April 21, 2010

Box Score

Box Score

SHERWOOD, Ark. - In the first ever softball meeting between the two schools, the University of Memphis dropped a 6-1 contest to the University of Arkansas on Wednesday night at the Sherwood Sports Complex.

The Tigers (23-20) faced a primarily pro Razorback crowd of 1,302 on the neutral field and struggled to get anything going offensively off RHP Layne McGuirt.

McGuirt (8-8) struck out seven and allowed just three hits to pick up the victory for Arkansas (25-21). She allowed just four base runners in the game and retired the first 10 batters in order.

Heather Mott scored the lone Memphis run in the seventh inning. The junior shortstop hit a line drive to center field that Jessica Bachkora attempted a diving catch on but missed as the ball then skidded to the fence. The throw from the cutoff sailed into the Arkansas dugout, allowing Mott to score the unearned run.

The triple is the second of the season for Mott who holds the school record with seven in her career.

Maddie McKinley and Lelani Bernardino were the only two other Memphis players to record hits in the game. McKinley hit a single to center field with one out in the fourth to become the first U of M base runner in the game.

Prior to the seventh inning, the Tigers had their best opportunity to score in the sixth inning after Kailey Kassner drew a one out hit by pitch as a pinch hitter and Bernardino reached on an infield single to short.

Vanessa Walle (8-9) picked up the loss in the circle for Memphis. The senior RHP allowed a season high five earned runs in 3 1/3 innings on six hits. She struck out one and walked two. Freshman RHP Carly Hummel pitched the final 2 2/3 innings in relief and allowed one run on three hits with five strikeouts.

Arkansas scored an early run in the first inning on a pair of singles. Bachkora singled through the right side to lead off the frame and scored from second on a bloop single to center by Sandra Smith.

The Razorbacks later broke the game open with four runs in the fourth inning on three hits. Courtney Breault led off with a double to left center. After a walk to Brittany Robison, Stephanie Brewer lined a one out single off of Walle that popped out of the pitcher's glove. Bachkora, Arkansas's leading hitter, then drew a RBI four-pitch walk to score Breault. Walle was replaced by Hummel who gave up a bases clearing triple to right center to pinch hitter Becca Carden.

Arkansas scored one more run in the sixth as Jessica Robinson came home from third on a passed ball. The Razorbacks stranded the bases loaded in the inning as Hummel struck out the side.

Memphis has a bye week in Conference USA action and will next play in a three-game series at UAB in Birmingham, Ala., on May 1-2.