BASEBALL
SAU wins GAC Tournament title
Southern Arkansas University won its sixth Great American Conference Tournament championship Tuesday, defeating Henderson State 17-9 at Majestic Park in Hot Springs.
The Muleriders (41-11) earned their first GAC title since 2018 and added to their other league tournament crowns in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. It's the program's ninth NCAA Division II conference tournament title overall, having won the Gulf South Tournament in 2006, 2009 and 2011.
Chris Lyles went 3 for 5 with a two-run home run and a double along with 3 RBI to lead SAU. Chris Sutton, Conner Allen and Tucker Burton also homered for the Muleriders.
Lyles earned the GAC Tournament MVP after finishing 9 for 17 with 6 RBI in 4 games.
For Henderson State, Cade Tucker had a team-high two hits.
SAU will find out their opponent in the NCAA Division II Central Region Tournament at 9 p.m. Central on Sunday.
-- Democrat-Gazette Press Services
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Gibson earns spot on SEC Community Service Team
University of Arkansas senior infielder Danielle Gibson has been named to the SEC Softball Community Service team for the second consecutive year it was announced on Tuesday.
The Community Service Team highlights an athlete from each school who gives back to their community in superior service efforts.
Gibson participates with Miracle League regularly, and also assists with Healthy Hogs Call by traveling to local elementary schools to discuss the importance of healthy eating and exercise. In October, Gibson made goodie bags and wrote "Thank You" letters to first responders.
Volunteering with local missionaries, Gibson helps cook meals, including holiday dinners, and volunteers with her church to teach boys aged 8-12 about life skills. Gibson and the Razorbacks volunteer with the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank and read to students at local schools.
Prigge named SEC Freshman of the Week
University of Arkansas shortstop Spencer Prigge was named the SEC Freshman of the Week after helping the Razorbacks capture their first outright SEC regular season title over the weekend at Texas A&M.
Prigge went 3 for 9 and recorded her second career home run in the series win. She registered a .667 slugging percentage and .455 on-base percentage. She also had four putouts and nine assists.
Arkansas has compiled a conference-best nine SEC weekly honors throughout the 2022 regular season.
The Razorbacks travel to the Gainsville, Fla. for the SEC Tournament at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. Arkansas, the No. 1 overall seed, will open the tournament at 6:30 p.m. Central on Thursday against the winner of Georgia vs. Ole Miss. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network.
-- Chip Souza
Jackson earns SWAC honors
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff didn't fair well this season, but one Golden Lion still managed to garner recognition within the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
First baseman Samaria Jackson was named first team all conference after putting forth an impressive junior season. The Pine Bluff native finished second in the SWAC in home runs (9), fourth in on-base slugging percentage (1.129), seventh in batting average (.367) and 10th in hits (40) for UAPB, which went 6-39 overall and 4-20 in league play.
Jackson also ranked sixth in the conference in fielding percentage (.989) and committed only three errors.
-- Erick Taylor
RUNNING
Run The Railyard scheduled for July 2
The Rotary Club of Downtown Rogers will host the Run The Railyard 5K race July 2.
The event will start at the Railyard Bike Park in downtown Rogers at 7 a.m. and the route will include a loop around Lake Atalanta and returns to the bike park.
Proceeds from the race will benefit the Rotary Club in its beautification efforts for the downtown parks.
Entry for the race is $30 online at https://app.regwiz.io/register/runrailyard/933 and from 6 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. on the day of the race.
-- Chip Souza
SOCCER
UALR announces hiring of Farrell
Kelly Farrell will join the University of Arkansas-Little Rock as its next women's soccer head coach, Trojans Athletic Director George Lee announced Tuesday morning.
Farrell, a native of Oceanside, N.Y. and Loyola (Md.) graduate, spent the past five seasons at Nebraska-Omaha as an assistant coach. Prior to that, she served as associate head coach at Alabama-Birmingham and an assistant at Georgia Southern and Monmouth.
"I am excited and grateful for the opportunity and cannot wait to get started," Farrell said in a statement. "Everyone I encountered at Little Rock made it clear that this is a special place and I look forward to building a championship culture on and off the field."
UALR will play in the Ohio Valley Conference next season after reaching the conference tournament in eight of its past nine seasons in the Sun Belt Conference.
-- Mitchell Gladstone
GOLF
ASU's Schmidt slides to 40th at NCAA regional
One day after carding an even-par 72 that included a hole-in-one, Arkansas State's Olivia Schmidt scuffled to a 10-over par 82, dropping to 14 shots off the lead in a tie for 40th place after the second day of the NCAA Tallahassee (Fla.) Regional.
Schmidt started her round at the Seminole Legacy Golf Club with a par, but bogeyed the next two holes and then followed with a double-bogey on the fourth. Schmidt added bogeys on six of the final nine holes and didn't record a birdie in the round.
-- Mitchell Gladstone