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Barford earns MVP honors; Macon shows well at Portsmouth Invitational

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Jaylen Barford went up against the best college seniors in the nation over the weekend and earned Most Valuable Player honors at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament in Virginia.

Leading his team to a perfect 3-0 record, Barford finished second in the tournament in scoring at 19.3 points per game, including pouring in 23 points and adding five rebounds in the semifinals. He shot 38 percent from behind the arc and averaged 6.7 rebounds per contest.

Not to be outdone, Daryl Macon averaged 10.7 points per game and proved to be one of the best point guards in the event. He led all players with 23 assists, dishing out 7.7 dimes per contest.

The Portsmouth Invitational invites the 64 best college basketball seniors from across the nation to participate in a four-day, 12 game tournament in front of representatives from all 30 NBA team.

Held every year since 1953, the tournament is a showcase for future professional players with approximately 200 NBA representatives attending the event this year.

Pitching staff throws pair of shutouts for series win over SC

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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FAYETTEVILLE — Playing in its third doubleheader of the season, Arkansas didn’t need to outslug South Carolina on Saturday because the pitching staff that shined.

They allowed no runs and just four hits over the two-game day, helping to sweep the twinbill, 2-0 and 3-0, earning the series win over the Gamecocks.

Due to the strong storms that moved through the area on Friday, both games of today’s doubleheader were forced to be just seven innings long.

Starting pitchers Kacey Murphy and Isaiah Campbell were practically untouchable in their respective games, combining for 11 shutout innings and just three hits allowed with one walk.

Murphy took a perfect game into the top of the seventh before giving up a lead-off single to Justin Row. He earned his fifth win of the year and it was his fifth outing of six or more innings.

Campbell, who has been trying to work his way back from an arm injury that forced him to miss the Ole Miss series, had his best outing in three weeks, going five innings with only two hits allowed.

He only struck out one, but only walked one also, throwing 66 pitches on the day. The win moves Campbell’s record to 3-3.

Saturday’s doubleheader sweep gave the Razorbacks their third conference series win of the year and improves their SEC record to 10-5, which leads the western division.

Saturday’s sweep was also the first time an Arkansas team shutout a conference opponent twice on the same day since April 7, 1984 when Arkansas beat Texas A&M, 1-0 and 4-0.

Game 1 | Arkansas 2, South Carolina 0

Coming off a 3-2 loss on Thursday, Arkansas needed to get the bats going early Saturday in hopes of evening the series up with the Gamecocks.

The Hogs got that early run from Carson Shaddy in the second inning when he smacked a 2-0 fastball to left-center for his eighth home run of the year, giving his team a 1-0 lead.

Shaddy hadn’t homered since March 29, but came through in a big way to get on top of South Carolina starter Adam Hill early.

The redshirt senior has nine hits in his last eight games and homered again in the second game of the doubleheader Saturday to earn himself the team lead with nine home runs on the year.

On the mound, Murphy continued to deal through the early innings, striking out four batters in the first three innings and inducing four fly outs over that same stretch.

Murphy went on to strike out two more batters before giving up the single to Row to start the seventh.

Including his six scoreless innings from Saturday, Murphy has thrown nine scoreless frames going back to his final three innings against Auburn last week. In those nine innings, the junior has struck out seven and allowed just two hits.

Along with Shaddy, Dominic Fletcher, Casey Martin, and Jordan McFarland all added one hit in the game. The Hogs were able to add their only other run in the game in the sixth inning when Shaddy scored on a wild pitch from John Gilreath.

Game 2 | Arkansas 3, South Carolina 0

Much like the first game of the day, Arkansas’ starting pitcher did the heavy lifting. Campbell shut down South Carolina’s bats, giving up just three hits over five scoreless innings.

An RBI single in the first from Heston Kjerstad got the Hogs going again with the early lead. Kjerstad finished the game 1-for-3.

With little action from the bats until the sixth, Shaddy crushed a two-run home run to left field, his second homer of the day, giving the Razorbacks the insurance they needed.

Sophomore Matt Cronin closed out both games of the doubleheader Saturday, giving him nine saves on the year and good for a tie for first in the SEC.

Cronin has earned saves in four-straight appearances and his three innings of work on Saturday drops his ERA to 2.05, while opposing batters are hitting just .129 against him.

Razorback Quotables

“He just attacks you with a fastball, that’s both sides of the plate, up, in, down. He just moves it around, he can locate it. Now we’re starting to use his breaking ball a bit more, we’re showing it. We actually tried to finish a couple of hitters with it. He just hasn’t really allowed people to get on. We’ve brought him with runners on, he seems to be able to get out of the jam. When we’ve let him start an inning, he hasn’t let too many guys get on base. He attacks you.” — Coach Dave Van Horn on Matt Cronin’s success

“It was really important for us to come back and win this series. We knew we couldn’t do that without winning game one today. We had a team breakfast at 8 a.m. Got them up early, got them here. They had a great attitude. Both teams had to play in that wind and that temperature out there. I was proud of them.” — Van Horn on bouncing back after losing the first game of the series on Thursday

“That’s a good spot to be, especially this year, with as good as the league is. You just feel like everyone’s going to kind of beat each other up a little bit. If you have a bad weekend, find a way to win one and if you have a chance to sweep someone you get that sweep. For us to bounce back and get to 10-5 after losing a couple series on the road, it was big.” — Van Horn on leading the SEC Western Division at the midway point

“I had a lot of layers on, some thick gloves. Between innings, I would go into the tunnel and do some squats and stuff.  Just kind of do some air throws, get some blood into my arm. It kept me warm.” — Matt Cronin on staying warm all day during a doubleheader

“I think that we were really angry from two days ago that we lost that game. I think a lot of us thought we were right there, about to take it from them and we feel like we’re a better team than them. I don’t think there was pressure, just anger to come out and do what we were supposed to do.” — Carson Shaddy on sweeping the doubleheader after losing game one on Thursday

Up Next

Arkansas stays home for its next game when it hosts Missouri State for a single midweek game on Tuesday at Baum Stadium. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. The game between the Bears and Hogs will close out a 10-game homestand, which includes last Tuesday’s game against Grambling State in North Little Rock, Arkansas.

Season-best marks close out John McDonnell Invitational

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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FAYETTEVILLE — With the weather yielding less than favorable conditions, Arkansas wrapped up the John McDonnell Invitational posting multiple season-best marks on the track and in the field.

“The men that were competing today did a great job of battling the elements,” said coach Chris Bucknam. “I thought we made some progress in some areas throughout the weekend.

‘you really had two totally different type of days. You had a warm windy day (Friday) and now you have a cold windy day (Saturday). Our 1,500-meter guys and our distance guys all got a good run in.

“I think we came through without injuries and put it in the books. We’ll hope for warmer weather next week in California and Texas.”

In the first event of the day, Erich Sullins picked up right where he left off yesterday as the junior finished the hammer throw with a season-best mark of 60.73m (199’-3”) that fell just a few feet short of his personal best of 61.82m (202′-9.75″) that he set last season at the Arkansas Twilight meet in May.

The 400-meter events proved to be successful for the Razorbacks as the duo of Larry Donald (51.49) and Travius Chambers (51.72) went 1-2 in the 400-meter hurdles while Jamarco Stephen (47.44) and John Winn (48.04) finished 1-4 in the 400-meter open.

Chambers and Stephen both finished with season-best performances in their respective events.

The season-best times continued to roll in for Arkansas moving up to the 800-meters where Chase Pareti and Reese Walters crossed the line with times of 1:55.49 and 1:56.02, both season-bests.

It was a 1-2-3 sweep in the 1,500-meters with Cameron Griffith leading the way. Griffith at 3:45.42 — a new personal best — was followed by Ethan Moehn (3:49.75), Kyle Hosting (3:49.81), Kyle Levermore (3:51.83), Andrew Ronoh (3:55.33), Ryan Murphy (3:55.59), Gilbert Boit (3:56.58), and Austen Dalquist (3:58.14) in second, third, fifth, 10th, 11th, 12th, and 14th-places, respectively.

Hosting, Murphy, and Boit also turned in personal-bests in the event.

Preston Cates ran 8:48.62 in the 3,000-meters for seventh-place while Rubin Owens jumped out to 14.74m (48′-4.50″) in the triple jump finishing third overall.

Alex Springer tossed the javelin 61.18m (200′-9″) to win the event while Andrew Henn finished with a throw of 55.25m (181′-3″) for third.

Saturday Results
John McDonnell Invitational

Hammer Throw
1. E. Sullins – 60.73m (199′-3″)

400-meter hurdles
1. L. Donald – 51.49
2. T. Chambers – 51.72

400-meters
1. J. Stephen – 47.44
4. J. Winn – 48.04

800-meters
7. C. Pareti 1:55.49
9. R. Walters 1:56.02

1,500-meters
1. C. Griffith – 3:45.42
2. E. Moehn – 3:49.75
3. K. Hosting – 3:49.81
5. K. Levermore – 3:51.83
10. A. Ronoh – 3:55.33
11. R. Murphy – 3:55.59
12. G. Boit – 3:56.58
14. A. Dalquist – 3:58.14

3,000-meters
7. P. Cates – 8:48.62

4-x-400 meter relay
1. Arkansas – 3:12.12

Javelin
1. A. Springer – 61.18m (200′-9″)
3. A. Henn – 55.25m (181′-3″)

Triple Jump
3. R. Owens – 14.74m (48’—4.50″)

Arkansas grinds out final day in cold weather at John McDonnell Invitational

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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FAYETTEVILLE — Competing in less than ideal weather, Arkansas overcame the sub-50 degree weather to use the final day of the John McDonnell Invitational to post multiple season-best marks.

“I think mother nature held us hostage with inclement weather,” said coach Lance Harter. “The women competed really well.

“Unfortunately, Friday the winds were so extreme that the marks, despite being phenomenal, won’t count because of the wind readings. But the competitive effort was there and the consistency factor of running quality efforts is going to pay dividends as the season progresses.

“Not all the meets that we’ve yet to conquer, all the way to the NCAA’s, are going to be ideal [weather]. I think they made the best of it.

“Today we had some good breakthroughs, we got good solid marks in the 1,500-meters considering the wind-chill factor was 24 degrees. I think the women made the best of it considering the circumstances were not in our favor as far as weather goes,” said Harter.

In the women’s 400-meters, Morgan Burks-Magee ran 54.39 for third-place trailing only Chrishuna Williams of Nike (53.63) and the event winner Daina Harper (52.51) — both former Razorbacks.

Sydney Davis took fourth in the same race with her time of 55.42.

Carina Viljoen recorded a season-best in the 800-meters with her runner-up time of 2:08.84. Emily Jeacock finished 10th running 2:19.22.

The 1,500-meters featured five Razorbacks in the top-10 led by Devin Clark’s third-place time of 4:24.24.

After Clark across the line were teammates Regan Hime (4:31.31), Ruth Wiggins (4:32.07), Micah Huckabee (4:35.62), Rachel Nichwitz (4:38.13), Kailee Sawyer (4:39.30), Abby Gray (4:41.57), Alex Ritchey (4:44.02), Greta Taylor (4:49.33), and Payton Brown (4:55.62) in fifth, sixth, ninth, 10th, 11th, 17th, 22nd, 26th, and 34th-place.

Carmen Sitz tied a season-best clearance in the high jump as she soared over 1.65m (5’-5”).

Saturday Results
John McDonnell Invitational

400-meters
3. M. Burks-Magee – 54.39
4. S. Davis – 55.42

800-meters
2. C. Viljoen – 2:08.84
10. E. Jeacock – 2:19.22

1,500-meters
3. D. Clark – 4:24.24
5. R. Hime – 4:31.31
6. R. Wiggins – 4:32.07
9. M. Huckabee – 4:35.62
10. R. Nichwitz – 4:38.13
11. K. Sawyer – 4:39.30
17. A. Gray – 4:41.57
22. A. Ritchey – 4:44.02
26. G. Taylor – 4:49.33
34. P. Brown – 4:55.62

High Jump
5. C. Sitz – 1.65m (5′-5″)

Van Horn looking back on pair of close wins Saturday

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn with the media after sweeping South Carolina on Saturday in a pair of close games behind strong pitching from Kacey Murphy, Isaiah Campbell and two saves from Matt Cronin.

Campbell, Cronin, Shaddy recapping second game win

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Arkansas pitchers Isaiah Campbell and Matt Cronin along with second baseman Carson Shaddy after Arkansas’ doubleheader sweep over South Carolina on Saturday.

Kim goes low to lead Arkansas to runner-up spot at Liz Murphey Classic

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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ATHENS, Ga. — Arkansas junior Dylan Kim tied her career-best with a final round 68 leading Arkansas to a runner-up finish at the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic in Athens, Georgia, on Saturday.

Kim’s tie for ninth place overall is her fifth top-10 finish as a Razorback and it is the first time she has been Arkansas’ low finisher. Kim’s round helped Arkansas tie for second place shooting a one-over 865 (290–284–291).

Top-ranked Alabama won the event finishing 15-under with an 849.

Arkansas tied No. 5 Duke in the second-place spot. Host Georgia made a late charge on their home course and was just one of three teams to shoot under par in the final round. The Bulldogs were six shots back with an 871.

Kim’s final round 68 was simply solid golf. She opened with six consecutive par holes before finishing birdie-bogey-birdie at the turn.

Kim picked up three more birdies, including on the final hole, to finish 1-under. She counted rounds of 73–74–68—215.

Senior Alana Uriell (73–70–74) and junior Maria Fassi (73–72–72) tied for 12th place with 1-over 217s. Junior Kaylee Benton tied for 17th shooting 219 (71–71–77) followed by freshman Maria Hoyos who tied for 38th with a 228 (77–71–80) in her fourth collegiate event.

Junior Cara Gorlei wrapped up the tournament in 37th place with an 11-over 227 (74–78–75) competing as an individual.

The event is the final regular season tournament for Arkansas. The team will remain on the road traveling to Birmingham, Alabama, for the SEC Championship at Greystone Golf and Country Club.

The SEC Championship features a format change to mirror the NCAA Championship with three rounds of stroke play and two days of match play action beginning April 18.

Notes

• Arkansas won five of eight regular season tournaments, had two runner-up finishes and one fourth-place finish.

• Maria Fassi won five individual titles.

• The Razorbacks played the four fall events 92-under par; They are 67-under par in eight events.

• Maria Fassi has been Arkansas’ low finisher in six events with Alana Uriell and Dylan Kim leading the Razorbacks in the other two regular season competitions.

The Lineup

PLACE PLAYER SCORE TO PAR
T9 Dylan Kim 73–74–68—215 -1
T12 Alana Uriell 73–70–74—217 +1
T12 Maria Fassi 73–72–72—217 +1
T17 Kaylee Benton 71–71–77—219 +3
37 Cara Gorlei (Ind) 74–78–75—227 +11
T38 Maria Hoyos 77–71–80—228 +12


The Field

Pos. School Score Total To Par
1 Alabama 276–286–287—849 -15
T2 Arkansas 290–284–291—865 +1
T2 Duke 292–288–285—865 +1
4 Georgia 290–295–286—871 +7
5 Baylor 289–299–292—880 +16
6 Kennesaw State 297–296–290—883 +19
7 Daytona State 294–295–300—889 +25
8 Louisville 293–298–299—890 +26
9 Ole Miss 305–292–298—895 +31
10 Florida 315–291–292—898 +34
11 Denver 312–297–306—915 +51
12 Kansas 320–316–307—943 +79

Haff delivers complete-game shutout to even series with Tide

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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FAYETTEVILLE — Behind a complete-game shutout by freshman Mary Haff, Arkansas posted a 3-0 win over Alabama on Saturday afternoon at Bogle Park.

The victory is the program’s first against the Crimson Tide since the 2012 season. With the win, the Razorbacks improve to 32-9 overall with a 7-7 mark in SEC games, equaling their conference total from a year ago.

Up Next
The series finale between Arkansas and Alabama is scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m. The first 100 fans in attendance will receive a free pink t-shirt in recognition of breast cancer awareness.

Gates at Bogle Park open at 12 p.m.

FINAL: #19/20 Arkansas 3, #15 Alabama 0 | Box Score

Haff registered nine strikeouts—her high in SEC play—and allowed just four hits with no walks against Alabama. The outing marks her eighth complete-game shutout of the season and her second against an SEC opponent.

With her sixth strikeout of the game, Haff moved into the program’s single-season top 10. She currently sits at 181 strikeouts in 136.2 innings during her freshman campaign.

After a scoreless first inning, the Razorbacks broke through in the second with two runs without the benefit of a hit.

Senior Tori Cooper and freshman Kayla Green drew back-to-back walks to lead off the frame and both moved into scoring position on a wild pitch by Alabama starter Courtney Gettins.

Junior Ashley Diaz drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly to right field and senior A.J. Belans added another with an RBI ground out to second.

Haff gave up an infield single on the first pitch of the game but proceeded to retire the next nine hitters she faced.

After the Razorbacks took a 3-0 lead in the third on an RBI double by Katie Warrick, the visitors put together a threat in the top of the fourth with two on and one out.

However, Haff responded with a strikeout and a fly out to left to get out of the jam.

Down to its last set of outs, Alabama (26-12, 7-7 SEC) had runners on first and second with two outs after a pair of singles to right field.

Once again, Haff came through and got a pop up handed by Belans just inside the foul line to end the game.

Saturday’s game marked just the second time Arkansas had shut out Alabama in the series history, and first since 2002.

Murphy after winning first game for Hogs in 2-0 win

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Arkansas pitcher Kacey Murphy talked with the media after holding South Carolina hitless through six innings before giving way to Matt Cronin in the seventh. It was a seven-inning, 2-0 win for the Razorbacks as Murphy gave up a lone hit, struck out six in a strong start to the doubleheader for the Hogs.

Razorbacks top Tennessee on road in regular season finale

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A strong performance in singles play helped Arkansas to a 4-2 win at Tennessee on Saturday, the Razorbacks’ third straight victory against the Volunteers.

Tennessee (17-8, 3-10 Southeastern Conference) won the doubles point, but the Razorbacks (7-15, 3-10 SEC) stormed out in singles action, earning four victories, including the clincher from sophomore Natsuho Arakawa at No. 4, for the overall match victory.

“This was the epitome of a total team performance, and I’m very proud and happy for our players who overcame plenty of adversity on this road trip,” Razorbacks head coach Michael Hegarty said. “After losing a tough doubles point it was impressive the manner in which the team dug just a bit deeper to come out on top.”

The Volunteers’ doubles point came by way of victories at the top two spots after Razorbacks Arakawa and junior Agne Cepelyte struck first, 6-2, at No. 3.

An early deficit wouldn’t stop the Razorbacks from winning the first set at the top three spots and turning each of those leads into victories before Arakawa delivered a three-set comeback win to give Arkansas the team victory.

Tennessee earned the first win in singles, a 6-4, 6-1 decision at No. 6 by Johanna Silva, to take a 2-0 lead.

Then came the surge as the Razorbacks won the final four matches at the top four positions.

Sophomore No. 51 Giulia Pairone defeated Sadie Hammond, 6-2, 6-4, at No. 1, junior No. 83 Ana Oparenovic moved past Elizabeth Profit, 6-4, 6-1, at No. 2, senior Mia Jurasic topped Ariadna Riley, 7-6 (7-4), 6-1, at No. 3, and Arakawa scored the clinching victory at No. 4.

At the clinch, freshman Tatum Rice was entering a third set after winning the second, 6-3, at No. 5.

Green drives in four in series opener against Alabama

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas put together a four-run seventh inning Friday against No. 15 Alabama but dropped a 6-5 decision in the series opener at Bogle Park.

Freshman Kayla Green had two with four RBI including a three-run home run in the final frame.

Arkansas is now 31-9 overall with a 6-7 mark in SEC play. The game was interrupted by a 57-minute weather delay in the top of the fourth.

Up Next

The teams resume their weekend series Saturday morning at Bogle Park. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m. with the game being televised on ESPNU.

Mark Neely and Cheri Kempf will be in the booth to handle play-by-play and color analysis duties, respectively.

Game 1: #15 Alabama 6, #19/20 Arkansas 5 | Box Score

With the Razorbacks trailing by five entering the bottom of the seventh inning, pinch hitter Aly Manzo worked a walk out of Alabama starter Alexis Osorio who retired the next two on ground outs.

Down to its last out, Arkansas kept things going with an RBI single by Katie Warrick that scored Haydi Bugarin — on to run for Manzo — from third.

Senior Tori Cooper drew a walk of her on to put two on for Green.

The freshman catcher drove a 2-1 offering from Osorio over the fence in left center to pull the Razorbacks to within one run. The home run was the sixth of her freshman campaign and Arkansas’ 45th big fly this season.

However, the would-be rally was cut short with Osorio getting a ground ball to third to end the game.

Green opened the scoring with an RBI single in the first inning. Fellow freshman Hannah McEwen was hit with a pitch and stood on second after a base hit by Autumn Buczek.

Down 0-2 in the count, Green dropped a single into the right field that allowed McEwen to cross the plate.

Arkansas starter Autumn Storms kept Alabama (26-11, 7-6 SEC) off the board through three innings but the visitors scored right before the teams were pulled off the field and added two more after the delay.

Up 4-1 after five, the Tide tacked on two more scores with a two-run shot by Gabby Callaway in the top of the sixth. Sophomore Caroline Hedgcock relieved Storms after the home run and retired all four hitters she faced to keep the score within striking distance.

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