CONWAY, Ark. - The University of Central Arkansas softball team exploded for two dozen runs in a double-header sweep of Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Farris Field on Tuesday. The Bears (6-10) took the first game 12-1 in five innings, followed by a 12-0 blanking in the nightcap. UCA outhit the Lady Lions (0-6) 26-5 in the two games.
UCA opened the first game with a six-run bottom of the first inning. Sophomore catcher Melanie Bryant had a two-run single in the inning. Katie McGregor, Tarra Underhill and Preslie Long also had RBI hits in the frame. McGregor knocked in junior right fielder Nicole Beals in the second inning to make the game 7-0.
The Bears added five more in the third, including a two-run base hit by Beals and a two-run homer from Bryant. UAPB's lone run came in the fourth when catcher Valerie Higareda led off with a hit and later scored from second after a Jill Howard hit and a UCA error.
Beals went 3-for-3 with three runs scored, a double and a stolen base to lead UCA at the plate. Bryant was 2-for-3 with four runs batted in.
Junior Cami Newsome (2-2) picked up the win by striking out seven while allowing three hits and walking two in four innings. Junior Kelley Martino struck out one in a perfect fifth inning. UAPB's CeCe Kolesar (0-3) allowed 11 hits, nine earned runs and one walk.
In game two, UCA sophomore pitcher Kelsie Armstrong (4-7) struck out 11 and allowed just one hit and two walks in four innings. Junior Kristen Johnson struck out two and allowed one hit in the fifth inning. Starter Heather Leigh (0-1) gave up nine hits, eight runs and three walks in 2.1 innings for the Lady Lions.
In the first inning, Underhill drove in two runs and freshman second baseman Taylor Dear drove in another to give the Bears an early 3-0 lead. McGregor doubled in junior Kasey Britt in the second to go up 4-0.
The Bears had another six-run frame in the third, which included a three-run homer by McGregor, the first of her career. Freshman center fielder Kelvon Greer led the fourth off with a base hit and scored on a Martino blast over the center field fence, also the first home run of her career.
McGregor had two hits and four RBI with a double and home run. Bryant had three hits and Dear added two.
UCA will host Mississippi Valley State at 3 p.m. on Wednesday.
