Clearwater, Fla. – The Central Arkansas softball team returned to the field on Sunday after torrential rains on Saturday knocked out a pair of games. The UCA offense combined with a dominant performance from
Kylee Studioso to give the Bears a 6-1 win over Radford.
Central Arkansas (10-6) grabbed a lead in the top of the fourth inning, loading the bases with a pair of walks and a single. Centerfielder
Amy Gunnells broke the 0-0 deadlock with
a walk to plate leftfielder
Hannah Stirton, and third baseman
Sam Forrest lofted a sacrifice fly to right field to drive in designated player
Audrey Pratt, putting UCA up 2-0.
The Bears tacked on some insurance runs in a busy fifth inning, pushing their lead to 5-0 on three hits and two Radford (3-8) errors. Second baseman
Sarah Bigej opened the inning with an infield single and moved to second base on a walk from Stirton. Pratt then roped a double to left-centerfield to drive in Bigej, and Stirton came around to score on an errant throw. Pinch hitter
Bailey Reynolds came up big for the Bears, ripping a single through the left side to drive in Pratt.
The Highlanders got a run back in the bottom of the fifth, when centerfielder Becky Mantel launched a home run to left-center to lead off the frame.
UCA capped the day's scoring in the sixth, as a fielder's choice and a throwing error allowed right fielder
Briana Whisenhunt to score from second base.
Studioso (9-2) was nearly unhittable on the day, allowing just a pair of hits and one run while striking out 14 Highlanders in seven innings. She earned her ninth complete game in 10 starts this season. Tiffany Brown (0-2) gave up six runs on six hits and eight walks while striking out eight to take the loss.
Central Arkansas returns home this week, playing a doubleheader against Lyon College at 5:00 PM on Tuesday, and opening up Southland Conference play by hosting Texas A&M-Corpus Cristi this coming weekend. The Bears and Lady Islanders will play a doubleheader beginning at 4:00 PM on Friday, before playing a single game at noon on Saturday.
