CONWAY – Behind her third complete-game shutout in her past four starts, University of Central Arkansas pitching standout Rio Sanchez tossed all 7.0 innings en route to 2-0 series-finale victory over Nicholls Sunday afternoon at Farris Field.

UCA (12-12, 1-2 SLC) earned a split with the win after dropping the morning contest 3-1. While the Bears bats could not get much going in the first going, some strong pitching performances carried Central Arkansas who earned its first Southland Conference win of the season.

NICHOLLS 3, UCA 1

Some fluke plays and weird bounces ended up being crucial in UCA's 3-1 loss to Nicholls in the opening game. In a rare change-of-pace, the Bears were locked into a pitcher's duel, but ultimately came out on the short end despite some great defensive plays.

NOTABLES
 

• Senior Oakley Sisemore rattled off a 2-3 day as the only Bear to record multiple hits in the contest.
• Libby Morris picked up the lone RBI for Central Arkansas on a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning. The shot to right field scored Kayla Crutchmer from third.
• Jordan Johnson (3-1) took her first collegiate loss in the contest. After surrendering two runs in the opening inning, the freshman settled in nicely to finish with 7.0 innings tossed while having struck out two Nicholls hitters along the way.
• Kaylyn Shepherd and Cylla Hill also recorded hits in the defeat.

UCA 2, NICHOLLS 0

The second game of the doubleheader was much of the same as the Bears and Colonels stingy pitching staffs refused to yield to two of the top offenses in the Southland. However, this time UCA came out on top having picked up some great defense and timely hitting when it mattered most.

NOTABLES
 

• Sanchez (4-3) dazzled in the circle to earn her fourth victory of the season. The Erie, Colo. native has been in a groove lately since starting the season a little slow. She tossed all 7.0 innings without allowing a run while striking out five.
• First baseman Shepherd has now reached base safely in 24-straight contests having picked up a single in the win.
• Leadoff extraordinaire Crutchmer was a thorn in the side of the Colonels throughout the game. She finished the contest hitting 2-3 with two runs scored and her team-leading 16th stolen base.
• In a mirror image from the first game, Morris drove in Crutchmer on a sacrifice fly in the first inning to open the scoring. Morris now leads the squad with 26 RBIs on the season.
• Hill, Morgan Felts, Tylar Vernon and Reagan Sperling each recorded a basehit in the victory for Central Arkansas.

QUOTES FROM HEAD COACH DAVID KUHN

On Nicholls:

"Nicholls has a very good team and an outstanding pitching staff," Kuhn said. "They made us pay for every mistake we made in the first two games. They are well coached and fundamentally sound."

On the UCA pitching staff:

"Today, Rio and Jordan Johnson gave us both solid pitching performances," Kuhn said. "We improved as a team this weekend and I am very glad we were able to take Game 3."

ON DECK

The Bears will step out of Southland Conference play and travel to Stillwater, Okla. to square off with Oklahoma State Wednesday at 5 p.m. Follow the Bears on Twitter @UCASoftball or @UCASports.