CONWAY, Ark. - The University of Central Arkansas softball team pounded out 10 hits, including two home runs and three doubles, en route to an 11-3 five-inning victory over crosstown foe Hendrix at Farris Field Tuesday night. With the win, the Bears improve to 18-23 overall while the Warriors fall to 12-23.

UCA started the game off with a five-run bottom of the first. Junior right fielder Nicole Beals led off with a base hit then stole second. Junior first baseman Kasey Britt followed with a walk and catcher Melanie Bryant singled to load the bases. Junior Katie McGregor doubled in Beals and Britt for the first runs of the game. Freshman second baseman Taylor Dear hit a ground ball, scoring Bryant and freshman third baseman Tarra Underhill hit a home run that cleared the fence in center field, her second blast of the season.

Sophomore center fielder Candice Gauntt led off the second by reaching on an error then stole second. Beals knocked in Gauntt with a base hit then stole second. After a wild pitch by Hendrix starter Ashley Halbert, Beals scored on a Britt sacrifice fly to go up 7-0.

McGregor led off the third with a base hit and scored on a Dear base hit. Dear scored after the Warriors made two errors on a ground ball hit by senior first base man Shay Ristau.

The Bears added two more in the fourth when sophomore Preslie Long double and freshman Bre Hutchinson hit her first home run of the season, clearing the fence in left field.

Hendrix scored three runs in the top of the fifth when shortstop Alex Sullivan and designated player Christina Byler led off with back-to-back singles. Kaylen Stevenson hit a bunt single, but Sullivan scored after a throwing error by UCA. Right fielder Frances Goodrich and second baseman Catelyn Gibbs followed with back-to-back RBI ground outs.

Beals, McGregor, and Dear had two hits each for the Bears, with Beals stealing two bases.

UCA junior Cami Newsome (6-7) struck out six and gave up just one hit in three innings for the win. Junior reliever Kristen Johnson fanned two and allowed one walk, three hits and two earned runs. HC starter Ashley Halbert (6-11) gave up seven hits, six earned runs, a walk and struck out one in three innings.

The Bears will host Alcorn State at Farris Field on Wednesday. The double-header will start at 3 p.m.