Conway – The Central Arkansas Bears returned to the field on Wednesday evening, welcoming the Mississippi State Bulldogs to Farris Field. Despite getting an outstanding pitching performance from sophomore
Payton Herman, the Bears came up short on the day, falling to the Bulldogs by a final tally of 3-1.
Making her first start of the season, Herman held Mississippi State (21-5) to just one run while scattering 10 hits and a walk in 5.1 innings of work, a figure which nearly doubled her output on the season.
The Bulldogs struck first in the game, getting an RBI double from shortstop Reggie Harrison in the top of the third inning, but a the relay from right fielder
Briana Whisenhunt cut Harrison down at third to end the threat.
Central Arkansas (7-19) got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning, when second baseman
Krissy Fontillas led off with a walk before moving into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt from left fielder
Hannah Stirton. After a fly out, pinch hitter
Brianna McArthur came through for the Bears, ripping a single back up the middle to score Fontillas, who slid around a swipe tag from Bulldog catcher Calyn Adams to even the score at 1-1.
Both sides would strand runners in scoring position over the next two frames, but it was Mississippi State who would finally break through, thanks to a two-run single from Adams to take a 3-1 lead in the top of the seventh. Central Arkansas would get a leadoff walk from first baseman
Kaylyn Shepherd to open the bottom of the inning, but that would be all the Bears could manage.
Kayla Gomness (4-8) took the loss in relief for the Bears, allowing a pair of runs on three hits and a walk while striking out one Bulldog in `1.2 innings of work.
From the plate, Shepherd was a perfect 3-for-3 with a walk, while Fontillas went 1-for-1 with a pair of walks.
Central Arkansas returns to Southland Conference play with three games at home against the University of the Incarnate Word this weekend. The Bear and Cardinals will play a doubleheader beginning at 4:00 PM on Friday afternoon, before closing out the series with a single game at noon on Saturday. Saturday's game will serve as the Bears' annual Military Appreciation Day.
