Conway – The Central Arkansas Bears stepped out of early-season tournament play on Tuesday night, welcoming the Lyon College Scots to Farris Field for a doubleheader. The Bears found themselves trailing in both games, before rallying to earn a pair of victories over their in-state opponent.

Lyon (10-6) strung together a single, a stolen base, a sacrifice bunt, and a sacrifice fly to take a 1-0 lead in the first game, but UCA starter Shivaun Landeros (6-3) limited the Scots to just two hits over the remaining six innings to earn her sixth win of the season. She struck out seven Scots while picking up her third complete game of the season.

Lyon starter Ashten Welch kept the Bears off the board until the third inning, when right fielder Briana Whisenhunt got things started with a one-out walk. After a stolen base from Whisenunt and a walk from left fielder Hannah Stirton, second baseman Krissy Fontillas, who was making her first collegiate start, poked a single to left field to drive in
Whisenhunt and even the score at 1-1.

Fontillas came through for the Bears again in the fifth, ripping a double down the left field line to plate third baseman Sam Forrest and Stirton, giving UCA a 3-1 lead.

First baseman Audrey Pratt led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a double to left-center field, before shortstop Kate Myers laced a triple down the right field line to score her. Pinch Hitter Bailey Reynolds then drove a double of her own into the gap in right-center, driving in Myers before coming in to score on a single from Whisenhunt.

Lyon jumped to an early lead again in the second game, grabbing a pair of runs in the first and adding another in the third, before the Bears put up four to take the lead in the fourth.

Fontillas got the rally started with a walk and moved to third on a double from Reynolds. After Pratt poked a single through the right side to plate the pair, center fielder Amy Gunnells hit a two-run home run to dead centerfield to put the Bears up 4-3.

Central Arkansas added a pair of insurance runs in the sixth inning, as Myers came in to score on an illegal pitch and Whisenhunt drove in Gunnells.

Nicole Fullilove (2-1) earned the win for the Bears, allowing three runs on five hits and a walk while striking out two in four innings of work. Landeros worked the final three innings, limiting the Scots to just one hit to earn the save.

Central Arkansas hits the road for the first five of a 15 game road trip this weekend, taking part in the Bulldog Slamboree, hosted by Mississippi State.