Early season test

The Arkansas-Pine Bluff is lacking experience going into its three-games series at Arkansas-Little Rock to open the season.

The Golden Lions take on UALR at 3 p.m. Friday followed by a game at 3 p.m. Saturday. The three-game series concludes at 1 p.m. on Sunday. All three games are in Little Rock.

Experience is exactly what UALR has as the Trojans are the defending Sun Belt Conference champions, which earned them a spot in the NCAA South Regional.

With a good amount of players returning from last year’s conference championship team, UAPB coach Carlos James knows the first three games of the year will be a stern test.

“It’s always a good test of where we are as a team and where we have to get to,” he said. “If we can go in and compete with one of the top teams in the Sun Belt right away, that bodes well for us going into the year and going into our conference season.”

The Golden Lions are at the opposite end of the spectrum. Last year, UAPB finished last in the Sun Belt in James’ first year as the head coach. But he retooled the roster coming into this year.

Of the 22 players on UAPB’s roster, 17 are new to the team this year. With so many new players on the team, James wants to see how the team will come together the first time all of the players are on the field together during a game.

“I am interested to see how we will play together,” he said. “We have had some good practices, but putting on that UAPB jersey, I am anxious to see how we will do.

“I just expect us to play hard and play well. I would probably be frustrated if we got blow out.”

James has not decided on who will pitch the opening game, either. He does know which four pitchers — Jordan Sechler, Michael Newby, Brett Schweiger and Stanten Jones — he will turn to throughout the year.

“I will decide (today),” he said. “They are doing bullpens (Wednesday night) and that will help determine it.”

Optimistically, James would like to go to Little Rock and win all three games against the Trojans. But James said he is a realist.

“Being very honest, I don’t think we are at a point to where we can go up there and win all three,” he said. “It’s the second year in trying to build a program … and being realistic, I would say we can take at least one from them.”

UAPB softball frustrated with the weather

The Arkansas-Pine Bluff softball team was supposed to open its season against Arkansas-Monticello on Friday. The game was rained out.

The Lady Lions were then scheduled to play their season-opener at Central Arkansas Wednesday with a doubleheader. Those two games were also rained out.

Needless to say, Crystal Bowers’ squad is becoming quite frustrated with Mother Nature.

“It’s extremely annoying because there are so many things we would like to get done, but the weather won’t work for us,” the interim head coach said. “So we have to find other ways to simulate actually games so the players can stay sharp for when we do play.”

UAPB’s next scheduled games are at 1 and 3 p.m. Wednesday at home in a doubleheader against Central Arkansas, again.

Bowers is hoping the weather will allow both of those games to be played.

“The team is hungry for it,” she said. “They would like to get there and hit, dive, catch the ball and throw it. This weather is frustrating them more than it is me.”

Last year, the Lady Lions earned the third seed in the SWAC tournament and won a game before being knocked out. Bowers said even though you can never have enough practice, the team is ready to play.

“I would be a fool to say we have had enough practice time,” she said. “I think we are ready to get out there. These are some skilled and pretty talented young ladies.”

Apparently, Mother Nature has the final say of when the team will be done practicing everyday and will get to play a game, though.

UAPB indoor track competes at Middle Tennessee

Terron Armstead won the men’s shot put Sunday at the Valentine Invitational at Middle Tennessee. Armstead had a toss of 17.22 meters

Joel Porchia finished second in the men’s 55-meter dash with a time of 6.61 seconds.

For the women, Briana Hill finished in second place in the high jump, and Ninfa Bernard came in third place in the one-mile run.

The UAPB track team competes this weekend in Cape Girardeau, Mo., at the Red Hawk Invitational.