State sports briefs

OUTDOORS

AGFC passes waterfowl regulation

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission voted Thursday at its monthly meeting in Fort Smith to adopt a regulation, beginning in the 2019-20 hunting season, to specify days when non-residents may hunt waterfowl on state-owned wildlife management areas.

The proposed regulation will not affect non-resident duck hunting on private land.

The commission proposed the regulation in August for the 2018-19 season. Game and Fish Commission member Joe Morgan of Little Rock said the commission voted to defer implementing the regulation for one year in deference to hunters that have already made plans to hunt on Arkansas wildlife management areas this season.

"We're putting it off until next year because it's such a late date," Morgan said. "People have made plans for vacations, and we didn't want to disrupt that."

Also, the days for non-residents to hunt were in 9-day and 12-day blocks. Non-resident wildlife management area hunting permits are good for five days, so delaying implementing the regulation will enable the commission to adjust the permit durations.

For 2018-19, non-residents will be limited to 30 days of duck hunting on individual wildlife management areas. A non-resident hunter must buy a non-resident, five-day duck hunting permit. The permit, which currently costs $30.50, is good for only one WMA at a time, but a hunter may buy as many as six for as many as 30 consecutive days of hunting.

Starting in 2019-20, non-resident hunters will be allowed to hunt nine days during the first segment of duck season, 12 days during the second segment, and nine days during the third segment.

Morgan said the regulation is intended to improve the duck hunting experience for Arkansas residents on public land.

"We're trying to help the Arkansas hunter and taxpayer have a quality hunting experience in the woods with his kids," Morgan said. "They are the men and women that live and work here that don't have any other place to hunt. We want to make that as good an experience for them as we can."

-- Bryan Hendricks

BASEBALL

Arkansas exhibition game canceled

FAYETTEVILLE -- The University of Arkansas baseball team's exhibition game at Oklahoma scheduled for today has been canceled because of the threat of heavy rain forecast for Norman, Okla.

Arkansas is working to schedule a replacement game for a later date, according to a news release, but an opponent has not been determined.

The Razorbacks are still scheduled to play an exhibition game at home against Wichita State at 6 p.m. Oct. 5 at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville.

A new NCAA rules allows teams to play two exhibition games during fall practices.

-- Bob Holt

GOLF

ASU's Stirn named golfer of the week

Arkansas State junior Zan Luka Stirn was named the Sun Belt Conference men's golfer of the week on Thursday, earning the honor for the third time of his career.

The latest recognition for Stirn comes after he claimed a pair of top-15 finishes, including co-champion honors at the Lone Star Invitational, to help lead the Red Wolves to a team title and runner-up finish in their first two tournaments of the season.

Stirn shot a 4-under 140 (70-70) at the Lone Star Invitational to pace the 84-player field as the Red Wolves finished runner-up out of 15 teams. He captured his second career individual title, also winning the Bob Sitton Invitational as a freshman in 2016-17.

VOLLEYBALL

Harding tops Southern Arkansas

Madison Poen had 15 kills and seven digs as Harding University defeated Southern Arkansas University 25-17, 25-19, 25-14 on Thursday in Searcy.

Taylor Lake had 17 digs, and Zoe Hardin had four blocks and nine kills for Harding (9-6, 4-0 GAC).

Relea Brimhall led SAU (5-11, 1-4) with nine kills. Camryn Bihary had 12 digs.

WOMEN'S SOCCER

Ouachita blanks Southern Nazarene

Tori Stratton and Kylie Sharp scored for Ouachita Baptist University in a 2-0 victory against Southern Nazarene on Thursday in Bethany, Okla.

Harding falls in Oklahoma

Oklahoma Baptist scored two second-half goals to defeat Harding University 2-1 on Thursday in Shawnee, Okla.

Bethany Sutherland scored her fourth goal of the season for the Lady Bisons (0-5-1, 0-1 GAC).

Chaney powers Ozarks

University of the Ozarks senior forward Madison Chaney recorded a hat trick in the Eagles' 3-1 victory over Concordia University Texas on Thursday in American Southwest Conference play in Clarksville.

MEN'S SOCCER

Ozarks loses another close one

The University of the Ozarks men's soccer team dropped its fifth match of the season by one goal, losing to Concordia University Texas 1-0 on Thursday in American Southwest Conference play.

Concordia University Texas scored the winning goal on a penalty kick in the first half.

-- Democrat-Gazette Press Services

Sports on 09/21/2018

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