Thibodaux, La. –

The Central Arkansas traveled to Thibodaux, Louisiana to play a double-header with Southland Conference foe Nicholls State on Saturday. The Bears won a pitcher’s duel 1-0 before falling 5-3 in the second game of the day.

The first game was all about the pitchers, as starters Kelsie Armstrong and Hannah Haydel combined to throw 14 innings of 10 hit, one run softball. Armstrong (20-9) got the win, allowing only three hits in her seven innings while striking out 11. Haydel (7-8) took the loss on the back of seven hits, three walks, and five strikeouts. The only run Haydel allowed was unearned.

Central Arkansas (27-15, 8-8 SLC) got the game’s only run in the top of the seventh. First baseman Ashley Boswell led the inning off with a single up the middle and Cristin Curl came on to run. Center fielder Amy Gunnells dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move Curl over to second. After a groundout, a wild pitch allowed Curl to advance to third before an error allowed her to score.

Boswell was the only player in the game with multiple hits, going 2-for-3 with a pair of singles. Melissa Bryant, Sam Forrest, Lissa Avitia, and Tiffany Roby each collected a single.

The second game of the twinbill featured the offenses, as the teams combined for eight runs on 15 hits and four walks.
Central Arkansas took a 1-0 lead in the third inning before Nicholls State (19-21, 9-8 SLC) exploded for five runs in the bottom of the sixth. The Bears got two back in the top of the seventh, but the rally fell short, giving the Colonels the 5-3 victory.
Avitia led the way for Central Arkansas, going 3-for-4 with an RBI. Melanie Bryant and Forrest each went 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Armstrong took the loss for the Bears, allowing five runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out nine. Ashton Bennett (11-9) got the win, giving up three runs, eight hits, and two walks. She struck out two Bears.

Central Arkansas and Nicholls State will play the rubber match of their three game set tomorrow at noon.