BENTONVILLE, Ark. –  Inclement weather in the Bentonville area has delayed the start of 2022 Under Armour Great American Conference Softball Championships until Saturday morning.

Thursday’s scheduled quarterfinals will now be played on Saturday with the same start times. The semifinals will take place at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Sunday with the final slated for a 6 p.m. first pitch.

SATURDAY, MAY 7
Game 1 11:00 a.m. Quarterfinal #1 – No. 4 Southern Nazarene vs No. 5 Oklahoma Baptist
Game 2 1:30 p.m. Quarterfinal #2 – No. 1 Arkansas Tech vs No. 8 Arkansas-Monticello
Game 3 4:00 p.m. Quarterfinal #3 – No. 2 Southern Arkansas vs No. 7 Ouachita
Game 4 6:30 p.m. Quarterfinal #4 – No. 3 Harding vs No. 6 Southeastern Oklahoma State

SUNDAY, MAY 8
Game 5 11:00 a.m. Semifinal #1: Winner Game 1 vs Winner Game 2
Game 6 1:30 p.m. Semifinal #2: Winner Game 3 vs Winner Game 4
Game 7 6:00 p.m. Championship: Winner Game 5 vs Winner Game 6

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SEARCY – Ashley Reeves will be the second head softball coach at Harding University. Athletic Director Jeff Morgan announced Reeves’ hiring Wednesday. She will replace Phil Berry, who restarted the Harding softball program in 2014 and coached the last eight seasons.

“Coach Berry has left the softball program in a phenomenal place, and he has done a great job leading the team in a competitive and Christian way,” Reeves said. “I am thrilled to be able to step in and lead this team and carry on a winning tradition.”

Reeves will be returning to Searcy, where from 2008-10, she was the head softball coach at Harding Academy. She also served as an assistant volleyball and basketball coach.

“Our family is so excited for the opportunity to be back in Searcy,” Reeves said. “Two of our three girls were born here, and to be back in a place that has brought us so much joy is a blessing.”

Reeves comes to Harding after spending the last two seasons as the head coach at Fort Lewis College, an NCAA Division II school located in Durango, Colorado. She led the team to 31 wins in her time there. After a COVID-shortened first season, Reeves led Fort Lewis to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament for the first time since 2014 in her second season.

“Coach Reeves has done a great job turning the Fort Lewis program around,” Morgan said. “We are really excited to welcome Coach Reeves, her husband Tanyon and her family to Harding.”

“It is an honor to lead Harding’s softball program, but also to be a part of a Christian community to help walk alongside our players in their spiritual journey,” Reeves said. “The Lord has blessed me and my family, and I am very thankful to Coach Morgan for giving me the opportunity to be the next head coach.”

Prior to her time at Fort Lewis, Reeves spent seven seasons as an assistant coach at Abilene Christian University, receiving a promotion to associate head coach in August of 2016.

Reeves played college softball at Texas Tech University. She was a four-year starter in center field and earned her bachelor’s degree in communication studies. Reeves was Second Team All-Big XII in 2006 and First Team All-Big XII in 2004 and 2007. She hit .379 as a senior and received NFCA All-Region honors.

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Lubbock Christian’s Brooke Makemson and Harding’s Lily Tanski were named 2021 Division II Louisville Slugger/NFCA Player and Wilson/NFCA Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for their outstanding performances for contests played Feb. 1-7.

Behind four home runs and 13 RBI, Makemson powered LCU to four home victories at the Lubbock Sports College Invitational. The senior shortstop hit .692 (9-for-13) with six extra-base hits (2B, 3B, 4 HR), slugged 1.846 and posted a .714 on-base percentage. Selected Lone Star Hitter of the Week, Makemson launched two homers and drove in five runs in the opener against Washburn, while adding a triple, long ball and four RBI against Fort Hays State. She also turned in a mistake-free defensive effort at short with nine putouts and 13 assists.

Tanski tossed a pair of four-hit shutouts as Harding went 4-0 at the UAH Charger Chillout. The Great American Conference Player of the Week blanked No. 10 Trevecca Nazarene and Shorter, fanning 15 and not issuing a walk over 14 innings of work. Against the 10th-ranked Trojans, Tanski struck out five, while she added a career-high 10 punchouts versus the Hawks.

Selected Top Performances
Kaylee Vaught, UAH – .636, 2 HR, 12 RBI, .571 OBP, 1.182 SLG; Alyssa LeBlanc, Texas A&M University-Commerce – 3-0, 0.00 ERA, 17 K, 3 BB, no-hitter vs. TAMIU; Taylor Franco, Lubbock Christian – 2-0, SV, 0.00 ERA, 2 H, 0 R, 14.1 IP, .045 opp. BA; Chelsea Blankenship, Harding- .533, 2B, 3 3B, 5 RBI, 4 R, 1.000 SLG, 1.000 FLD (22 PO, 4 A); Julie Gast, Lees-McRae- 2 GP, .571, 4 H, 4 RBI, HR, 1.000 SLG; Hannah Towery, Newberry- 2 GP, .500, 2 2B, HR, 3 RBI, 1.125 SLG; Savannah Foster, Tusculum- 1-0, 0.00 ERA, SHO, 8 K, 4 H; Ashley Autuori, Young Harris – .571, 2 2B, HR, 10 RBI, .929 SLG, .625 OBP; Kyra Gipson, Flagler- 2-0. 0.40 ERA, SV, 16 K, 2 BB, 17.2 IP.

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MAGNOLIA – Despite gusty winds and steady rainfall throughout the afternoon of Saturday’s season-opening doubleheader for No. 1 Southern Arkansas, the Muleriders erupted offensively as Jason Anderson‘s squad plated a combined 29 runs across a dozen innings of play to earn a pair of victories and improve their winning streak to 18 games.

The Muleriders recorded 25 hits on the afternoon from nine different players. Eight of those hits went for extra bases, while four were planted on the Bodcaw Bank Berm. Senior catcher Laina Suesueblasted a grand slam in the first game and sophomore shortstop Sarah Evans hit a game-tying grand slam off the leftfield foul pole in game two. Junior outfielder Alese Casper and sophomore outfielder Kayla Collins both left the yard on Saturday as well.

In the opener, Southern Arkansas pushed across ten runs in the bottom half of the first inning, added four more runs in the second inning and capped the 17-run season-opening performance with three more runs in the fourth inning. That offensive effort backed four innings of work in the circle from senior right-hander Victoria Taylor. The Greenwood, Arkansas, native allowed only one hit and two walks, while fanning eight. Sophomore left-hander Landry Newgent worked the final inning in her first appearance as a Mulerider.

The second game saw Delta State jump out to a 4-0 lead, but that was quickly erased with Evans’ aforementioned four-run round tripper in the home half of the first inning. After DSU took a 5-4 lead in the fourth inning, Collins homered to tie it at 5. Southern Arkansas turned it on the fifth inning as they pushed across six runs and added a final one in the sixth inning to claim the 12-5 win in the nightcap.

Taylor received the win in relief as she worked three perfect innings and added five strikeouts to finish with a baker’s dozen worth of punch outs on Saturday.

The victory in the season opener gives SAU 11-consecutive wins in such games. The program’s last loss in a season opener came on February 13, 2010; a 6-3 loss at Delta State. The Muleriders have won their last 14 games at Dawson Field.

Southern Arkansas returns to action February 12-14 in Magnolia for six games across three days inside the Dr. Margaret Downing Softball Complex as part of the Ronnie Hawkins/Mike McGhee Memorial Tournament. The Muleriders host Mississippi College on Friday, February 12 at 1:30 p.m. and close out the day with a 4 p.m. first-pitch against No. 5 Angelo State.

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BATESVILLE – Lyon College Director of Athletics Kevin Jenkins announced on Friday that Taylor Kuhn will be elevated to serve as the new head coach of the softball program. Kuhn spent the 2020 season as an assistant on the staff and served as the interim head coach after Jessica Mattia resigned from her position this past August.

“Coach Kuhn joined our staff as our assistant in Fall 2019 and did a great job in that role for the Scots,” Jenkins said. “It is exciting to see the focus she puts on her core values that transcends far beyond the softball diamond. While her years of coaching experience may not be numerous, it is quite clear that she has a very bright future ahead as a coach. I could not be more excited for what she will bring not only to Scots Softball but to our entire Lyon College Community.”

Kuhn helped coach the Scots to a 15-6 mark during the 2020 season prior to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic shutting down the remainder of the season.

Before joining the staff at Lyon, Kuhn served as a graduate assistant coach at Arkansas Tech for two seasons. During her tenure at Arkansas Tech, Kuhn assisted with all aspects of the Golden Suns’ program, including coaching, planning and practice development. She assisted the coaching staff with the development of practice plans, recruiting, field maintenance and recording game stats. Kuhn instructed athletes on hitting and defensive skills and was an instructor at the Arkansas Tech softball camps. In 2017, the Golden Suns went 47-15, which included a Great American Conference championship and a trip to the NCAA Division II Central Region Softball Championship. ATU fell in the championship game of the regional. The Golden Suns also won the GAC Tournament in 2018.

Prior to her time at Arkansas Tech, Kuhn served as a student assistant softball coach at her alma mater, the University of Central Arkansas, where she also played as a student-athlete for two seasons. Kuhn assisted the UCA softball program with day-to-day operations. She helped the staff record game stats, field management, game day video camera setup and download and helped with the team’s social media sites (Instagram and Twitter). Kuhn was in charge of jersey management in preparation for games to ensure proper attire was available. Kuhn developed leadership and communication skills for use during games, practices and team events and served as an instructor at UCA softball camps. In 2015, UCA won its first-ever Southland Conference Championship. Kuhn served as a student assistant on the 2015 team.

“Thank you to Lyon College and Coach Jenkins for this opportunity to lead this program,” Kuhn said. “I’m excited to get the team back on campus and begin to work toward our goals for the spring. Go Scots Go!”

Kuhn and the Scots are scheduled to open up their 2021 season on Feb. 5-6 at the Texas A&M-Texarkana Tournament.

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BATESVILLE – Lyon College Director of Athletics Kevin Jenkins announced on Friday that Head Softball Coach Jessica Mattia has decided to step away from her position. Mattia had been at the helm of the Scots’ softball program for the 2020 season after serving the two seasons prior as an assistant coach on the staff.

Mattia led the Scots to a 15-6 record before the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic forced the rest of the season to be canceled. The Scots were receiving votes in the NAIA Softball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll prior to the shutdown.

In 2019, Mattia coached a pair of all-conference pitchers. Sophomore Katelyn Platt was named as a First-Team All-American Midwest Conference selection after leading the conference with 18 wins this season. Platt also finished second in the conference with four saves this season. Freshman Faith Cornmesser earned Second-Team All-American Midwest Conference accolades for the Scots. Cornmesser went 7-2 in the circle with a 2.61 ERA.

In her first year on the staff in 2018, Mattia coached two of the top pitchers in the conference, including the American Midwest Conference Pitcher of the Year, Nicole Sanders. Sanders finished the 2018 season with the most wins in a single season (19) in program history. Platt had a strong freshman campaign in the circle in 2018 and recorded the second-most wins in program history with 16. As a team, the Scots posted their lowest combined ERA (2.25) and limited opposing batters to the lowest batting average against (.227) in program history. Platt finished the 2019 regular season with the most wins in the conference (17).

A search for a new head coach will begin immediately. Lyon College thanks Coach Mattia for her contributions to the Scots’ softball program and wishes her well.

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The NFCA named SAU Softball senior Christina Hill the Division II Player of the Week for her performances this past weekend at the Alvy Early Memorial Classic in Bentonville, the organization announced this afternoon.

The senior southpaw from Southlake was on fire this past weekend at the Alvy Early Memorial Classic, going 10-14 from the plate with five extra-base hits. She drove in 14 runs over the weekend and crossed the plate nine times herself. She slugged 1.286 for the weekend and owned an on-base percentage of .667.

In game one against Upper Iowa, the southpaw went 4-5 from the plate, scoring four runs and driving in five, with a bases-clearing double in the second inning, followed by an RBI single and RBI double in the fourth inning as the Muleriders set a new single-game record for runs in a game with 23.

Having a career game against the Peacocks, the right fielder managed to one-up herself in game two against Pittsburg State.

A single in the first inning, an RBI triple in the second inning, a bases-clearing double in the third inning and a grand slam in the fourth inning equaled the cycle for Hill, who drove in eight runs on the game. The eight RBIs marks a single-game SAU record and ties the GAC record for most in a single game.

Hill went 2-5 in day two against Northwest Missouri and Maryville, driving in a run via a sacrifice fly and scoring two runs.

On the season, the lefty is hitting .439 with 15 runs scored. She has ten extra-base hits – five doubles, three triples and two homeruns. She has driven in a team-high 20 runs and has 35 total bases, second on the team.

The senior is slugging .854 and has a .444 on-base percentage with a pair of sacrifice flies.

Hill has already tallied more hits, runs, doubles, triples, homeruns, RBIs and total bases through 12 games than she did in the entirety of the 2019 season (25 games-23 starts).

Hill becomes the ninth different Mulerider and the seventh in the Jason Anderson era to earn national player of the week honors, joining current teammates Elisa Favela and Victoria Taylor; as well as Maddie Dow, Brooke Goad, Kaylee Garner and Darian Harris. Additionally, Hanna Gill and Shelby Miller received the honors preceding Anderson’s time at Southern Arkansas.

Hill and the Muleriders open conference play this weekend as they host Harding in a four-game set.

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RUSSELLVILLE – On the heels of a second-straight Great American Conference regular-season title, Southern Arkansas will open the 2020 softball season as the preseason favorite, the conference office announced on Tuesday.

The Muleriders claimed 10 first-place votes. They advanced to the NCAA Regionals for the fourth-straight season. They return 2019 GAC Pitcher of the Year Sydney Wader who posted a 22-4 record and 1.44 ERA. Victoria Taylor and Elisa Favela also come back after combining for 23 victories. Favela added a team-leading .358 average plus 13 home runs. Chelsea Fagan returns after she led the team with 19 home runs.

Arkansas Tech and Harding each received one first-place vote and tied for second in the balloting. The Golden Suns repeated as the GAC Tournament champions and qualified for their fourth NCAA Regional in the last five seasons. While they must replace their top three pitchers, the Golden Suns return All-American and GAC Freshman of the Year Tymber Riley plus 2019 GAC Championship MVP Ashton Sangster. Riley hit .398 with 12 home runs while Sangster led the GAC with seven triples and ranked third with 50 runs scored. Additionally, Paty Loredo drove in a league-leading 63 runs.

While Harding must replace 2019 GAC Player of the Year Peyton Mills, they do return three All-GAC performers in pitcher Jenna Hipp, catcher Briley Feringa and first baseman Amanda Fields. Hipp won 17 games and her 2.53 ERA ranked fifth in the league. Feringa posted a .331 average and Fields ranked sixth with 47 RBI.

Southeastern Oklahoma State placed fourth in the poll. The Savage Storm advanced to the final of the 2019 GAC Championships. They bring back two Second-Team All-GAC performers in second baseman Symphoni Shomo and pitcher Katie McCullar. Shomo swiped a GAC-leading 43 bases. McCullar went 17-8 inside the circle and hit .304 with seven home runs.

Southern Nazarene took fifth in the voting. All-Region performer Mahina Sauer headlines the Crimson Storm returners. She hit .415 with a .492 on-base percentage and she tallied five wins as a pitcher. Caitlyn Curlee led the team with 14 home runs and 45 RBI while Brooklyn Sparkman paced SNU with 14 wins.

East Central edged Henderson State and Southwestern Oklahoma State for the sixth position. The Tigers must replace Sable Hankins, an All-Region honoree and last season’s Newcomer of the Year. They will return Tarah Hilton, who ranked in the top four in average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. Kaytlyn Kizarr’s .383 average finished eighth in the league.

The Reddies must replace the GAC all-time leader in wins, strikeouts and shutouts in Michelle Sorensen. A season ago, SWOSU qualified for the GAC Championships for the first time since 2013. They return their top three hitters in Amanda Moreno, Hannah Morris and Hannah Franklin. All three hit at least .343. Moreno led the team with 14 home runs and 19 stolen bases.

Arkansas-Monticello finished in ninth, followed by Ouachita, Oklahoma Baptist and Northwestern Oklahoma State. The Blossoms’ Haley Cornell earned an All-GAC spot as a freshman while Haley Godeaux tied for third in the GAC in doubles. Ouachita’s Tobi Finley placed on the All-GAC Honorable Mention list. The Bison’s Franki Hull hit .406 with 17 doubles to land on the All-GAC First Team. The Rangers’ Kalie Johnson and Taylor Russell garnered Honorable Mention All-GAC honors.

The 2020 season begins on Friday, January 31 with Arkansas Tech, Harding, Henderson State, Southeastern Oklahoma State and SAU heading to Conroe, Texas for Tech’s Winter Invitational. Oklahoma Baptist ventures to Las Vegas for three games at the Vegas Desert Stinger.

The year concludes in Bentonville, Arkansas with the Under Armour GAC Championships, set for April 30 through May 2 with the top eight teams competing in a single-elimination event.

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BATESVILLE – Lyon College head softball coach Jessica Mattia has announced the hiring of Taylor Kuhn as her new assistant coach. Kuhn will assist with player development and serve primarily as the hitting coach. Kuhn recently served as an assistant softball coach at Arkansas Tech the past two seasons.

“We are excited to have Coach Kuhn on staff,” said Mattia. “She brings a lot of knowledge and experience to the table. She will be excellent when it comes to recruiting and leading our hitters. She will be instrumental in bringing this program to the next level.”

During her tenure at Arkansas Tech, Kuhn assisted with all aspects of the Golden Suns’ program, including coaching, planning and practice development. She assisted the coaching staff with the development of practice plans, recruiting, field maintenance and recording game stats. Kuhn instructed athletes on hitting and defensive skills and was an instructor at the Arkansas Tech softball camps. This past season, the Golden Suns went 47-15, which included a Great American Conference championship and a trip to the NCAA Division II Central Region Softball Championship. ATU fell in the championship game of the regional. The Golden Suns also won the GAC Tournament in 2018.

Prior to her time at Arkansas Tech, Kuhn served as a student assistant softball coach at her alma mater, the University of Central Arkansas, where she also played as a student-athlete for two seasons. Kuhn assisted the UCA softball program with day-to-day operations. She helped the staff record game stats, field management, game day video camera setup and download and helped with the team’s social media sites (Instagram and Twitter). Kuhn was in charge of jersey management in preparation for games to ensure proper attire was available. Kuhn developed leadership and communication skills for use during games, practices and team events and served as an instructor at UCA softball camps. In 2015, UCA won its first-ever Southland Conference Championship. Kuhn served as a student assistant on the 2015 team.

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ARKADELPHIA — Henderson State’s Michelle Sorensen was recognized for a sensational career on Saturday evening when she was inducted into the Arkansas Fast Pitch Softball Hall of Fame.

Sorensen was one of just three members of this year’s induction class — the fourth overall for the fast pitch branch of the Arkansas Softball Hall of Fame.

No stranger to awards and records, Sorensen, who finished her collegiate career in April, is Henderson State and the Great American Conference’s all-time leader in wins (75), strikeouts (762), appearances (162), starts (118) and innings pitched (842.2). The native of Sherwood, Arkansas, was a four-time All-GAC selection, seven-time GAC Pitcher of the Week and earned three All-Region honors, including one as a senior in 2019. Sorensen threw a remarkable five no-hitters in her time with the Reddies and became the first player in program history to earn NFCA National Pitcher of the Week recognition in 2017.

Before her time at Henderson, Sorensen was a stand-out for Sylvan Hills High School, where she was a four-year starter and three-time MVP for the Bears. Sorensen earned All-Conference and All-State honors in all four years of her high school career, and was Sylvan Hills’ Offensive Player of the Year twice and Defensive Player of the Year three times.

Joining Sorensen in the 2019 class were Sydney Parr of the University of Arkansas, as well as Roy Burlison, who was a pioneer for the sport in the state and also served as Sorensen’s pitching coach for 13 seasons.

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