LITTLE ROCK — BASEBALL Players suspended
Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn announced three-game suspensions Monday for freshman pitchers Colin Poche and Adam Meyer, who were arrested Jan. 20 and charged with shoplifting.
“There’s been [other] disciplinary stuff,” Van Horn said. “I think they’ve obviously learned a big lesson. ... It’s just unfortunate. They’re paying the price with us and then obviously they’ll be suspended for the first three games of the season. They won’t be able to dress out, be around the team or anything.”
Poche and Meyer, 19-year-old left-handed pitchers, were spotted by security at the Wal-Mart Supercenter on Martin Luther King Boulevard trying to make off with two cases of beer and sandwiches without paying for them. They were released on $565 bond after being arrested.
Construction plans announced
The University of Arkansas announced plans Monday to move forward with construction of its indoor training facility for baseball and track and field as soon as funds are available.
Matt Trantham, a senior associate athletic director, told the Swatter’s Club that the timeline for completion of the roughly 45,000-square foot facility, which will connect to the Randal Tyson Track Center, would be based on funding.
“It could become a reality before next season,” Trantham said.
The Razorbacks, coming off a 46-22 season and an appearance in the College World Series semifinals, are the preseason No. 1 choice by Collegiate Baseball, the National College Baseball Writers Association and in the USA Today coaches poll.
The facility is projected to cost somewhere between $7.75 million and $9.625 million.
“It would be huge for us,” Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said. “Whenever they talk about the facility, they talk about inclement weather, but we could use that facility every day.
“We’ll use both of them at the same time. We’ll be able to rotate our groups defensively and offensively. Just the work and the practice we can get in there will be second to none. And then obviously the ability to bring recruits in there and show them that facility, really just kind of proves to them how important baseball is at the University of Arkansas.”
- Tom Murphy
Arkansas NLR tickets on sale Wednesday
Tickets for the Arkansas-Mississippi Valley State game March 27 at North Little Rock’s Dickey-Stephens Park will go on sale at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
General admission tickets, including all berms, bleachers and standing room, are $12, reserved seats sell for $15 and box seats are $18. Fans who purchase berm and standing room tickets are allowed to bring blankets and folding chairs to the game.
Tickets will be sold only through the Arkansas Travelers’ online ticketing system at travs.com. The North Little Rock game is a single-game ticket and is not included in the Razorbacks’ Baum Stadium season-ticket package.
BASKETBALL
UCA draws SIU-Edwardsville in Bracket Busters
Central Arkansas men’s team will host Southern Illinois-Edwardsville on Saturday, Feb. 23, at the Farris Center in Conway as part of the 11th annual Bracket Busters event.
Game time is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
The Bears (9-11, 4-6 Southland Conference) won the only previous meeting against the Cougars (6-11, 4-5 Ohio Valley Conference) in 1993.
UCA lost at Louisiana Tech last season in its first Bracket Busters appearance.
- Jeremy Muck
ASU’s Finn honored
Arkansas State senior guard Trey Finn was named Sun Belt Conference men’s player of the week Monday.
Finn tied his career high with 18 points in the Red Wolves’ 74-62 victory over South Alabama on Jan. 31. He finished with 14 points, 6 rebounds and 5 steals in a 75-66 overtime victory against North Texas on Saturday.
Sports, Pages 21 on 02/05/2013