Razorbacks' power faces Tide's pitching

May 10, 2017 at 2:19 a.m.

by Tom Murphy

Arkansas' Nicole Schroeder runs the bases during a game against Connecticut on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017, in Boca Raton, Fla. Schroeder was named SEC player of the week last month, the first Razorbacks player to earn the award in three years.

The SEC's top home run hitting team will take on the league's No. 2 pitching staff when the Arkansas Razorbacks face No. 15 Alabama today in an 11 a.m. elimination game to open the SEC Tournament in Knoxville, Tenn.

The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, in the tournament for the first time since 2013 under second-year Coach Courtney Deifel, has hit an SEC-best 56 home runs. Alabama's team ERA of 1.57 ranks second behind No. 1 Florida (0.75), the top seed for the tournament at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.

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ARKANSAS SOFTBALL

vs. Alabama

WHEN 11 a.m., today

WHERE Knoxville, Tenn.

RECORDS Arkansas 31-21, 7-17 SEC; Alabama 40-15, 12-11 SEC

SERIES Alabama leads 56-8

PROBABLE PITCHERS Arkansas RHP Autumn Storms (16-14, 2.05 ERA); Alabama RHP Alexis Osorio (20-7, 1.34)

TV SEC Network

SHORT HOPS

Arkansas shortstop A.J. Belans was voted second-team All-SEC by league coaches, and pitcher Autumn Storms was named to the SEC All-Freshman team Tuesday. … Alabama holds a 4-1 edge over Arkansas in SEC Tournament games. … The Crimson Tide swept a three-game series from the Razorbacks on March 10-12. … Arkansas is No. 8 in SEC batting (.286), No. 11 in pitching (2.72 ERA) and No. 9 in fielding (.967). Alabama is No. 7 in batting (.287), No. 2 in pitching (1.57 ERA) and No. 3 in fielding (.976).

The Razorbacks (31-21) are the No. 12 seed, while the Crimson Tide (40-15) are the No. 5 seed.

The winner will face No. 4 seed Texas A&M (42-9) at 11 a.m. on Thursday.

In other first-round games, Ole Miss and Mississippi State play at 1:30 p.m., with the winner advancing to play Florida; Kentucky and South Carolina meet at 4 p.m., with No. 2 seed Auburn awaiting the winner; and LSU faces Missouri at 6:30 p.m. for the right to play host and No. 3 seed Tennessee.

Nicole Schroeder leads the SEC with 15 home runs as part of the Hogs' 56 home runs, which are fifth in school history.

The Crimson Tide swept a three-game series against the Razorbacks in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on March 10-12 by scores of 9-0, 4-3 and 5-0. Arkansas held a 3-0 lead in the middle game before the Crimson Tide rallied for two runs to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh before winning in nine innings.

Sports on 05/10/2017