Conway – After playing eight innings in the second game of a doubleheader last night, the Central Arkansas Bears and Abilene Christian Wildcats eclipsed that feat on Saturday, playing 12 innings in the rubber match of their Southland Conference series. The Bears found themselves trailing, but never for long, as they came back on five different occasions, eventually defeating the Wildcats 11-10.
 
The Bears (22-11, 6-3 SLC) jumped on the Wildcats in the bottom of the first to take a 2-0 lead. Right fielder Briana Whisenhunt got things started with a single to second base, before second baseman Sarah Bigej reached on a fielding error. UCA then got back-to-back two-out singles from left fielder Hannah Stirton and designated player Bailey Reynolds to plate Whisenhunt and Bigej.

ACU (12-14, 6-3 SLC) chipped away at the UCA lead in the top of the third, getting an RBI double from third baseman Holly Neese, before first baseman Baylee Travers gave the Wildcats a 3-2 lead in the fourth with a two-run home run to left field.

That lead would hold until the bottom of the sixth inning, when Stirton reached on a one-out error. A single from first baseman Audrey Pratt moved Stirton into scoring position, before shortstop Kate Myers ripped a single to left-center to drive in Stirton and even the score at 3-3.

ACU struck back in the top of the seventh, when right fielder Brianna Barnhill doubled home shortstop Peyton Hedrick, but the Bears rallied in the bottom half of the frame. Whisenhunt singled down the right field line, before Bigej and catcher Jessie Taylor loaded the bases with a pair of walks. Stirton then poked a single to right field to drive in Whisenhunt and knot the score at 4-4.

Neither side was able to score in the eighth or ninth inning, but the Wildcats were able to take advantage of the international tie-breaker in the 10^th, getting a sacrifice bunt to move the runner to third and a single from left fielder Miranda Herron to take the lead once again.

The Bears proved to be up to the task in the bottom of the inning. Reynolds started the inning on second base, before pinch hitter Randi Wallace laid down a sacrifice bunt to move her to third. Shortstop Kate Myers then poked a single through the left side to score Reynolds and tie the game yet again. UCA looked to have the game-winner, as third baseman Sam Forrest doubled down the left field line, but Myers stumbled while rounding third and was thrown out at the plate.

ACU scored the runner from second base in the top of the 11^th, before a pair of intentional walks and a UCA error allowed three more runs to score, sending the game to the bottom of the 11^th  with UCA trailing 9-5.

Forrest started the inning at second and the Bears promptly loaded the bases when Whisenhunt was hit by a pitch and Bigej worked a walk. Taylor then delivered for the Bears, launching a grand slam to left-center to even the score at 9-9.
 

The Wildcats again plated the runner from second in the top of the 12^th, but the Bears answered the call one final time. With Myers at third thanks to a wild pitch to open the inning, center fielder Amy Gunnells drew a walk and Forrest was plunked to load the bases. After a pitching change from ACU, Whisenhunt evened the game at 10-10 with an RBI fielder choice. A walk from Bigej and a strikeout loaded the bases for Stirton who rifled a ball into the gap in left-center to drive in Gunnells and give the Bears the win.

On the day, Stirton was 3-for-7 with three RBI, while Taylor went 2-for-6 with four runs driven in. Myers added a pair of RBI, while Whisenhunt and Reynolds chipped in with one RBI apiece.

Shivaun Landeros (14-7) got the start for the Bears. She threw three innings, before coming in and earning the win with three innings of relief work. All told, she worked six innings and allowing five earned runs on 10 hits while issuing three walks and striking out a pair. Nicole Fullilove allowed a pair of hits and a walk in 1.1 innings of work, while Kayla Gomness surrendered one earned run on three hits in 4.2 innings of work.

The Bears step out of SLC play on Tuesday, hosting Jackson State at 5:00 PM at Farris Field.