time of 19:43.9. He led his teammates to a perfect score of 15 points. The Razorbacks finished all five scorers in the top five and all seven runners in the top 13. The Razorbacks will compete next at the Missouri Southern Stampede on Saturday, Sept. 19, in Joplin, Mo.WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY: Junior Miranda Walker and the Razorbacks opened the 2009 season with a win at the Arkansas Invitational in Fayetteville on Friday night. Walker, back from redshirting the 2008 season because of an injury, took the 4,000-meter race win with a time of 14:01.5. She led her teammates to a win in the team race with 25 points. The Razorbacks finished five runners in the top 10, seven in the top 12 and all competitors in the top 14. Missouri Southern finished with 34 points. The Razorbacks will compete next at the Missouri Southern Stampede, Saturday, Sept. 19, in Joplin, Mo.FOOTBALL (1-0): The Razorback football team started the 2009 season with a 48-10 victory over Missouri State in Little Rock. Arkansas set a school record with 447 passing yards and leads the nation in passing offense. This week, Arkansas has a bye before returning to action against Georgia in the SEC opener in Fayetteville on Sept. 19. The game will kick off at 6:45 p.m. and will be aired on either ESPN or ESPN2. MEN’S GOLF: Arkansas opens the 2009 season at the Fifth Annual Minnesota Gopher Invitational in Wayzetta, Minn., Sunday and Monday. Arkansas finished last season as the NCAA runner-up and returns three student-athletes from that record-setting team.WOMEN’S GOLF: The Razorbacks are a week away from their opener, but a pair of players will take part in the P&G Northwest Arkansas LPGA qualfier Tuesday. Senior Kristin Ingram and junior Kelli Shean will both compete with hopes of making the cut. Also competing are former Razorbacks Stacy Lewis and Lucy Nunn.SOCCER (4-0-1): The Razorbacks completed a trip to Tulsa, Okla., this weekend with a 0-0 tie against Tulsa and a 3-0 victory over Oral Roberts. In the first match, Arkansas fired off a season-high 23 shots against the Golden Hurricane, but weren’t able to find the back of the net. It was Arkansas’ first 0-0 tie since the 2006 season. In the weekend finale, Kelsey Allison, Laurel Pastor and Tara Zika each scored their first goals as Razorbacks in the win. Against the Golden Eagles, freshman Allie Chandler had her first two-assist performance. Pastor added an assist on the team’s third goal of the contest. She is the first Razorback this season with a goal and an assist in the same match. With the win Sunday, Arkansas improved to 4-0-1, the best five-match start in program history. The team has just one match this week, a Sunday matchup at home with Stephen F. Austin a 1 p.m. at Razorback Field.SOFTBALL: Arkansas begins its fall season with the first of three scheduled doubleheaders. The Razorbacks play Lake Land College Saturday with games set for 4 and 6 p.m. at Bogle Park.VOLLEYBALL (4-3): Volleyball improved to 4-3, going 2-1 with a runnerup finish at the Virginia Tech Invitational last week. Kristin Seaton and Phoebe Bautista earned selection to the all- tournament team. Arkansas plays at Tulsa Tuesday and hosts the Arkansas Invitational this weekend. OLYMPIC SPORTS PRESS CONFERENCE:Tuesday at 1 p.m. in the Barnhill Arena interview room.