Conway – The Central Arkansas softball Bears overcame a rocky start to sweep a doubleheader against Southeastern Louisiana on Friday afternoon. After seeing the twin-bill's start time pushed back 30 minutes due to lighting in the area, the Bears took game one 10-2 in five innings before securing the series win with a 6-5 win in game two.

Once the series finally got going following a lightning delay, Southeastern Louisiana (22-24, 9-11 SLC) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning thanks to a two-run single from third baseman Mattie Ort.

Central Arkansas (19-30, 9-11 SLC) fired back in the bottom of the second, sending 12 batters to the plate and breaking the game open with eight runs. Third baseman Audrey Pratt got the scoring started with a two-run single, before centerfielder Briana Whisenhunt added an RBI single and first baseman Kaylyn Shepherd drove in a run with a walk. After designated player Cylla Hill pitched in with a two-run single, catcher Ryan Holdiness capped things off with a two-run double to left-center field to give the Bears an 8-2 lead.

The Bears would add on in the bottom of the fifth inning, when shortstop Kate Myers led off with a single before right fielder Morgan Felts singled down the right field line. An error on the play would allow both runners to score, pushing the UCA lead to 10-2 and putting the run-rule into effect.

Kayla Gomness (12-15) earned the win for the Bears, picking up her 18^th complete game of the season while allowing two runs on seven hits and two walks with three strikeouts.

The nightcap started in a similar fashion, as SLU got an RBI single from left fielder Kinsey Nichols in the top of the first before adding three more runs on a wild pitch and RBI from centerfielder Maddie Edmonston and right fielder Kalyn Watts in the second.

Central Arkansas would cut into the lead in the bottom of the second thanks to an RBI single from Whisenhunt, but the Lady Lions would extend the lead to 5-1 in the fifth.
Central Arkansas would then utilize another big inning, surging to take a 6-5 lead in the bottom of the fifth. The Bears would load the bases thanks to singles from Holdiness and second baseman Krissy Fontillas and a walk from Myers, before an error on a fielder's choice from Felts allowed pinch runner Brianna McArthur to score. Pinch hitter Bailey Reynolds then ripped a single back up the middle to score Fontillas and UCA took advantage of an error off the bat of left fielder Hannah Stirton to cut the Lady Lion lead to 5-4. An RBI ground out from Whisenhunt evened things up at 5-5, before Hill legged out an infield single to drive in Stirton and put the Bears on top 6-5.

Ellie Reaves got the start for the Bears, allowing three runs on four hits and a walk in 1.0 innings of work, before Kailla Searcy (3-4) came on to earn the win in relief. The UCA freshman held SLU to a pair of unearned runs while giving up five hits and  a walk in 4.0 solid innings of work. Nicole Fullilove allowed one hit and a walk in 1.0 innings of relief, and Gomness closed out the game with a perfect seventh inning to earn her third save.

The Bears will look to complete the sweep tomorrow at 12:00 PM, following Senior Day activities to honor Tylor Dodson, Gomness, Reynolds, Stirton, Randi Wallace, Whisenhunt, and student assistant Taylor Kuhn.