CONWAY, Ark. – The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders pounded out 13 hits and scored seven unanswered runs to complete the series sweep over UCA Saturday afternoon at Farris Field.
 
Things looked excellent for the Bears early on as the posted a six-run bottom of the second inning to take an early large lead. The Bears got five hits in the inning, including two by freshman first baseman Ashley Boswell, to force Islander pitcher Vianca Pesina to leave after just 1.1 innings.
 
Unfortunately for the Bears, that would be all the offense the rest of the way as UCA didn’t get another base hit until the seventh when Tiffany Roby tripled to left field.
 
Trailing 6-0, the Islanders began chipping away at the UCA lead. Corpus Christi got one run in the third on a single by Cassie Redman and three more in the fourth thanks to an RBI single by Hayley Galloway and a two-run double by Stephanie Vead. The Islanders cut the lead to 6-5 in the fifth with a sacrifice fly and then tied the game in the sixth on a solo shot by Cassie Carrol. Meagan McKinney put the Islanders on top, 7-6, for good with an RBI in the seventh.
 
The Bears threatened in the seventh as Roby reached third on the triple, but Islander pitcher Greta Cecchetti recorded her ninth strikeout to halt the UCA rally.
 
Cecchetti, Friday night’s starter, went 5.2 innings in relief to earn the win and improve her record to 5-3. She allowed just two hits while fanning nine and walking one. Cami Newsome got the start for UCA and earned a no decision. She hurled 3.2 innings and allowed four runs on six hits. Kristen Johnson was charged with the loss for the Bears and fell to 0-1. She worked two innings and allowed a run on four hits.
 
Offensively, UCA (25-13, 5-3) was led by Boswell’s two hits and two RBI. Melanie Bryant added a hit and an RBI and Stephanie Lasley finished 1-for-2 with a walk, a run scored and a stolen base, her 14^th of the season.
 
A&M-Corpus Christi (10-14, 6-4) was led with three hits and an RBI apiece from Redman, Carrol and Galloway.
 
The Bears return to action on Tuesday when they step out of conference and host Mississippi Valley State. Game time from Farris Field is set for 4 p.m.