BASEBALL
UCA routs Miss. Valley State
Tyler Langley finished 4 for 5 with 4 RBI to lead Central Arkansas to an 11-1 run-rule victory in eight innings over Mississippi Valley State on Wednesday at Bear Stadium in Conway.
Langley had two triples and a double. His RBI triple in the eighth inning ended the game.
Andrew Kemmerer (1-0) allowed 1 run on 5 hits in 7 innings and struck out 4. Connor McClain pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
SOFTBALL
Bears lose Southland opener
Central Arkansas lost 4-3 to Stephen F. Austin in the first round of the Southland Conference softball tournament Wednesday in Lake Charles, La.
UCA (35-21) will play second-seeded Nicholls State at 1:30 p.m. today.
Annie Mehringer hit a two-run home run while Taylor Vick and Autumn Holloway each drove in a run for Stephen F. Austin (26-27), the tournament’s fifth seed. The Ladyjacks will play top seed McNeese State at 6:30 p.m. today.
Audrey Pratt and Briana Whisenhunt each had two hits for UCA. Pratt hit a home run while Whisenhunt had a two-run single. Shivaun Landeros (21-13) allowed 4 runs on 5 hits and struck out 3 in 7 innings.
VOLLEYBALL
UA, ASU assistants tabbed
Arkansas associate head coach Jon Newman-Gonchar and Arkansas State assistant coach Tristan Johnson will be assistant coaches for the United States in the Pan American Cup.
United States women’s volleyball national team coach Karch Kiraly made the announcement Wednesday. The Pan American Cup is scheduled for June 30-July 11 in the Dominican Republic.
BASKETBALL
UALR picked for preseason WNIT
The UALR women’s basketball team will open the 2016-2017 season in the preseason WNIT in November, the school announced Wednesday.
UALR will take part in at least three games in the event, but exact times, dates and opponents will be announced later. A 16-team bracket will make up the tournament. A team that loses in the first round will play two more games in a consolation bracket. A team could play up to four games if it reaches the final.
UALR last took part in the preseason WNIT in 2009, losing to Oklahoma State before beating UTEP and Northern Colorado.
Loyd steps down at Van Buren
Randy Loyd, who has coached the Van Buren Pointers for the last 22 seasons, has stepped down as the boys basketball coach but will remain the school’s athletic director.
Loyd finishes his career with an overall record of 709-364 (66.1 percent). His record at Van Buren is 356-246 (59.1 percent). Loyd also coached two years at Johnson County Westside and five years at County Line High School, where his 1990-1991 girls team completed the season with a 37-3 record and won the Class A state championship.
In his last three years at Van Buren, Loyd’s Pointers compiled a 65-19 mark, winning the 7A-Central Conference and reaching the 7A state semifinals in each of the last two years.
SOCCER
Rangers lose in Tulsa
The Little Rock Rangers lost 1-0 to the Tulsa Athletics on Wednesday night in a National Premier Soccer League match in Tulsa.
Damieon Thomas scored in the 17th minute for Tulsa (1-0-1). Niall Masterson had the assist.
Bryce Deaton had nine saves for the Rangers (0-2-0).
The Rangers will host the Houston Regals at 6 p.m. Sunday in Little Rock.