BASKETBALL
UALR rally set in River Market
UALR will hold a rally to celebrate its 2015-2016 men's and women's basketball seasons Monday at the River Market Pavilion, the school announced.
The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. and will include giveaways and free food. Fans also will have a chance to meet members of both teams.
Admission is free for season-ticket holders and will be $25 for everyone else. Season tickets can be purchased at the event.
McCasland makes first hire
Arkansas State Coach Grant McCasland has hired Hunter Taylor as director of basketball operations, the first addition to his coaching staff, the school announced Tuesday.
Taylor spent last season as a graduate assistant at Baylor, where McCasland was an assistant coach the past five seasons.
As the director of basketball operations, Taylor, a 2005 graduate of the University of Texas, will be responsible for coordinating travel, assisting with scouting videos and overseeing the team's student managers. Taylor has also served as head coach at Spring Hill (Texas) High School and one season as an assistant at Trinity University.
GOLF
UALR wins Kansas City Shootout
UALR overcame a nine-stroke deficit Tuesday to win the Kansas City Shootout by two strokes over Wichita State.
Stina Resen shot a 3-over-par 75 Tuesday to finish in second place at 5-over for the tournament, one stroke behind Missouri-Kansas City's Cynthia Diaz. Aracelly Jimenez Rios of Arkansas State, which finished eighth in the team standings, shot a 1-under 71 and finished tied for fourth place. UALR's Shania Berger shot a 4-over 76 and tied for sixth place, while Sabrina Bonnano eagled the par-4 16th hole and climbed 11 spots to finish tied for 14th place.
HSU men, Tech women claim victory
The Henderson State men's team extended its lead Tuesday despite windy conditions to win the Southern Bancorp Invitational in Mountain Home.
Mauricio Lira used a tournament-best nine birdies to shoot a 3-under-par 141 to claim medalist honors. Wess Webb shot a 148 total to tie with Brice Howard for third place, while Drew Greenwood shot a 149 to tie for fifth place.
Southern Arkansas shot a 604 as a team to finish second in the team standings. Arkansas-Monticello and John Brown (627) finished in fifth place.
Arkansas Tech shot a 598 total to win the women's competition over Central Oklahoma (615) and Missouri Western (638). Caroline Fredensborg shot an even-par 72 Tuesday and finished at 2-under 142 to claim medalist honors. Anna Frandsen shot a 1-over 73 and finished second at 2-over 146. Pia Nunbhakdi finished tied for sixth after shooting a 10-over 154. Arkansas-Fort Smith (640) finished tied for fourth place in the team standings with Henderson State, while Arkansas-Monticello (668) was eighth and Harding (689) finished 10th.
ASU men lose in playoff
The Arkansas State men saw a six-stroke lead fade Tuesday at the Red Wolves Intercollegiate in Jonesboro, then the Red Wolves lost in a playoff to Tennessee-Martin.
Arkansas State shot four pars on the 18th hole in the playoff, while Tennessee-Martin shot two pars and two birdies to claim the victory.
Andrew Huseman shot a 73 Tuesday to finish tied for third place, while Oswin Schlenkrich finished in sixth place after shooting a 76. Tanner Napier tied for seventh place after shooting a 75.
SOFTBALL
Taylor ties UCA record in victory
Senior catcher Jessie Taylor hit her 32nd career home run Tuesday, tying the school record, and finished 3 for 4 with 4 RBI to lead UCA to a 6-3 victory over Memphis on Tuesday at Farris Field in Conway.
Memphis took a 1-0 lead on an unearned run in the top of the third inning, but Taylor's home run and an RBI double from Sam Forrest gave the Bears a 2-1 lead.
UCA (24-14) got a two-run double from Sarah Bigej as the Bears scored four more runs to take a 6-1 lead. Memphis (18-19) scored two runs in the top of the fifth.
UAM splits doubleheader
Arkansas-Monticello rallied late in Tuesday's first game of a doubleheader with Delta State to pull out a 4-3 victory, then lost the second game 3-2 at Blossoms Field in Monticello.
The Cotton Blossoms (23-19), who trailed 3-0 going to the bottom of the sixth, scored on a two-run double from Kali Piha and got a two-run home run from McKenzie Rice to win the first game. After giving up a two-run home run in the first inning and a home run in the second, UAM's Kendra Coleman (11-9) allowed the Lady Statesmen (31-11) to reach second base once in the final five innings.
Sports on 04/06/2016