HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The UCA softball team was back in action Saturday after being washed out Friday evening. The Bears opened play this morning with a 6-5 extra inning loss to Rhode Island before righting the ship and knocking off the host, Southern Mississippi, by the score of 7-1.
UCA’s record improved to 2-1 on the young season with the Saturday split.
Rhode Island 6, Central Arkansas 5 (9 innings)
The Central Arkansas defense was guilty of five errors and Rhode Island seemingly capitalized on each and every one of them as the Rams defeated the Bears 6-5 Saturday morning in nine innings.
The Rams (1-0) took an early lead in the bottom of the first when Fallon Scorpio homered to right, scoring Kelly Coker, who had previously reached on a throwing error by UCA pitcher Kelsie Armstrong.
The Bears responded and cut the lead to 2-1 in the top half of the second. Freshman Ashley Boswell led off the inning with a double down the leftfield line. After a sacrifice bunt by Tiffany Roby, Nicole Beals laced a single to center scoring Boswell.
Rhode Island pushed their lead to 3-1 in the fourth inning, but the Bears would fight back again in their half of the fifth. Melissa Bryant came through with a clutch two-out single, scoring Lissa Avitia and Stephanie Lasely, tying the game at 3-3.
Each team was silent in the next two innings, meaning the game would be decided in extra innings. UCA got a run in the eighth on an Avitia RBI single but Rhode Island answered with an RBI double of their own.
In the ninth, Melissa Bryant came through with her third RBI of the day, giving the Bears another lead at 5-4. Another UCA error in the bottom of ninth allowed the Rhode Island runner placed on second to score and, to make matters worse, put the winning run in scoring position. Rams right fielder Megan Congro took advantage of that situation, ending the game on a one-out RBI single.
Kelsie Armstrong went the distance for UCA, throwing 8.1 innings and allowing just two earned runs while striking out six. Allison Hartzell earned the victory in relief for Rhode Island. She hurled 2.2 innings and allowed two runs, one earned, on three hits.
Melanie Bryant finished the game 3-for-5 at the dish. Melissa Bryant and Avitia each had a pair of hits. The Rams were led by Scorpio’s 2-for-3, 3 RBI effort. Courtney Pendergast also had a pair of hits for Rhode Island.
UCA 7, Southern Mississippi 1
The Bears came out red-hot in the second game of the afternoon, scoring at least one run in each of the first three innings, including three in the first and two in the second en route to a 7-1 victory over Southern Mississippi.
The victory marked the first win for UCA over the Golden Eagles in five tries.
Cami Newsome, pitching her first game of the year, was brilliant in earning the win. The senior from Sweeny, Texas went the distance and allowed just one run on four hits while fanning six Golden Eagle hitters.
Beth Dietrich took the loss for Southern Miss as she was tagged for nine hits and seven runs, four of which were earned, in six innings of work.
Kasey Britt and Melissa Bryant led the offensive charge for the Bears, combing to go 4-for-6 at the plate with two home runs and four runs scored. The home runs were back-to-back shots in the bottom of the second inning, giving UCA a 5-0 cushion.
Britt finished the game 3-for-3 with the homer and two runs scored. Melissa Bryant finished 1-for-3 with a homer, a walk and a pair of runs.
Ashley Boswell, hitting in the No. 5 spot, had three more hits and a pair of RBI. The freshman out of Tahlequah, Okla. is off to a red-hot start this season, posting five hits and four RBI in the first three games.
Southern Miss was led offensively by leadoff hitter Stephanie Shiflet, who stole a pair of bases and scored the only run for the Golden Eagles.
The Bears will return to action on Sunday morning, squaring off against the same two teams. UCA is set to play Rhode Island at 9 a.m. before finishing up action in Hattiesburg with a 1 p.m. start against Southern Miss.
