Baton Rouge, Louisiana – The Central Arkansas Bears closed out their appearance at LSU's Purple and Gold Challenge on Saturday, taking on the Southern Utah Thunderbirds and the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters. The Bears opened the day with an offensive explosion, defeating SUU 10-3, before dropping a heartbreaker to Tech, 8-7.

Central Arkansas (3-4) put a runner on base in each of the first two frames, but it wasn't until the third inning that the Bears were able to push a run across. Shortstop Kate Myers opened things up with a leadoff single down the right field line, but was erased on a fielder's choice off the bat of left fielder Oakley Sisemore. After moving to second base on a wild pitch, Sisemore would score the game's first run, coming around on a triple from right fielder Morgan Felts.  Southern Utah (0-8) would respond immediately, taking a 2-1 lead on a sacrifice fly from shortstop Kendall Kapitzke and an RBI ground out from third baseman Kalei Watkins.

UCA would threaten in the top of the fourth thanks to singles from Myers and designated player Kayla Crutchmer, before retaking the lead with three runs in the fifth. Felts lead off with a walk and stole second base before moving to third on a wild pitch on a walk to first baseman Kaylyn Shepherd. Following a Thunderbird pitching change, third baseman Cylla Hill worked a walk to load the bases for second baseman Libby Morris, who drew a walk of her own to drive in Felts and even the game at 2-2. The Bears saw a pair of runners cut down at the plate on fielder's choices, before Myers found a hole in the right side of the Southern Utah defense, driving in Morris and centerfielder Reagan Sperling to put Central Arkansas up 4-2.

Central Arkansas would then put the game out of reach in the top of the seventh inning, tacking on six runs on three hits and a pair of walks. After a ground out started the inning, Morris drew her second walk of the day and Sperling legged out an infield single before catcher Lauren Brooks loaded the bases with a walk of her own. After Morris and Sperling came in to score on a dropped foul ball off the bat of pinch hitter Krissy Fontillas, Crutchmer re-entered and stole second base. Sisemore continued the offense for the Bears, roping a double to left-center field to drive in Brooks and Crutchmer and push the UCA advantage to 8-2, before pinch hitter Payton Salmon was hit by a pitch. A wild pitch saw Sisemore and Salmon each advance, and Shepherd capitalized on the SUU mistake, ripping a single up the middle to drive in both base runners and give the Bears a 10-2 lead.

The Thunderbirds would get one back in the bottom of the frame, but a foul out would end any type of threat.

Rachel Haberman got the start for the Bears, working 2.0 innings and allowing two runs on a pair of walks while striking out one. Rio Sanchez (2-1) earned the win in relief, holding Southern Utah to one run on four hits while walking one and striking out a pair in 5.0 innings.

In the day's second game, the Bears found themselves trailing early, as Tech took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first and extended that advantage to 4-0 in the second inning.

After Louisiana Tech picked up another run in the 4^th, the Central Arkansas offense went to work. Hill started things off with a one-out single in the bottom of the fourth and catcher Ryan McTaggart quickly brought her in, blasting her second home run of the season over the fence in left-center to pull the Bears to within three, 5-2.
Sisemore used her speed to open the bottom of the fifth inning, reaching on a fielding error and stealing second base. After Felts reached on a walk, the Bears showed off their wheels again, with Sisemore scoring from second and Felts going first-to-third on in infield single from Haberman, who then stole second base. Morris drew a walk to load the bases, and Sperling pounded a single up the middle to drive in Felts and cut the Tech lead to 5-4. Following a fly out, McTaggart would deliver again, lacing a single through the left side to plate Morris and Haberman and give the Bears their first lead of the game at 6-5, before Myers doubled to left-center to score Sperling and push the UCA lead to 7-5.

Tech would get a run back on an RBI single from shortstop Katie Smith in the top of the sixth, before adding on a pair in the seventh. Designated player Kimmie Atienza led off with a home run to left field and catcher Addison Roark followed with a double down the left-field line. Following a sacrifice bunt from left fielder Ali Galaz, Tech would get the game-winning run on sacrifice fly from third baseman Berkley Clapp.

Myers would pick up a two-out double in the bottom of the frame, but the Bears would prove unable to push the tying run across.

Ellie Reaves got the call in the circle for the Bears, surrendering a pair of earned runs on five hits and four walks in 3.1 innings, while Kailla Searcy limited the Lady Techsters to a run on three hits and a walk in 2.1innings of relief. Sanchez would take the loss, giving up a pair of runs in the final 1.1 innings while striking out one.

The Bears return to action with five games at home during the upcoming weekend. Central Arkansas will open the 2018 UCA Invitational on Thursday evening, taking on Kansas at 6:00 PM. UCA will take the field twice on Friday, facing Austin Peay at 3:45 PM and Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 6:00 PM, before playing Coppin State at 6:00 PM on Saturday. The Bears will then close out the weekend on Sunday morning, taking on South Dakota State at 10:15 AM.