NATCHITOCHES, La. — After being shut out in a 9-inning loss in the day's opening game against Northwestern State, Central Arkansas erupted in the nightcap – winning 8-4 to split a doubleheader in the opening day of their Southland Conference series.
The Bears (24-13, 7-6 Southland) jumped out to a 5-0 lead after scoring four in the third inning and adding another in the fourth, then tacked on three more in the sixth to pull away for the victory over the Lady Demons (27-9, 8-5).
The UCA offense got going with two outs in the third, with Tiffany Roby doubling to left center field to score Melanie and Melissa Bryant. Taylor Dear followed with a single up the middle, scoring Roby and Sarah Bigej to give the Bears a 4-0 lead.
The Bears struck again with two outs in the fourth inning, getting a solo home run from Melissa Bryant, her third of the season.
The Lady Demons cut into the UCA lead in the bottom of the fifth, scoring three, but the Bears wasted no time retaliating – answering with three of their own in the top of the sixth.
With Sam Forrest on first, Melissa Bryant – who finished the game with four hits and three runs scored – singled to center to put two on for sister Melanie, who drove one over the center field fence for her seventh home run and 28th RBI of the season to put UCA ahead 8-3. She became just the second player in school history to reach the 200-hit mark, with her 201 putting her behind Leslie Clothier's program-record 226, and now needs just one more RBI to tie Kasey Britt's school record of 125.
The Lady Demons were able to recover one run in the seventh, but stranded two as Kelsie Armstrong earned her 17th win of the season. In the day's two games, Armstrong struck out a total of 20 Lady Demons, giving her 198 for the season and the top four season strikeout totals in program history (249 in 2012, 223 in 2011, and 212 in 2010).
In the first game, Northwestern State escaped with a 1-0 win in nine innings, scoring the game's lone run on a squeeze play at the plate as Cali Burke laid down a bunt to score Tashana Triplett, who had come in as a pinch runner after Cassandra Barefield led off the inning with a double.
Armstrong took the loss despite allowing just five hits and striking out 12. Kylie Roos struck out four for the Lady Demons, walking two and allowing three hits in picking up the win.
The Bears were able to work a runner into scoring position in the top half of the final inning, as Melanie Bryant hit a one-out double down the left field line – unfortunately for the Bears, they were unable to capitalize as they were retired on back-to-back flyouts by Lissa Avitia and Bigej.
The Demons nearly ended the game in the bottom of the 7th, getting a runner to third base, but Armstrong was able to work out of the jam. Natalie Landry led off the inning by reaching base on an infield error, then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Cali Burke. With one down, Cheyenne DelaGarza was walked, giving NSU runners on first and second with one down.
Armstrong got Jordan Palmer to strike out looking for the second out, but during the next at-bat, Landry moved to third on a stolen base. She would be stranded there, however, as Armstrong recorded her second straight strikeout, getting Shenequa Abby looking to end the threat.
UCA was limited to just three hits in that game, getting singles from Avitia and Tiffany Roby.
The Bears and Lady Demons will conclude their series with a decisive Game 3 at noon.
