HSU women’s golf 5th in Central rankings
ARKADELPHIA — With the Great American Conference Golf Championships set to begin on Sunday, the Henderson State women’s golf team is ranked fifth in the latest NCAA Central Region rankings released Thursday.
The top 12 teams in the region in the final poll on April 30 will earn a bid to the NCAA Division II Super Regional Tournament at Missouri Bluffs Golf Club in St. Charles, Mo.
Henderson has appeared in five straight regionals, advancing to the NCAA Division II National Championships for the first time in school history last season. The Reddies finished third in the 2017 Super Regional and placed ninth at the National Championships in Findlay, Ohio.
The 2018 GAC Championships begin Sunday with the 54-hole, three-day event featuring six teams in this week’s region rankings.
In the six years of the GAC, Henderson has been tournament runners-up four of the last five years, while claiming the title in 2014.
In 10 events played this year, Henderson has compiled a 114-25 record, including seven top three performances. The Reddies won the 19th Annual Northeastern State Golf Classic and the Diffie Ford-Lincoln Invitational.
The top 12 teams in the region and the six best individuals not on those teams will qualify for the NCAA Super Regional at Missouri Bluffs on May 7-9. The top three teams and the three best individuals at the regional will advance to the NCAA Championships, May 16-19 at Bay Oaks Country Club in Houston, Texas.
Other GAC schools in the rankings are No. 2 Arkansas Tech, No. 3 Southwestern Oklahoma State, No. 10 Oklahoma Baptist, No. 11 Southern Arkansas and No. 12 Harding.
UCA-OBU
CONWAY — Ouachita Baptist fell 10-2 in non-conference softball action Wednesday at Central Arkansas.
It was the second time this season Ouachita (19-25, 15-21 Great American Conference) has made the trip to the campus of Central Arkansas (22-19, 11-7 Southland Conference). The Tigers’ first trip to Farris Field was a neutral site matchup against Arkansas Tech (35-13, 26-10). Ouachita and Tech split the weekend series at Central Arkansas.
The Bears got on the board first in the bottom of the first inning. Designated player Brianna McArthur hit a two-RBI double to center field to the Bears a 2-0 lead. A wild pitch scored the Bears’ third run of the contest before McArthur hit an RBI single to left field. The runs gave Central Arkansas a 4-0 advantage heading into the fourth.
In the top of the fourth inning, Sarah Johnson hit a one out double to right-center field. Johnson came around to score on a throwing error. Jordan Fielder then hit an RBI double to right-center.
The Bears tacked on another run in the bottom of the fourth inning before scoring five in the fifth to walk off with the victory.
Ouachita will travel to Southwestern Oklahoma State (10-33, 10-23) this weekend.
OBU men’s basketball team signs JUCO prospect
ARKADELPHIA — The Ouachita Baptist men’s basketball program announced this week the signing of Eric Brown, a guard at Itawamba Community College in Mississippi.
“We are extremely excited about Eric joining our program.” Ouachita men’s basketball head coach Dennis Nutt said, “He is a very talented young man that has a lot of versatility to his game.”
Brown started 20 games and averaged 29.8 minutes per game. He averaged 8.3 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.
As a senior in high school, Brown led Greenville to a 25-6 record and a run in Mississippi’s Class 6A state playoffs.
Brown is a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and has a 3.8 grade point average.
Itawamba head coach Grant Pate had high praise for his former player.
“He’s a proven leader on and off the floor for us and our top defensive player the last two seasons,” Pate said.
Also on Itawamba’s roster is freshman Paris Harris, a 6-6 forward out of Hot Springs.