Lake Charles, La. – The Central Arkansas Bears opened play in their fifth-straight Southland Conference Tournament on Wednesday, taking on the fifth-seeded Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks. The Bears found themselves in an early hole and, despite a late rally, fell to the Ladyjacks 4-3.




Stephen F. Austin (26-27) jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first, taking advantage of a walk and a hit to take a 2-0 lead. First baseman Brittany Lewis got things going with a one-out walk, before left fielder Annie Mehringer turned on a 2-2 offering from Central Arkansas starter Shivaun Landeros and put the Ladyjacks ahead 2-0 with her fifth home run of the year.

The Bears looked to have an answer in the bottom half of the frame, putting right fielder Briana Whisenhunt and third baseman Sam Forrest in scoring position with one out, but a pair of flyouts to left ended the threat.

After Landeros set the Ladyjacks down on just six pitches in the top of the second, Central Arkansas (35-21) chipped into the SFA lead in the bottom of the inning. With one out and the bases empty, first baseman Audrey Pratt crushed a 1-0 offering from SFA's Callee Guffey, clearing the deck in left-center field for her second home run of the season.

After the next six batters went down in order, the Bears and Ladyjack had to put on the breaks, as lightning and a light rain put the game on hold for 47 minutes.

The delay seemed to have no effect on Landeros, who rebounded from the shaky first inning to retire the next 12 batters she faced. That streak came to an end in the top of the sixth inning, when SFA sandwiched a walk between a pair of Central Arkansas errors to load the bases with no outs. Landeros helped her own cause though, inducing a 1-2-3 double play from SFA's three-hole hitter Taylor LeFlore and a ground out to third from Mehringer to keep the Ladyjacks off the board.

Central Arkansas was able to put runners on in the fifth and the sixth innings, but were unable to find the game-tying hit either time.

SFA extended its lead in the top of the seventh, plating a pair of insurance run to make its lead 4-1 thanks to an RBI single from pinch hitter Taylor Vick and an RBI groundout from second baseman Autumn Holloway.

Left fielder Hannah Stirton was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning, and moved to third on a double from shortstop Kate Myers that hit the top of the fence in left field. After a popup to the catcher, Whisenhunt delivered for the Bears, roping a single to center field to drive in both runs and cut the SFA lead to 4-3. Whisenhunt advanced to second on the throw home, but a rocket off the bat of second baseman Sarah Bigej was caught by Ladyjack shortstop Courtney Chambers to end the game.

Landeros (21-13) took the loss, allowing four earned runs on five hits and three walks while striking out three Ladyjacks in her 20^th complete game of the season.

Pratt and Whisenhunt led the way for the Central Arkansas attack, with Pratt going 2-for-3 with a home run and an RBI, and Whisenhunt going 2-for-3 with a single and two RBI.

The Bears will return to the field tomorrow afternoon at 1:30 PM, taking on the loser of today's match-up between second-seeded Nicholls and third-seeded Lamar.