Arkansas softball hosts No. 6 LSU

FAYETTEVILLE – The University of Arkansas softball team hosts No. 6 LSU this weekend for a three-game Southeastern Conference series at Lady’Back Yard. Saturday’s doubleheader and Sunday’s game both begin at 1 p.m. The Lady Razorbacks are 20-35 overall and 5-14 in the SEC. LSU is 43-6 and 16-3 in league play. Arkansas softball head coach Jamie Pinkerton looks forward to returning to Lady’Back Yard for the SEC series. “It’s nice to be back home for this stretch,” he said. “LSU is a huge series for us once again. Each conference game is very critical.” Arkansas enters the weekend after sweeping a doubleheader against Louisiana Tech in Sherwood, Ark., on Wednesday. The Lady’Backs used back-to-back-to-back home runs in game two and a solo home run in game one to for two victories in front of 2,930 fans. Arkansas dropped its last SEC series to Ole Miss. LSU comes into the series ranked 6th in the nation. The Tigers defeated cross-town rival Southern in a midweek game Tuesday before traveling to Fayetteville for the SEC series. LSU swept a doubleheader from Mississippi State this past weekend in two close nine-inning games. LSU won 4-1 and 4-3. Arkansas continues to be led by freshman Jessica Bachkora with a .304 batting average, 27 runs, 52 hits, 10 doubles, four triples, and a .350 on-base percentage. Freshman Miranda Dixon has had a hot bat as of late going 5-for-6 with a home run, an RBI and two runs scored against Lousiana Tech. Dixon is on a five-game hitting streak batting .643 against the last two opponents. Leslie Klein leads LSU at the plate with a .413 batting average, 18 doubles, four triples, seven home runs, 48 RBIs and a .727 slugging percentage. “They are a very good ball club and we’ll prepare for them the best we can,” said Pinkerton. “We have to go in and play solid ball.” The Tigers lead the all-time series against the Lady’Backs 31-7, but Arkansas won last year’s series upsetting the 11th ranked LSU Tigers twice. Game one went to the Lady’Backs 3-2, while LSU took game two 4-3. Arkansas then downed the Tigers Sunday, 3-2, in nine innings. Fans can follow all the Lady’Back softball action live this weekend. The SEC series will air on LADYBACKS.COM and fans in Fayetteville can tune in to KXUA 88.3 FM to hear the action. For more information about Arkansas softball, please log on to LADYBACKS.COM.