Madeira Beach, Florida – The Central Arkansas Bears returned to action on Friday, taking to the field for a pair of games at Eastern Michigan's Madeira Beach Invitation. UCA opened the day with a 4-0 loss to SIUE before dropping their second game 6-3 to Eastern Michigan.

In the day's first game, the Bears (5-8) generated the game's first chance, as centerfielder Kayla Crutchmer reached on an error to open the bottom of the first inning. She would move into scoring position on a single from right fielder Morgan Felts, but UCA would prove unable to bring them around.

After designated player Brianna McArthur was stranded at second following a single and a stolen base in the second, SIUE (5-2) would get the game's first run, taking a 1-0 lead on a solo home run from centerfielder Alyssa Heren. The Cougars got another home run, this one a two-run shot from first baseman Zoe Schafer, to extend the lead to 3-0 in the fifth inning.

Central Arkansas looked poised to rally over the next two frames, loading bases in the fifth thanks to a walk from catcher Lauren Brooks, an infield single from left fielder
Oakley Sisemore, and another infield single from Crutchmer; and getting a double from pitcher Kailla Searcy and a walk from McArthur in the sixth, but the Bears failed to push a runner past third either inning.

After SIUE got an RBI single from Heren to go up 4-0 in the top of the seventh, the Bears went in order in the bottom of the frame.

Searcy (0-3) took the loss for Central Arkansas, allowing four runs on six hits and a pair of walks while striking out one in 6.0 innings of work. Rachel Haberman threw the final inning, allowing one hit.

The Bears would grab the early lead in the day's second game, as centerfielder Reagan Sperling picked up a one-out single and came around to score on a double from Myers in the top of the first, but Eastern Michigan (3-8) would find an answer in the bottom of the inning. Catcher Sam Saporito would reach on a catcher's interference call before coming around to score on a triple from first baseman Olivia Logan, who was then driven in on a single from third baseman Amanda Akles.

 EMU would break the game open in the second inning, when centerfielder Casey Skeens led off with a single. After a stolen base from Skeens and a walk from right fielder
Angel Schilke, the green and white would load the bases with a walk from shortstop Haley Hostetler. Logan would drive in Skeens and Schilke with a single through the left side, before getting caught in a rundown that would allow Hostetler to score and make the EMU lead 5-1.

Central Arkansas would get a run back when Felts drove in Myers with a single to right field, before Eastern got an RBI double from Hostetler in the bottom of the sixth inning to push the advantage back to four at 6-2.

Myers got the rally started for the Bears, leading off the top of the seventh, earning her second hit-by-pitch of the game. Central Arkansas would load the bases with a walk from Searcy and a single from first baseman Cylla Hill, before a fielder's choice saw Myers cut down at the plate. McArthur would then deliver for the Bears, roping a single to right field to plate Haberman and cut the EMU lead to 6-3, but a pair of strikeouts would end the threat.

Maddy Prough (1-1) took the loss for UCA, allowing three earned runs on four hits and a walk while striking out one in 1.0 inning of work. Ellie Reaves threw 5.0 innings of relief, a pair of runs on five hits and two walks with two strikeouts.

On the day, the Central Arkansas offense was led by McArthur, who was 2-for-3 with an RBI, and Sperling and Myers, who each went 2-for-5 with a run scored.

UCA will return to the field twice tomorrow, taking on LIU Brooklyn at 12:30 PM and Seton Hall at 5:00 PM.