PINE BLUFF, ARK. - This past Thursday, Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe partnered with the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) to host Homeruns and Heroes, which was a fundraiser aimed to rising funds to complete construction of the Torii Hunter Baseball, Softball and Little League Complex on UAPB's campus. This ticketed event was hosted at the Governor's Mansion in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Distiguish guest included Governor Beebe, Major League Baseball All-Stars Torii Hunter (Detroit Tigers), Cliff Lee (Philadelphia Phillies), UAPB Chancellor Laurence B. Alexander, Miss UAPB Miche'la Martin and Royal Court as well as UAPB Faculty and Staff members. Hunter and Lee are both Arkansans.

According to UAPB Athletics Director Lonza Hardy, the Home Runs and Heroes event will be just one of many fundraisers that will be held throughout the year to generate revenue to help them better serve UAPB students as well as the community at large.

During the event on Thursday, Hunter was presented as the "Homerun Hero," along with an Honorary Doctor of Law Degree from Chancellor Laurence B. Alexander and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff in appreciation of the warming support that Torii and Katrina Hunter give to the University and their contribution to the Torii Hunter Baseball, Softball and Little League Complex.

When the complex is completed, the Torii Hunter Complex will be a state-of-the-art sports facility on the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff campus that will be the crown jewel of college sports venues in the Arkansas Delta. The final phase of construction will allow the baseball stadium to seat more than 500 fans including comfortable box seats, a press box, VIP suites and a concessions stand. Along with the top-caliber NCAA Division I baseball and softball teams that travel to Pine Bluff to play the Golden Lions and Lady Lions, little league competitions, sports camps and clinics will be conducted at the complex along with local, regional and state high school playoff games. The tournaments, teams and fans that coverage upon Pine Bluff will have a tremendous economic impact on the local and area economy.

Congratulations to the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and the department of athletics on their uprising achievement. Let's GO Lions GO!