State sports briefs

LITTLE ROCK — TENNIS

Harding men win 19th consecutive

Harding’s men won its 19th consecutive match Tuesday at the Harding Tennis Courts in Searcy, shutting out outmanned Arkansas-Pine Bluff 9-0.

UAPB, with five players, lost No. 3 doubles and No. 6 singles by default.

Harding (19-0) did not win all the matches easily. The Bisons’ No. 1 doubles team of Kittibodee Singnil and Jon Mark Rowden trailed 7-6 and were down a break before rallying to win the last three games and take a 9-7 victory over Eduardo Luque and David Gomez. Adam Edwards and Caleb McReynolds took an 8-6 victory over Nicholas Plaza and Jorge Villacis at No. 2 doubles.

Harding won the five contested singles matches in straight sets, led by No. 1 player Singnil (9-0), who defeated Luque 6-0, 6-0. Also winning for Harding were Rowden (12-0), Henrique Ruiz (11-1), Alex Ford and Helio Hashimoto.

Harding’s women (14-4) defeated UAPB 7-2, with two of the matches - No. 3 doubles and No. 6 singles - won be default.

The Lady Bisons won both of contested doubles matches, with Ling Chan and Benyapa Phumtip defeating Fabiola Cardoso and Maria Cabane 8-4. The No. 2 team of Katie Huff and Chelsea Hunt won their team-best 10th doubles match with an 8-4 victory over Jarissa Grenard and Monica Arcos. In singles, Phumtip, Gina Cielo and Callie Huey collected victories for Harding.

BASEBALL

Hendrix loses to Rhodes

Hendrix College lost to Rhodes College 7-4 Tuesday at Stauffer Field in Memphis. Mark Vlaskamp knocked in two runs and Kyle Raskin went 2 for 4 with a double to lead the Warriors (17-9). Six different players recorded hits for Rhodes College (15-9). Senior starter Matt Diehl (3-2) gave up 4 hits, 4 earned runs and 4 walks over 5 1/3 innings in the losing effort.

WOMEN’S GOLF

UTEP women win; UALR 5th, ASU 9th

UTEP emerged victorious Tuesday at the UALR Women’s Golf Classic at Diamante Country Club in Hot Springs Village, but it could not have been much tighter. UTEP finished the two-day, three-round tournament at 897, 33 over par, finishing one stroke ahead of Tulsa (898), two shots ahead of Middle Tennessee (899) and Eastern Michigasn (899) and three shots in front of UALR (897) and Oral Roberts (897). The Trojans were led by Megan Vaughn, who fired a 7-over par total of 223 (72-79-72) to finish in a five-way tie for tenth. Brynn Donovan, UALR’s leader through two rounds, was a stroke back of Vaughn, posting a three-round total of 224 (74-74-76). Arkansas State finished ninth with a 910 (305-306-299) and Courtney Manning tied for 22nd with a 225 (78-76-71). Central Arkansas junior Julia Roth shot a 7-over 223 to tie for 12th place. UCA finished 17th overall at 932. Middle Tennessee’s Karisa Akin took medalist honors, shooting a finalround 71 to finish at 1-under 215. Oral Roberts’ Crystal Reeves, the individual leader through two rounds, finished two strokes back in a tie for second place.

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

SAU adds two

Southern Arkansas has added California junior-college transfers Denise DeVine and Klaire Blasco-Vine to its volleybal roster. DeVine, a 5-8 outside hitter from Grossmont College in El Cajon, Calif., had 295 kills, 3.47 kills per set, a .299 attack percentage, 62 service aces and 248 digs last fall, and was a first-team allconference pick and named most valuable player of the league. Blasco-Vine, a 5-10 setter, comes to the Lady Muleriders from Golden West College in Huntington Beach, Calif., where she led her team to an undefeated Orange Empire Conference championship and to the elite eight in the CCCAA tournament. She earned first team all-conference honors and was named most valuable player of the Orange Empire.

WOMEN’S SOFTBALL

UCA earns split

Central Arkansas and Northwestern State split two games Tuesday at Farris Field, with UCA winning the first game 6-1 before losing 5-3 in the second game. The Bears (25-11, 5-1 in Southland Conference) had 10 hits in the opener, with freshman shortstop Lissa Avitia leading the way. Avitia had a two-run single in the second inning to give UCA a 3-0 lead and then later made it 6-1 with her first home run. Nicole Beals finished 3 for 4 with a run scored and an RBI. Tiffany Roby added two hits for the Bears and Melanie Bryant and Stephanie Lasley each added a hit and an RBI. Kelsie Armstrong (14-7) struck out 10 and allowed 5 hits and 1 run, a home run by Brianna Rodriguez in the fourth inning. Northwestern State (13-19, 2-4) won the second game 5-3 despite yielding 10 UCA hits. Avitia finished 4 for 4 with 2 RBI and Beals went 3 for 3 with a walk. Cami Newsome (9-3) took the loss for UCA, which left eigrht runners on base.