HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The UCA softball team earned two wins Sunday, making them Southern Miss Coca Cola Classic tournament champs after going 3-1 on the weekend. The two victories, which improved UCA’s overall record to 4-1, came in completely different fashion as UCA ran past Rhode Island, 10-2, and then had to claw their way back to defeat the Golden Eagles 10-9.
UCA 10, Rhode Island 2 (6 innings)
Central Arkansas used a pair of four-run innings to get a bit of payback against Rhode Island, as they avenged Saturday’s 6-5 extra inning loss by defeating the Rams 10-2 and enforcing the run rule Sunday morning.
The bottom half of the order was responsible for most of the havoc placed on Rhode Island pitchers in the win. UCA’s six through nine hitters combined to go 9-for-11 with 4 RBI at the plate and scored nine of the 10 runs.
Lissa Avitia chipped in a three-hit effort to go along with an RBI and three runs scored. Stephanie Lasley provided a nice spark, as well, going 2-for-2 with 3 RBI and two runs scored. Kelvon Greer, who entered as a pinch runner in the third inning after a Tiffany Roby single, went on to have a 2-for-2 effort at the dish. Greer scored three times and also stole a base.
Rhode Island dented the scoreboard first, striking for two runs in the top half of the first. The Bears came roaring back in the third, however, as the first six hitters of the inning reached base safely, capped off by a Melanie Bryant RBI double, to give UCA a 4-2 lead.
UCA got two more in the fourth and then used four straight singles in the sixth, all of which would come around to score, to enforce the mercy rule.
Cami Newsome was credited with the victory for UCA, improving her record to 2-0 on the young year. She went three innings and allowed two runs, none of which were earned, and struck out two. Taylor Barclay, seeing her first action of the season, pitched three shutout innings in relief and earned the save.
JoJo Meunier took the loss for Rhode Island. UCA hitters roughed her up for four runs on five hits in just 2.1 innings.
UCA 10, Southern Mississippi 9
Trailing 7-1 after five innings, the UCA offense exploded for nine runs over the last two innings to get their second win on Sunday by defeating Southern Mississippi 10-9, improving to 4-1 this season.
It was all Southern Mississippi through the first five frames, as UCA had mustered just one run on a Taylor Dear sacrifice fly in the top of the fourth.
The UCA offense came to life when it had to though. With just six outs left to get back in the game, the Bears took advantage of a pair of Golden Eagle errors, showed their patience at the plate and drew five walks, and Kasey Britt and Melissa Bryant added a sacrifice fly and an RBI single to complete a six-run sixth inning to tie the game at 7-7.
UCA then took a 10-7 lead when it added three more in the seventh. The Bears again took advantage of a Southern Miss defensive miscue to get things started. Stephanie Lasley then laced an RBI single through the right side, giving UCA its first lead of the game. Melissa Bryant then came up big for the second straight inning, expanding the UCA lead with a two-run single to left that scored Lasley and Lissa Avitia.
The Golden Eagles didn’t go quietly in the bottom of the seventh, however. Britney Dinelt got things going with a one out-double. Pinch hitter Brittany Lilly then reached base with a single, bringing the tying run to the plate in Danielle LaPointe. LaPointe got Southern Miss within one with a two-run double to left center but Cami Newsome got the next hitter to ground out to short, securing the victory for the Bears.
Melissa Bryant led the way offensively for the Bears, going 2-for-4 with three RBI in the game. Avitia added a pair of hits with an RBI and Lasley finished 1-for-2 with two RBI.
Newsome picked up the win in relief for UCA. With the victory, her record now stands at 3-0.
The Bears will be back in action on Wednesday afternoon for their home opener when they square off with UAPB in a doubleheader set to begin at 3 p.m.
