Razorback Roundup -- March 16

RAZORBACK ROUNDUPMarch 16, 2009BASEBALL (12-3, 3-0) No. 18 Arkansas lost on its first road trip of the season at Centenary, but returned to the field to sweep the Florida Gators at Baum Stadium over the weekend. The Razorbacks pounded the Gators in the first two games of the series (11-4, 8-4) before winning a close game on Sunday (4-2). Arkansas’ sweep of Florida is its first opening series conference sweep since 1998 when it beat South Carolina in two games and the first three-game conference opening sweep since 1993 (Georgia). Senior Ben Tschepikow extended his team-leading hitting streak to 10 games with three multi-hit games during the week. The Razorbacks host Nebraska for two games Tuesday and Wednesday before heading to the road to face Auburn over the weekend.MEN’S BASKETBALL (14-16, 2-14) Arkansas ended its season in the first round of the SEC Tournament with a 73-58 loss to Florida in Tampa, Fla. Junior Michael Washington had 15 points, and a game and career-high 18 rebounds. Washington was named second-team All-SEC, and earned all-district honors from the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the United States Basketball Writers Association. Point guard Courtney Fortson was named to the SEC’s all-freshman team. The Razorbacks had second-half leads in six of their last 11 games, and suffered five losses by five points or less, and/or in overtime.WOMEN’S BASKETBALL (17-13) The Razorbacks closed the regular season at the SEC Tournament last week, and await announcement of the Women’s NIT bracket on Monday evening (today).FOOTBALL Arkansas held pro day March 10 for NFL draft-eligible players. After this week’s spring break, Arkansas is scheduled to begin spring practice March 24. MEN’S GOLF Arkansas wrapped up tournament play at the 2009 Border Olympics on Saturday, taking second place behind tournament winner Baylor. Arkansas resided in third place for the first two rounds before moving seven strokes behind Baylor in the third round with an 884 (295-292-297). Freshman Ethan Tracy led the way with a third-place finish at even par 216 (70-72-74). Andrew Landry (222, 73-72-77) and Jamie Marshall (222, 75-73-74) tied for 15th. Jason Cuthberson (225, 77-76-72) finished in a tie for No. 33 while David Lingmerth tied for No. 47 (229, 77-75-77). The Razorbacks play next at the Texas Invitational March 28-29.WOMEN’S GOLF Arkansas senior Lucy Nunn picked up her first career win, leading the No. 26 Razorbacks to a fourth-place team showing at the LSU/Cleveland Invitational in Baton Rouge, La., this past weekend. Nunn posted a career-best 209 and won the two-hole playoff as the Razorbacks finished with a five-over 869. The Razorbacks return to the links Friday and Saturday at the Betsy Rawls Longhorn Classic in Austin, Texas.GYMNASTICS (8-4, 3-3) The 11th-Razorbacks dominated quad meet action at Texas Woman’s University, scoring a 196.550 and going 1-2-3 in every event Friday. The good road score may help the Razorbacks move up to No. 8 or 9 in the national rankings this week. Casey Jo Magee won the all-around as well as the vault and beam titles. Jaime Pisani, Sarah Nagashima and Michelle Stout tied for the bars win, and Pisani took the floor title. Arkansas hits the road for Nashville, Tenn., and the SEC Championship this week.MEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD Arkansas finished eighth with 24 points at the NCAA Indoor Championships in College Station, Texas. The Razorbacks brought eight All-America honors back to Fayetteville. Junior Dorian Ulrey took the weight of the Razorback team on his shoulders by competing in four races, including three separate miles, in two days. He ended his first NCAA Championship as a Razorback with a third-place finish in the mile (4:02.19) and a ninth-place finish in the 3,000 meters (8:03.26). Ulrey picked up All-America honors in the mile but just missed a certificate in the 3K. Ulrey ended the weekend with two All-America honors after anchoring the distance medley relay to a runner-up finish.WOMEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD Junior Katie Stripling picked up a bronze finish and the 4×400-meter relay scored points as Arkansas finished tied for 20th with 11 points at the NCAA Indoor Championships in College Station, Texas. The Razorbacks brought eight All-America honors back to Fayetteville. Sophomore Tara Diebold finished ninth in the pole vault. She cleared 13-3.5. She was among the top eight Americans and earned the first All-America honor of her career. The 4×400-meter relay was the final event of the day and the Arkansas quartet finished seventh. The group of junior Karen Thomas (55.09), sophomore Shelise Williams (52.63), senior Janine Davis (55.50) and freshman Whitney Jones (53.69) combined for a time of 3:36.90.SOFTBALL (13-9): Arkansas opened conference play by sweeping South Carolina in a mid-week doubleheader. For the second time in program history (1999), Arkansas started SEC play with a 2-0 record. In game one, a complete game shutout by Kim Jones and a pair of two-run home runs from Sandra Smith and Whitney Cloer lifted the Razorbacks to a 4-0 win. In game two, Arkansas jumped out to a 4-0 lead after two innings, which was more than enough for Miranda Dixon who struck out seven to earn her second shutout victory of the season. The Razorbacks tacked on two runs in the fifth and another in the sixth for the final 7-0 tally. Jessica Bachkora finished the doubleheader with five hits and Cloer totaled three RBI in the two games. Arkansas travels to Starkville, Miss., for a three-game series Tuesday and Wednesday at Mississippi State and returns to Fayetteville to close the week with a Saturday-Sunday home series against Kentucky.SWIMMING AND DIVING (10-1, 3-1) The Razorback divers were in Columbia, Mo., last weekend for the NCAA Zone ‘D’ Diving Championships. Senior Madison Palmer finished 17th in both the one- and three-meter springboard events, and freshman Liana Bugslag led Arkansas in the 10-meter platform competition with an eighth-place finish. This week, Arkansas sends Stephanie Carr, Yi Ting Siow, Leah Pierce, Jamie Marks and Katie Kastes to the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships in College Station, Texas, Thursday through Saturday.MEN’S TENNIS (7-7, 1-3): The No. 53 Hogs started their week with a 4-1 loss to No. 34 Oklahoma State in Tulsa, Okla., last Wednesday before falling, 6-1 at No. 31 Kentucky on Friday. Senior Blake Strode, ranked No. 15 in singles, had his strongest singles showing of the spring against Kentucky, besting No. 2 Bruno Agostinelli in three sets for the Razorbacks’ only win against the Wildcats. Rebounding at Vanderbilt on Sunday, the Razorbacks defeated the No. 39 Commodores, 4-3. Arkansas’ doubles point win on Sunday moves its record to 7-0 when leading after doubles. Doubles duo Chris Nott and Dmitry Lebedev posted a victory over the No. 30 team of Adam Baker and Alex Zotov in the Hogs’ win over VU at No. 1 doubles. The win is the team’s second victory over a top 30 team this season. This weekend, the Razorbacks are hosting UMKC and Oral Roberts on Sunday at the George M. Billingsley Tennis Center. The first match, against UMKC, begins at 10 a.m. followed by the dual with Oral Roberts at 5:30 p.m.WOMEN’S TENNIS (8-3, 3-1): The 29th-ranked Razorbacks are riding a three-match win streak after wins over No. 13 Kentucky, 5-2, and No. 27 Vanderbilt, 4-3, over the weekend. All three wins have come in Southeastern Conference action. Arkansas is currently 6-1 in matches when claiming the doubles point. With wins over the Wildcats and Commodores, it marks only the second time in program history the Razorbacks have defeated both teams in the same season. The only other time was last season. The Razorbacks dip into non-conference action on Wednesday, facing sixth-ranked Miami (Fla.) in Miami. OLYMPIC SPORTS PRESS CONFERENCETuesday at 1 p.m. in the Barnhill Arena interview room.