CONWAY – It was an outpour of offensive production for both squads as the University of Central Arkansas softball squad earned day-night doubleheader split against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Friday at Farris Field.
UCA (20-20, 6-8 SLC) dominated the opening game, winning by a comfortable 13-2 margin in five innings before the Islanders bounced back with a 10-5 victory over the Bears in the nightcap to split the series.
UCA 13, CORPUS CHRISTI 2 (5 INNINGS)
The Bears controlled the opening contest thanks to an eight-run second inning, the most runs scored by Central Arkansas in any single inning during conference play this season. The Bears tacked on four more in the third and one in the fourth to cruise to win No. 20 on the year.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- It was the most productive day in shortstop Erin Blackburn's young career in a Bear uniform. The Howe, Texas native finished the game 2-2, with two RBI and two runs scored.
- Cleanup hitter Cylla Hill provided some separation with the squad's first grand slam of 2019 in the third inning. The big fly was her fourth of the year, while the four RBI pushed her season total to 34.
- Rio Sanchez (7-6) picked up her second complete-game victory of the week, tossing all 5.0 innings while striking out two Islanders along the way. Sanchez has lowered her ERA (2.26) by over one-half run in the past two weeks.
- Centerfielder Kayla Crutchmer picked up two more runs scored in the opener, pushing her season total to a team-high 34. She finished the game 2-3 at the plate.
- Crutchmer's outfield neighbor Morgan Felts had the exact same stat line as her partner in the game. She also finished the contest 2-3 with two runs scored.
- Tylar Vernon, Cheyenne Kuhn, Kailla Searcy and Libby Morris each recorded an RBI in the decisive victory.
CORPUS CHRISTI 10, UCA 5
The Islanders found their way offensively in Game Two, pounding out 14 hits en route to a 10-5 win over the Bears. For Corpus Christi (7-31, 3-11 SLC), the middle of the order did some serious damage the game-deciding sixth inning where the visitors broke a 5-5 tie with five runs to get the win.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Crutchmer continued her dominance at the plate, picking up three more hits and stealing her team-high 31st base despite the setback. Crutchmer sits just four stolen bases away from tying the program record for steals in a single season. She scored once and drove in a run in the loss.
- Three-hole hitter Morris finished the contest 2-4 with one run scored and one RBI. She roped a double into left-center to tie the game in the fourth inning and leads the team and Southland Conference in RBI with 39.
- Vernon, Blackburn, Hill, Lauren Brooks and Kaylyn Shepherd each recorded at least one basehit in the defeat.
- Five different pitcher saw time in the circle in the nightcap, with Rachel Haberman being the most effective. The senior finished the final 1.1 innings without surrendering an earned run. Jordan Johnson got the start and went 3.2 innings for the Bears. Ellie Reaves (1-3) was the pitcher of record as she received her third loss of the season.
ON DECK
UCA and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi will meet in the rubber match tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. The Central Arkansas softball program will recognize a trio of families before the game that are all near-and-dear to the UCA family that have been affected by cancer. The game will be streamed via the Bear Nation Network. Follow the UCA Softball program on Twitter @UCASoftball and @UCASports.
