Conway – The Central Arkansas softball team wrapped up the 2014 Central Arkansas Invitational with a pair of games on Sunday. The Bears came out on the wrong side of both games, dropping their first game 6-2 to South Dakota State before falling to Western Illinois 7-6 in extra innings.
In the first game of the day, South Dakota State (5-8) took a 3-0 lead in the third inning. The Jackrabbits got the inning with a pair of walks and a sacrifice bunt. After a strikeout, third baseman Elyse Eitel roped a single to left-center to plate a run, and first baseman Alyssa D'Agostino followed with a two-run double.
SDSU added to the lead with an RBI single in the fourth inning and a 2-run double in the fifth to make it 6-0.
Central Arkansas (4-11) mounted a rally in the bottom of the seventh, loading the bases with a pair of walks and a fielding error. After a fielder's choice cut a runner down at the plate, second baseman Sarah Bigej singled through the left side to plate shortstop Hayley Parker. A fielder's choice off the bat of Sam Forrest drove in right fielder Randi Wallace and cut the lead to 6-2 before a ground out ended the rally.
Jennifer Sutton (2-2) earned the complete game victory, throwing seven innings and allowing a pair of runs on eight hits. She gave up three walks and struck out two. Kylee Studioso (3-3) took the loss for Central Arkansas. Over seven innings of work, she surrendered six runs on eight hits and six walks, while striking out 12 Jackrabbits.
In the final game of the Invitational, Western Illinois (10-3) took advantage of a 5-run second inning to outlast the Bears in extra innings. After a walk and a pair of singles got the second inning started, took a 2-0 lead on a two-run double to right field from right fielder Karissa Kouchis. Shortstop Sammy Marshall extended the lead to 5-0 by blasting a three-run shot to right-center field.
Jessie Taylor got a run back for the Bears in the fourth inning, blasting her second homer of the season to right-center, and Sam Forrest scored on a throwing error in the fifth to cut the lead to 5-2.
After the Leathernecks got a run back in the fifth to push the lead to 6-2, the Bears rallied in the seventh to tie the game. Bigej drew a walk to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a wild pitch. After designated player Taylor Dear lined out, centerfielder Hannah Stirton drew a walk. Left fielder Briana Whisenhunt picked up an infield single, and Taylor came through for the Bears, blasting her second home run of the day, this one a game-tying grand slam to right to send the games to extra innings.
Central Arkansas, who was the visitor in the game due to a pregame coin-flip, was unable to take advantage of the runner placed at second base due to international tie-breaker rules, stranding a runner at third base in the top of eighth. Western Illinois sacrificed their runner over to third base and left fielder Tierney Bottino lofted a sacrifice fly to right field to give the Leathernecks the 7-6 victory.
Hailey Bickford threw 6.1 innings of eight hit, six run ball for WIU. She issued seven walks and struck out three. Teagan Walsh (1-0) earned the win by holding the Bears hitless over the final 1.2 innings of the game. Peyton Jenkins (0-1) took the loss for Central Arkansas, allowing seven runs on nine hits and two walks over 7.2 innings of work.
Central Arkansas returns to action on Wednesday, hosting Arkansas-Pine Bluff for a pair of games beginning at 5:00 p.m.
