Conway – The Central Arkansas Bears took to the field for a doubleheader against Northwestern State on Saturday afternoon, looking for a sweep after taking the first game of the series on Friday night. Senior Jessie Taylor gave the Bears a boost in the first game, setting the Central Arkansas career home run record to help lead the Bears to a 6-0 win, before UCA completed the sweep with a 5-1 win in the final game of the series.

The day's first game saw the Bears (28-14, 9-6 SLC) strike first, when Taylor led off the bottom of the second inning with a single to right field. Following a pop up and a strikeout, first baseman Audrey Pratt laced a double deep down the left field line, driving in Taylor from first to give the Bears a 1-0 lead.

UCA struck again in the third inning; when right fielder Briana Whisenhunt led off with a double to left-center field. A sacrifice bunt from second baseman Sarah Bigej moved Whisenhunt to third, before she came into score on a sacrifice fly from third baseman Sam Forrest. Taylor would then work the count to 2-2, before hitting her 33^rd career home run off the top of the fence in left-center, putting the Bears up 3-0 and setting a new UCA career record.

Whisenhunt again got things going for the Bears in the fifth, leading off with a single down the right field line. Bigej then crushed a double to right-center, driving in Whisenhunt and making it 4-0 in favor of the Bears. After a walk from Forrest, Bigej would move to third on a deep fly ball from Taylor, before coming in to score on a sacrifice fly off the bat of left fielder Hannah Stirton.

Pratt closed out the game's scoring in the sixth, leading off the inning by blasting her first home run of the season into the Central Arkansas bullpen.

Kayla Gomness (8-3) got the win for the Bears, scattering five hits over seven innings while striking out four Lady Demons (22-16, 6-9 SLC). She allowed just two runners to reach second base while picking up her eighth complete game of the season.

In the final game of the series, Northwestern State jumped out to an early lead, getting an RBI double from first baseman Brittney Jones in the top of the first inning to take a
1-0 lead. The Bears wouldn't trail for long though, as Whisenhunt and Bigej led off the bottom of the first inning with back-to-back walks before moving to third on a wild pitch. Forrest then got the Bears on the board, singling to left field to plate Whisenhunt and even the score at 1-1. With Taylor at the plate, Forrest would get caught stealing second base, but Bigej would score from third on the play, putting UCA on top 2-1.

The Bears would get another crooked number in the third, putting up three runs to end the game's scoring. Whisenhunt and Bigej again got things started, opening the inning with a single and a hit-by-pitch, respectively. After a ground out from Forrest moved the runners to second and third, Taylor roped a triple into the gap in right-center field, scoring both runners to push the UCA lead to 4-1. Stirton lofted a sacrifice fly to right to drive in Taylor and make the UCA lead 5-1.

Shivaun Landeros (17-9) earned her second complete game in as many days, scattering 10 hits and a pair of walks over seven innings of work. She struck out five.

On the day, the Central Arkansas offense was led by Taylor, Pratt, and Whisenhunt, who all three tallied three hits on the day. Taylor and Pratt each drove in three runs, while Whisenhunt scored four runs and stole a pair of bases.

Central Arkansas will return to action on Wednesday, playing host to Oklahoma State at Farris Field. First pitch is scheduled for 5:00 PM. The Bears will then hit the road for Hammond, Louisiana, where they will play a three-game set against Southeastern Louisiana. The Bears and Lady Lions will play a doubleheader beginning at 3:00 PM on Friday, before closing out the series with a single game at 12:00 PM on Saturday.