Miranda Dixon is 16-10 with 3.83 ERA and has recorded three complete game shutouts and four saves.

Razorbacks look to get back on track

By: Jimmy Carter

Posted: 4/29/09

The Arkansas softball team's trip to Gainesville, Fla., to take on the top-ranked Gators last weekend was a bittersweet one.

The Razorbacks (35-24, 10-14 Southeastern Conference) clinched a berth in the SEC tournament but did so by default, as they were swept by a combined score of 27-0.

"I don't see anybody, at this point, outside of maybe (No. 2) UCLA, that can stop them," Arkansas head coach Jamie Pinkerton said. "The thing is that the kids continued to compete. As a coach you want to clinch a berth into any kind of a tournament with a win rather than someone else's loss.

"But, we did our work early in the SEC season to get us in this position. We deserve to go."

Arkansas will look to snap a seven-game losing streak when it hosts Missouri-Kansas City (19-30) for a doubleheader, beginning 5 p.m. Wednesday.

"Two important games for us from a standpoint of trying to stay NCAA eligible," Pinkerton said. "I think tomorrow night is very key to this team on the mindset of going into the weekend and the SEC tournament."

Pinkerton said finishing the season on a strong note before beginning the conference tournament is of great importance.

"With this stretch that we've been in, it's not that we're a bad softball team," Pinkerton said. "It's just that we've been playing very good teams. Obviously, there's parts of the games we need to clean up just like with anything when you go through a bad stretch.

"But this is the toughest stretch of the year. I think it's more important now to (win) and to take some momentum into Georgia. I think it's important to play well against Georgia to take some momentum into the SEC tournament."

The Razorbacks will try to find a groove in the batter's box against the Kangaroos. The squad has struggled of late, hitting .150 during the losing streak and getting no-hit against Florida on Sunday.

Pinkerton said the quartet of Whitney Cloer, Kayla Johnson, Sandra Smith and Miranda Dixon will be counted on to step up their performances after recent struggles at the plate.

"I think we got frustrated in this stretch," Pinkerton said. "I think what happened in that course of playing Alabama and even carried over to the Missouri State game, things weren't going the way the hitters want.

"As a hitter you've just got to stay relaxed and let the game come to you. (We) found ourselves getting behind in the count and trying to force the issue."

Sophomore Kim Jones (7-10, 3.85 ERA) will get the starting nod in the first game with junior ace Miranda Dixon (16-10, 3.83 ERA) starting the nightcap.

Arkansas will head into the weekend series against No. 8 Georgia (36-9, 16-7) in third place in the SEC Western Division and seventh place overall. Pinkerton said being .500 or better after the SEC tournament will likely be a key factor for the team's NCAA tournament hopes.

"If we can win the two games tomorrow night and take one or two from Georgia and have a strong showing in the tournament, RPI-wise it will speak for itself," Pinkerton said. "I think we've just got to go out and take care of business and play hard and let things happen."

With the Wednesday double-header the Razorbacks will play five games in as many days heading into finals week. Pinkerton said the coaching staff realizes the next week is stressful for their student-athletes and will adjust the squad's schedule accordingly.

"It alters your practice schedule," Pinkerton said. "We've got to try to get them as much time off as possible. Cutting down on some drills I don't think is going to make a whole lot of difference. This is a tough time of year and we have that mindful as a staff."