Conway – The Central Arkansas softball team closed took to the field for the final game of the 2015 UCA Invitational on Sunday, playing host to the Blue Hens of the University of Delaware. The Bears' offense was once again firing on all cylinders as UCA scored seven runs on eight hits to take down Delaware 7-2.
Central Arkansas (8-5) took the lead in the bottom of the second thanks to an RBI single from third baseman
Sam Forrest, before pushing the lead to 3-0 on RBIs from left fielder
Hannah Stirton and designated player
Bailey Reynolds.
Forrest led off the fourth with her second home run in as many games, blasting the first pitch she saw over the fence in right-center. Right fielder
Briana Whisenhunt drew a walk, and after a pair of wild pitches moved her to third base, came in to score on a sacrifice fly off the bat of catcher
Jessie Taylor.
Delaware (5-5) cut into the UCA lead in the top half of the fifth. Following a strikeout to open the inning, center fielder Cailey Issacs drew a walk. Catcher Danielle Wissinger looped a ball down the right field line that managed to thread its way between the foul line and the outstretched glove of a diving Stirton. With the ball lose, Issacs came around to score and Wissinger scampered all the way to third. The Blue Hens trimmed the Bears' lead to 5-2 when second baseman Leanna Gearheart drove in pinch runner Mattie Nuccio with a groundout to second base.
UCA answered in the bottom half of the inning, scoring a pair of two-out runs to take a 7-2 lead. After a line out and a ground out opened the inning, first baseman
Ashley Boswell singled through the left side to start the rally. Center fielder
Amy Gunnells drew a walk to move pinch runner Tylor Dodson into scoring position, before Forrest rapped a single to second base. The ball careened into foul territory off the glove for a laid out Gearheart, allowing Dodson to score, and Gunnells came in as well on an errant throw to the plate.
Kylee Studioso (7-2) picked up her seventh complete game of the season, allowing just a pair of runs on four hits and a walk while striking out five. Carolyn Szymanski (4-2) took the loss for Delaware, allowing five runs on six hits and four walks in 3.1 innings pitched. Jordan Cargile gave up two runs, one of which was earned, on three walks and two hits in 2.2 innings of relief.
The Bears are off until Friday, when they will appear in the Under Armour Invitational, hosted by South Florida. Central Arkansas will take on East Carolina and Sacred Heart.
