Natchitoches, La. – The Central Arkansas softball Bears took the field against the Lamar Lady Cardinals on Thursday evening with a trip to the Southland Conference Softball Tournament finals as the prize. The Bears jumped out to an early lead and got yet another strong start from Kylee Studioso, taking down the Lady Cardinals 7-0 to secure their first appearance in the SLC finals. The win was the 208^th of head coach David Kuhn's UCA career, the most all-time.

Central Arkansas wasted no time in getting on the board, striking three times in the top of the first. Third baseman Sam Forrest opened the game with a single to center before moving to second on a throwing error on right fielder Briana Whisenhunt's ground ball to first. Second baseman Sarah Bigej then found the gap in right-center field, doubling in Forrest and Whisenhunt and ending up on third thanks to the throw. Following a ground out, left fielder Hannah Stirton picked up a double to right-center of her own to plate Bigej and stake the Bears to a 3-0 lead.

The Bears added on with a single run in the fourth to push their lead to 4-0. Designated player Audrey Pratt got things going with another double to the right-center gap, before shortstop Hayley Parker drew a walk to put runners on second and first. First baseman Ashley Boswell then hit a hard grounder to Lamar shortstop Stephanie Meeuwsen, who stepped on second base and then fired wide of first, allowing Pratt to round third and score.

Central Arkansas would tack on another three runs in the fifth. Whesenhunt started the rally a one-out single to shortstop, before Bigej drove one off the wall in right for her second double of the day. Catcher Jessie Taylor then roped a single to center field to drive in Whisenhunt, while Bigej would come in to score on a fielding error in the outfield to put the Bears up 6-0. Taylor would end up on second.  After pinch runner Brianna McArthur moved to third on a fly out to right, she would come in to score on a fielding error on Pratt's ground ball to third.

 Lamar threatened in the bottom of the seventh, opening the inning with a triple and a walk, but Studioso got a ground out, a flyout to right, and a strikeout to earn the shutout.

Bigej led the Central Arkansas attack, goimg 2-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI, and two runs scored, while Taylor went 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Studioso earned her third complete game win of the tournament, limiting the Lady Cards to four hits and two walks while striking out four.
 

"Kylee came out and gave us a great performance and a great chance to win," said Bigej after the game. "Whoever we play tomorrow has to come out and beat us twice so we've got to just come out and give it everything we've got."

"We jumped on them early and got some runs," said Kuhn. "Lamar's a great team, very athletic and I love the way they play the game, and we were able to take advantage of mistakes and when they brought the ball in the strike zone we were able to barrel it up."

Of setting the program's wins record, he said, "It's a tribute to these kids, it has nothing to do with me. I haven't thrown a pitch, I've lost a lot of games making dumb decisions on the bases or not working the girls enough. It's an honor. I love Natalie (Shock) to death, I'm just blessed to come in here and coach her program. It's nice, I'm just kind of enjoying it."

With the win, the Central Arkansas advances to its first ever SLC Softball Tournament final. The Bears will play tomorrow at 2:00 PM with their opponent to be determined with a game tonight and a game at 10:30 tomorrow morning.