Conway – The Central Arkansas Bears opened the 2017 Central Arkansas Invitational with a pair of games at Farris Field on Friday afternoon. The Bears would fall to Western Illinois 6-3, before rebounding with a 10-0, five-inning win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

The Bears (3-9) got an outstanding pitching performance from senior Kayla Gomness (2-4) against the Lady Lions (2-10). She retired the first 11 batters she faced in the game and closed the game by overcoming a pair of errors that gave UAPB the bases loaded with no outs to preserve the shutout. On the night, she struck out seven Lady Lions while facing just 19 batters to earn her third complete game of the season.

UCA got the scoring started early, batting around and putting up five runs in the bottom of the first inning. One out walks from first baseman Kaylyn Shepherd, second baseman Cylla Hill, and designated player Krissy Fontillas got things going, before a single from shortstop Kate Myers drove in Shepherd. Hill would also score and Fontillas would advance to third on the play thanks to a throwing error. After Myers stole second base, the Bears got a sacrifice fly from third baseman Audrey Pratt and an RBI double from catcher Bailey Reynolds to make it 4-0. Reynolds moved over to third when right fielder Kayla Crutchmer reached on an error, before scoring on a double steal to cap the frame's scoring.

Crutchmer would get things going in the bottom of the third, leading off with a single and stealing second base, before coming in to score on a single from left fielder Hannah Stirton. Stirton moved to second on the throw home, before a throwing error allowed her to round the bases and give the Bears their second run of the inning. Centerfielder Briana Whisenhunt followed with a double, before moving to third on a ground out and scoring on a single from Hill.

The Bears closed out the scoring in the game thanks to a bases loaded wild pitch and a sacrifice fly from pinch hitter Kailla Searcy in the fourth inning.

The day's first game saw the Bears grab a 3-0 lead thanks to an RBIs from Pratt, Hill, and designated player Morgan Felts, before the Leathernecks (3-9) got four runs in the fifth and two in the seventh to steal the victory. Ellie Reaves took the loss for the Bears, allowing four runs on seven hits while striking out four in 4.0 innings. Searcy relieved her, surrendering a pair of runs on two hits and a walk in 2.0 innings, while Jordan Ward gave up two hits and struck out one in 1.0 innings of work.

On the day, Crutchmer went 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored, while Hill was 2-for-3 with two RBI and a walk.

The Bears return to action tomorrow afternoon, taking on the ULM Warhawks at  12:30 PM.