Baton Rouge, Louisiana – The Central Arkansas Bears opened play at LSU's Purple and Gold Challenge on Saturday morning, taking on the PAC-12's Oregon State Beavers and the SEC's LSU Tigers. Central Arkansas got strong pitching from a quartet of players on the day, but was unable to get anything going offensively, falling to the Beavers 1-0 and the seventh-ranked Tigers 3-0.
Ellie Reaves (0-2) and
Rachel Haberman did an outstanding job of limiting an Oregon State (5-2) offense that entered the day hitting .325 and scoring 5.5 runs per game, allowing just one run on six hits in 25 at-bats. Reaves took the loss after surrendering a single run on three hits while striking out one in 2.0 innings of work, while Haberman worked 5.0 innings of relief to keep the Bears close, allowing three hits and a walk while striking out one.
Central Arkansas (2-3) picked up the game's first baserunner, as first baseman
Kaylyn Shepherd was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the first inning, but it was Oregon State that would strike first, grabbing the game's only run in the top of the second inning. Designated player Alysha Everett got things started with a one-out double, before moving to third base on an infield single from third baseman Missy Nunes. After a single from catcher Kayleen Shafer loaded the bases, right fielder Chance Burden lofted a sacrifice fly to left field to drive in Everett for what would prove to be the decisive run.
Central Arkansas put runners on in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings, thanks to a double from third baseman
Cylla Hill, a bunt single from right fielder
Morgan Felts, and a walk from Hill, but would prove unable to push the tying run across.
UCA got two more solid showings in the circle against the Tigers in the nightcap, as
Kailla Searcy and
Rio Sanchez teamed up to limit an LSU offense that was averaging 6.6 runs and hitting .336 to just three runs and seven hits. Searcy (0-1) took the loss, allowing a pair of earned runs and a walk in 3.1 innings, while Sanchez held the Tigers hitless and struck out one in 2.2 innings of relief work.
The Bears would put the leadoff runner in both the first and second innings, but LSU struck first, taking a 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly from shortstop Amber Serrett. The Tigers would add a pair in the bottom of the third thanks to a sacrifice fly from third baseman Shemiah Sanchez and an RBI single from first baseman Amanda Doyle.
Central Arkansas closes out its appearance at the Purple and Gold Challenge with a pair of games tomorrow, facing off with Southern Utah at 9:30 AM and Louisiana Tech at 12:00 PM.
