Arkansas upsets No. 23 Mississippi State, splits doubleheader

UA Women’s Communications

Posted on Sunday, May 4, 2008

URL: http://www.wholehogsports.com/nwat/64816/

The University of Arkansas softball team upset No. 23 Mississippi State 3-1 on a sunny Saturday afternoon at Lady’Back Yard. The Lady Razorbacks dropped game two 9-1 in five innings to split the Southeastern Conference doubleheader.

“ Game one we had good situational hitting, good pitching and played good defense, ” said head coach Jamie Pinkerton. “ In game two we just came out and dug ourselves a hole early. On the day we did well. We put the ball in play. ”

The Lady’Backs (35-27, 7-20 SEC ) tallied eight hits in the doubleheader and struck out just three times in the two contests.

Junior Jocelyne Moncrief led the Lady’Backs at the dish going 3-for-4.

The Bulldogs are now 40-18 and 13-13 in league play.

In game one Arkansas got on the scoreboard first in the third. With one out, Moncrief singled down the left field line before sophomore Jessica Bachkora reached on an infield error and junior Kayla Johnson drew a walk to load the bases. Sophomore Miranda Dixon then reached base on a fielder’s choice as Moncrief was putout at the plate. With two down, Sophomore Sandra Smith came through with an RBI single to right field that scored Bachkora and went under the glove of right fielder Brittany Bell which allowed Johnson and Dixon to cross the plate for a 3-0 lead.

Courtney Bures hit a linedrive home run to left field in the fourth that brought the Bulldogs within two, 3-1.

The Arkansas defense played flawlessly behind senior Katy Henry to hold MSU to one run. Henry got the nod and earned her 18 th win in the circle after throwing a complete game with four strikeouts.

Moncrief was perfect at the plate, going 2-for-2. Also collecting hits were Johnson, Smith, and Whitney Cloer.

In the second game, Mississippi State jumped out to a three-run lead in the first inning behind four base hits, including two doubles.

The Bulldogs added five runs to take an 8-0 lead in the top of the second after four more singles and an Arkansas error.

Sunday’s 1 p. m. game at Lady’Back Yard will decide the winner of the three-game SEC series. Arkansas seniors Buckner, Henry and Dayna

Huckabee will be honored prior to the first pitch.

“ Tomorrow you have three seniors that are going to be honored and it’s the last game at Lady’Back Yard, ” said Pinkerton. “ It would be nice to send the seniors out on a good mark and send Lady’Back Yard out on a winning note. ”