State sports briefs

BASEBALL

ASU cancels doubleheader vs. James Madison

Heavy rainfall caused unplayable field conditions in Jonesboro Saturday afternoon, forcing Arkansas State to cancel its Sun Belt Conference doubleheader against James Madison.

The Red Wolves will host the Dukes at 11 a.m. today as scheduled at Tomlinson Stadium.

BOWLING

ASU advances to championship

Arkansas State outlasted Sam Houston State 4-3 in a Baker best-ofseven series Saturday to advance to the Southland Bowling League championship with a 2-1 mega-match victory in Rowlett, Texas.

Using 10 consecutive strikes in the fifth and sixth frames, as well as a clean eighth frame, Arkansas State won the traditional pinfall match 970-940. Emma Stull led the Red Wolves with a game of 219 and Maggie Thoma finished with 217.

The Red Wolves trailed by 53 pins in the Baker five-game match, but won the third game 257-191 to pull ahead by 13 pins. ASU won the fourth game 256-238, but Sam Houston won game five 199-167 to force a best-of-seven series to decide the mega-match.

ASU won the first two games and the fourth game of the series to take a 3-1 lead, but Sam Houston won games five and six to force a seventh and deciding game, which the Red Wolves won 214-172 to win the mega-match.

Arkansas State faces either Louisiana Tech or Sam Houston State in the championship series today at approximately noon Central. The Red Wolves are attempting to win their third Southland Bowling League championship and first since 2018.

GOLF

Arkansas women in 10th place

The University of Arkansas women’s team slipped one place in the team standings Saturday, sitting in 10th place with a 15-over 591 total after two rounds at the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic in Athens, Ga.

Reagan Zibliski shot a 1-over 73 on Saturday and is tied for 14th place in the individual standings with a 1-over 145 total. Zibliski ended her round with birdies on Nos. 11, 12 and 18. Julia Gregg bounced back from an 82 on Friday to shoot a 1-under 71 on Saturday. Miriam Ayora and Kajal Mistry both shot 4-over 75, while Meghan Royal shot a 6-over 77.

Auburn continues to lead the team standings with a 13-under 563 total. South Carolina is in second place with a 2-under 574, followed by Florida (561), Purdue (563) and North Carolina (563).

SOFTBALL

UCA splits doubleheader

Central Arkansas played two close games with North Alabama on Saturday in Florence, Ala., losing the opener and winning the late game.

UCA (20-8, 5-1 ASUN) took a 2-0 lead in the first game thanks to bases-loaded walks from Jacee Engelkes and Colleen Bare.

Sidney Bevis drew a bases-loaded walk in the second inning to make the score 2-1. In the fifth inning, Haven Kirby put North Alabama (18-7, 1-5) ahead 4-2.

In the second game, Morgan Nelson hit her eighth home run this season to put UCA ahead 3-0 in the third inning. Tremere Harris led the Bears with two RBI thanks to her two-run double in the sixth inning.