State sports briefs

GYMNASTICS

Razorbacks reach No. 10

The Arkansas Razorbacks improved a spot to No. 10 with a regional qualifying score (RQS) of 196.820 following Saturday’s 196.425 for a fifth-place showing at the SEC Championships in St. Louis.

The Razorbacks, assured of a No. 2 seed for one of six NCAA Regionals, will enter the postseason with the highest RQS in program history. The regionals will be announced today at 3 p.m.

Arkansas dropped a lower road score after the Saturday performance, allowing the rise of one spot in the national rankings.

The Razorbacks produced nine All-SEC performances on Saturday, led by senior Amanda Wellick’s 39.25 in the all-around. Wellick and Braie Speed were all-conference selections for scoring 9.85 on the vault, while Wellick, Speed and Hailey Garner (9.85), as well as Sydney Laird (9.825), all made it on the uneven bars.

Garner was the team’s lone All-SEC performer on the balance beam with a 9.925, which tied for fourth. Freshmen Sophia Carter (9.875) and Sarah Shaffer (9.85) made the all-conference team on the floor exercise.

Carter, Shaffer and Laird made the SEC’s all-freshman team. — Tom Murphy

BASEBALL

UALR scores late to beat Texas-Arlington Chase Coker singled up the middle with two out in the eighth inning to lift the University of Arkansas at Little Rock to a 5-4 victory over Texas-Arlington on Sunday at Gary Hogan Field in Little Rock.

The Trojans, who entered the eighth inning trailing 4-3, tied the game at 4-4 on a home run by Matt Merino with one out. After Troy Alexander struck out, Kale Emshoff doubled and moved to third on a wild pitch setting the stage for Coker.

Justin Garcia (2-1) pitched 2 scoreless innings to get the victory for UALR (13-1, 4-2 Sun Belt). Daniel James (0-2), who gave up the game-winning home run, took the loss for Texas-Arlington (11-11, 4-2). — Democrat-Gazette Press Services