CONWAY – The task is clear for the University of Central Arkansas softball team this weekend when they take on Houston Baptist in a three-game series Friday and Saturday at Farris Field. If the Bears earn a sweep against the Huskies, they clinch their eight-straight appearance in the Southland Conference Tournament. Any other scenario and both UCA and HBU will have to wait out next week's results.
UCA (22-25, 8-13 SLC) is coming off a 1-2 weekend at Southeastern Louisiana. A bit of misfortune loomed in Hammond as the Bears lost back-to-back one-run games on Friday night before bouncing back with a 5-3 win Saturday afternoon. Central Arkansas will look to right the ship at home where they are uncharacteristically under .500 in Conway (8-14).
MEET THE HUSKIES
The red-hot Houston Baptist (20-20, 7-13 SLC) squad enters the weekend series as winners in their last five games having swept Incarnate Word last weekend. The Huskies are 6-15 away from their home stadium and trail UCA by just one game in the Southland Conference standings.
Demi Janak and Heidi Jaquez have been the two most consistent bats in the HBU order. Janak (.298 BA, 4 HR, 16 RBI) leads the team in slugging and is second in on-base percentage while Jacquez (.282 BA, 5 HR, 17 RBI) narrowly edges her in homers and RBI.
A trio of pitchers have paced Houston Baptist in the circle with Emma Guindon (10-6, 2.65 ERA, 90 K), Elliott Estes (6-6, 2.65 ERA, 17 K) and Jessica Patak (4-8, 4.39 ERA, 45 K) combining to throw every pitch for the Huskies this season.
TALE OF THE TAPE
| Central Arkansas |
|
Houston Baptist |
| .297 |
Team Batting Average |
.257 |
| 3.82 |
Team ERA |
3.19 |
| 27 |
Home Runs |
25 |
| 95-108 |
Stolen Bases - Attempted |
8-11 |
| .953 |
Fielding Percentage |
.959 |
BEARS TO WATCH/SENIOR DAY
Seven UCA softball standouts will look to lead the Bears to the SLC Tournament in their final series at Farris Field.
Morgan Felts,
Krissy Fontillas,
Rachel Haberman,
Cheyenne Kuhn,
Libby Morris,
Ellie Reaves and
Oakley Sisemore each will don the purple and gray for the final time in front of the home faithful.
The UCA Athletics department in conjunction with the Central Arkansas softball coaches and staff will proudly recognize these individuals before the series finale on Saturday afternoon. In addition, Felts, Fontillas and Sisemore, along with UCA graduate assistant coach
Jessie Taylor, will participate in a special graduation ceremony Friday night before the first game begins.
FOLLOW ALONG
First pitch for Friday night's doubleheader is scheduled for 5 p.m. Saturday's finale will start at 1 p.m. All three games will be streamed online via the Bear Nation Network. Live stats will also be available for fans and media looking to follow the action. You can keep up with all the latest from UCA Softball on Twitter and Instagram @UCASoftball.
