Nacogdoches, Texas – The Central Arkansas Bears returned to Southland Conference play on Friday, heading to Nacogdoches, Texas for a doubleheader at Stephen F. Austin. The Bears would drop the first game of the twin-bill 5-4, before rebounding for a 5-0 win in the day's second game.

The Bears (20-16, 9-5 SLC) got a strong pitching performance from freshman Rio Sanchez in their victory, as the freshman kept the Ladyjacks (20-16, 8-6 SLC) off the board while allowing just four hits and three walks while striking out two batters for her fourth complete game and second shutout of the season.

Central Arkansas would take a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, with right fielder Morgan Felts scoring on an RBI single from second baseman Libby Morris and left fielder Oakley Sisemore coming in on a sacrifice bunt off the bat of shortstop Kate Myers. After Myers doubled home first baseman Kaylyn Shepherd in the third inning, catcher Ryan McTaggart added on for the Bears in the sixth inning, blasting a solo home run to left field to push the UCA lead to 4-0 with her third home run of the season. Pinch runner
Kayla Crutchmer would close out the game's scoring in the seventh, stealing second base, then stealing third base and coming in to score on a throwing error.

The day's first game also saw Central Arkansas grab a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning, as Shepherd drove in Felts with a sacrifice fly and Myers pushed Sisemore in with an RBI groundout, but a two-run home run from Stephen F. Austin catcher Taylor Fraccastoro would even the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the frame.

Felts gave the Bears a 3-2 lead in the third inning, scoring on a run on an error off the bat of Sisemore, but SFA evened things up in their half of the frame with sacrifice fly from third baseman Amber Landry, before taking a 5-3 leads on RBI doubles from designated player Lauren Becker in the fourth and shortstop Emily Evans in the sixth.

Crutchmer would open the top of the seventh with a walk and move to second on a single from Felts before a walk from Sisemore would load the bases for the Bears, but Central Arkansas would only prove able to push one run across, getting a sacrifice fly from Morris to cut the SFA lead to 5-4.

Rachel Haberman (4-2) took the loss for the Bears, allowing four earned runs on nine hits in 5.0 innings, while Ellie Reaves worked the final 1.0 inning and surrendered a pair of hits.

The Bears made good use of their speed on the day, totaling nine stolen bases, as Felts had four, Crutchmer and Sisemore each had a pair, and Mary Mills Lochala added one. At the plate, Felts went 5-for-8 with three runs scored, Myers was 2-for-4 with three walks and three RBI, and Morris was 2-for-7 with a pair of RBI.

The Bears and Ladyjacks will decide the series tomorrow, with first pitch set for 12:00 PM.