BEAUMONT, Texas – On a wild night of softball, the University of Central Arkansas softball squad picked up one win and one loss during a doubleheader against Lamar Friday evening at the Lamar Softball Complex.
UCA (18-18, 5-6 SLC) extended its Southland Conference road winning streak to five games in the opener, knocking off the Cardinals 8-5. It was Lamar (16-20, 7-4 SLC) who outlasted the Bears 2-1 in a nine-inning thriller in the second game to force the two-game split.
UCA 8, LAMAR 5
The Central Arkansas bats came alive and the opportunistic Bears capitalized on several defensive miscues from Lamar to earn the 8-5 win in the opening contest. UCA outhit the Cardinals 10-8 and were stingy defensively, limiting the damage done by the home team by stranding six baserunners.
- Freshman Tylar Vernon has a breakout day at the plate and picked up some big-time hits. The Pangburn native was 2-4 with two runs scored and two RBI, including breaking the ice with a gapper in left-center that gave UCA the lead early.
- Fellow newcomer Kamryn Coleman (3-5) was solid in the circle. Having tossed all seven innings earlier in the week against Mississippi State, Coleman marched back out to the tune of 5.0 innings, allowing four earned runs to earn the win.
- Shortstop Erin Blackburn was the third freshman to make a huge impact on the win. The Howe, Texas native led the squad with three hits in the game, while also scoring one run and picking up an RBI.
- Cylla Hill was the only other Bear to record multiple hits in the game. She finished the contest 2-4 with a run scored.
- Kayla Crutchmer and Libby Morris each recorded an RBI in the win.
LAMAR 2, UCA 1 (9 INNINGS)
An epic pitcher's duel broke out in Beaumont during Game Two of the doubleheader. Neither team recorded a run until the ninth inning. The Bears pushed across one run, but Lamar showed some poise and capitalized on a few Bear mistakes to push across two runs in the bottom of the inning to pick up its seventh SLC win of the year.
- Despite getting the loss, Rio Sanchez (5-6) was super in the circle. She tossed 8.1 innings, allowing just four hits and did not allow an earned run the entire night. Her team-leading ERA is now down to 2.46 on the season.
- Hill's sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth inning scored Crutchmer from third and was the only run UCA would score in the game.
- Morris continues to impress at the plate with a 2-4 day. She leads the team and league in RBI with 36 this season.
ON DECK
Due to concerns over weather, tomorrow's rubber match between UCA and Lamar has been moved up to 12 p.m. Both a live stream and live stats will be available for the finale.
