TRACK AND FIELD
Cotton paces Razorbacks
Arkansas Razorbacks senior Kenzo Cotton won the 200 meters in 20.53 seconds and anchored the winning 400 relay on Saturday at the Michael Johnson Invitational hosted by Baylor in Waco, Texas.
The No. 11-ranked University of Arkansas, Fayetteville men's 400 relay team of Kevin Harris, Kemar Mowatt, Roy Ejiakuekwu and Cotton won in a season-best 39.07.
Arkansas took the top-three places in the 200 with Obi Igbokwe (20.66) and Ejiakuekwu (20.88) taking second and third behind Cotton.
Arkansas took fourth in the 1,600 relay with Jamarco Stephen, Mowatt, Ejiakuekwu and Igbokwe running 3:05.48.
Larry Donald took second in the 110 hurdles (13.85). Harrison Schrage, whose specialty is the long jump, finished fourth in the 100 in 10.66.
Brendon Rivera (6 feet, 9¾ inches) and Rubin Owens (6-8) took fourth and fifth in the high jump.
In competition for Arkansas' No. 1-ranked women's team, senior Taliyah Brooks won the long jump, going 21-6½ at the LSU Alumni Gold meet in Baton Rouge.
Jada Baylark, a sophomore from Little Rock, placed among the top three spots in four events -- two individually and two on relays.
Baylark took second in the 200 in 23.00 seconds and third in the 100 in 11.26. She also ran legs on the second-place 1,600 relay (3:35.29) and third-place 400 relay (43.87).
Kiara Parker ran on both relays and took sixth in the 100 (11.40) and seventh in the 200 (23.44). Morgan Burks-Magee ran on both relays and took fourth in the 400 (53.03).
Brooks -- the national leader in the heptathlon and long jump -- took ninth in the 200 (23.83) and 12th in the 100 (11.52). Janeek Brown ran on the 400 relay and took fourth in the 100 hurdles (13.20).
The Razorbacks took 1-2 at the Kansas Relays in the pole vault Friday with Elizabeth Ramos Mata and Morgan Hartsell each clearing 12-9½.
ASU wins 17 events in meet
Arkansas State University won 17 events Saturday in the final day of the Red Wolves Open in Jonesboro.
The Red Wolves won 25 events in the two-day meet.
Jaylen Bacon won the 100-meter dash in 10.29 seconds and was part of ASU's 400 relay team that finished in 11.44 seconds, the second-fastest time in program history.
Caitland Smith clocked in 11.44 seconds in the 100-meter dash.
ASU swept the hurdles events with Jamil Peeples winning the 110-meter hurdles (14.21) and Nick Hilson taking the 400-meter hurdles (52.25). Darragh May won the 100-meter hurdles (14.19) and women's high jump titles (5-6.50).
Sarah Michael picked up the pole vault title, clearing 12 feet, 6 1/4 inches, which was her personal-best.
For the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Charles Okeze placed second in the 200 with a time of 20.63. He also finished third in the 100, clocking in at 10.62.
BASEBALL
ASU loses doubleheader to Troy
Jeremy Brown was 6 for 10 with 3 doubles and 6 RBI on Saturday, but Arkansas State University dropped both games of a doubleheader to Troy, losing 13-10 and 12-9 at Tomlinson Stadium in Jonesboro.
The Red Wolves scored nine of their 10 runs in the fourth inning of the first game. Brown hit an RBI double and an RBI single in the inning, and Kyle MacDonald had a three-run home run. Cullen Ray and Jaylon Deshazier also had RBI singles and Tobias Johnson got an RBI when he grounded into a double play.
Casey Vaughan was 3 for 5 in the second game for ASU, while MacDonald, Grant Hawkins, Winston Welch and Drew Tipton had two hits each. The Red Wolves led 4-1 after two innings before the Trojans took control with a six-run fourth inning.
UALR takes road loss
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock managed just four hits Saturday and stranded six runners in a 4-0 loss to Louisiana-Lafayette in Lafayette, La.
The four hits came from Marcus Ragan, Kale Emshoff, Nick Perez and Troy Alexander. The Warhawks scored two runs in the second inning on a sacrifice fly and a successful steal of home plate. They got two more runs in the third on a leadoff home run and an RBI single. All four runs were allowed by Trojans starter Pablo Ortiz (2-2) on 5 hits with 1 strikeout and 1 wild pitch over 3 innings.
UCA falls at Sam Houston State
The University of Central Arkansas (23-15, 11-6) jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning Saturday, but Sam Houston State (27-13, 14-3) answered with a run in the sixth and four more in the seventh to even their Southland Conference series in Huntsville, Texas.
The Bears scored their three first-inning runs on RBI doubles from Tyler Smith and Keaton Presley, as well as an RBI single from Rigo Aguilar. Smith and Coby Potvin both finished 2 for 4 to lead UCA, which finished with 7 hits and left 6 runners on base. Tanner Wiley (3-2) took the loss on the mound after allowing all 5 Sam Houston State runs on 8 hits with a walk and 4 strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings.
UAPB sweeps doubleheader
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff swept a doubleheader from Oklahoma Panhandle State on Saturday, winning 11-1 and 5-1 at the Torii Hunter Complex in Pine Bluff.
Jarficur Parker went 3 for 4 with 1 run scored and 1 RBI to lead the Golden Lions in the first game, while Nick Kreutzer and Daulton Horton had two hits each. UAPB managed just three hits in the second game, but it scored three runs in the second inning and two more in the sixth to complete the sweep.
-- Democrat-Gazette Press Services
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
NLR, Bentonville set for Battle on the Border
North Little Rock and Bentonville will play in the Battle on the Border at the Independence Bowl in Shreveport this season.
North Little Rock, the defending Class 7A state champions, will face Evangel Christian of Shreveport at 8:30 p.m. on Sept. 7
Bentonville, the Class 7A runner-up in 2017, takes on Aledo, Texas, at 3 p.m. on Sept. 8.
The Battle on the Border features six games with teams from Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas during a three-day span (Sept. 6-8).
-- Jeremy Muck
HIGH SCHOOL WEIGHTLIFTING
Booneville wins overall title
Booneville won the overall Arkansas state high school weightlifting title Saturday afternoon at Alma High School.
Booneville, competing in Class 4A, lifted a combined 5,140 pounds.
Benton earned the Class 6A/7A championship with 5,090 pounds. Greene County Tech earned the Class 5A title with 4,650 pounds. Junction City took the Class 3A title with 4,910 pounds. Danville and Hampton each lifted a combined 4,470 pounds to tie for the Class 2A crown.
-- Jeremy Muck
Sports on 04/22/2018