ACADEMICS
Three UA sports earn APR recognition
Three University of Arkansas, Fayetteville's women's sports -- golf, gymnastics and tennis -- received special recognition from the NCAA for ranking among the top 10 percent nationally in Academic Progress Rate scores, it was announced Wednesday. All three sports had perfect multi-year scores of 1,000 from the 2013-14 through 2016-17 academic years.
It was the fifth consecutive public recognition award and ninth overall for the golf team, the fourth overall for the gymnastics team and first for the tennis team.
Each student athlete receiving athletically related financial aid earns one point for staying in school and one point for being academically eligible. A team's total points are divided by the number of points possible and then multiplied by 1,000 to equal the team's Academic Progress Rate. Scores for all sports will be announced by the NCAA on May 23.
-- Bob Holt
MISCELLANEOUS
UAPB to use gift for facility upgrades
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff will receive its largest gift in the school's history, pending approval by the UA System Board of Trustees at its meeting later this month.
The amount of the donation was not disclosed in a news release, which said it would be a "multimillion-dollar gift from Simmons Bank for upgrades to its football and baseball facilities."
A full announcement will come 11 a.m. Tuesday at Golden Lions Stadium, where UAPB and Simmons Bank officials will be in attendance.
Simmons First National Corporation, one of the largest financial companies based in Arkansas, is headquartered in Pine Bluff, where it was founded in 1903.
The UA System Board of Trustees is set to meet May 23 and 24.
-- Brooks Kubena
BASEBALL
UAPB loses in SWAC Tournament
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff scored two runs in the second inning and another in the fourth Wednesday to take a 3-1 lead, but Jackson State (33-16) scored 12 unanswered runs -- including six in the fifth -- to take a 13-3 victory in the first game of the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament at Barrow Stadium in New Orleans.
The Golden Lions (20-24) used an RBI single from Ricardo Sanchez and a JP Soriano home run down the left-field line to take a 2-1 lead in the second inning, then used a Kacy Higgins double to left-center field to take a 3-1 lead in the fourth. The Tigers scored all six runs in the fifth inning with two outs, capitalizing on 3 RBI singles, 2 two-runs singles, 2 walks and a wild pitch.
Nick Kreutzer was 2 for 3 to lead UAPB, which finished with 8 hits. Starting pitcher Peyton Burks took the loss for the Golden Lions after allowing 5 earned runs on 4 hits with 5 walks, 2 strikeouts and 1 wild pitch in 4 2/3 innings.
UAPB will face Alcorn State at 9 a.m. today in an elimination game.
At a glance
SWAC TOURNAMENT
At Wesley Barrow Stadium New Orleans
WEDNESDAY’S GAMES
Jackson State 13, UAPB 3
Grambling State 14, Miss. Valley State 5
Texas Southern 10, Alcorn State 3
Alabama State 7, Prairie View A&M 2
TODAY’S GAMES All times Central
GAME 5 UAPB vs. Alcorn State, 9 a.m.
GAME 6 Miss. Valley State vs. Prairie View A&M, noon
GAME 7 Jackson State vs. Texas Southern, 3 p.m.
GAME 8 Grambling State vs. Alabama State, 6 p.m.
-- Democrat-Gazette Press Services
Sports on 05/17/2018