CONWAY, Ark. - The University of Central Arkansas softball team split a Southland Conference double-header with first place Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at Farris Field on Saturday afternoon. The Bears (10-12, 3-2 SLC) got a pair of two-run homers in the first game to win 5-4. The Islanders (19-6, 7-1 SLC) bounced back to take the nightcap 6-1. The rubber match of the series will be played Sunday at 12 p.m.
In game one, TAMUCC struck in the top of the third when second baseman Caley Jeter doubled and scored on an error on a pop up by third baseman Kacie Smith. UCA answered in the fourth when catcher Melanie Bryant hit her team-leading sixth home run of the season, a two-run blast, to put the Bears up 2-1.
The Islanders regained the lead on back-to-back RBI hits from Jeter and Smith in the fifth inning.
UCA junior right fielder Nicole Beals led the sixth off with a base hit and junior first baseman Kasey Britt connected on a home run shot of her own, putting the Bears up 4-3. Senior Shay Ristau singled and scored on a double by freshman third baseman Tarra Underhill to give UCA an insurance run.
Smith hit a solo home run in the top of the seventh to make the game 5-4.
Bryant went 2-for-3 with two runs scored, two RBI, a home run and a double. Beals also had two hits for UCA. Hannah Scwarz, Jeter and Smith had two hits each for TAMUCC.
Sophomore Kelsie Armstrong (7-8) struck out five and allowed seven hits, three earned runs and three walks to pick up the win. Jordan Trujillo (9-3) suffered the loss with eight hits, five runs, a walk and seven strikeouts in six innings.
In game two, UCA scored their only run in the bottom of the first when Beals led off with a base hit and later scored on a Bryant base hit to left. The Islanders got a two-run homer from freshman Laura Phillips in the top of the second to go up 2-1.
TAMUCC tacked on three more runs in the fifth with a RBI-single from shortstop Lauren Dodson and a two-run hit by left fielder Sandy Schumann. Catcher Brittany Tucker hit a solo homer in the seventh to give the Islanders the 6-1 victory.
Britt led UCA by going 2-for-3 with a double. Tucker had two hits and two runs scored for the Islanders.
Vianca Pesina (7-1) fanned six batters with five hits and a run allowed for the win. UCA junior starter Cami Newsome (2-3) struck out three and allowed six hits, five runs and five walks in 4.1 innings.
