NATCHITOCHES, La. – One final team circle and heartfelt speeches by the University of Central Arkansas softball coaches will be the lasting image after Tuesday's 7-6 setback in eight innings to Southeastern Louisiana at the opening round of the 2019 Southland Conference Softball Tournament at Lady Demon Diamond.

UCA (26-28) overcame a three-run deficit in the sixth inning to tie the game and pushed across the tying run again in the seventh with its back against the wall. Unfortunately the Bears fell just short as the Lady Lions pushed across a run in the bottom of the eighth inning for the walk-off victory. With the loss, the Bears' season, along with the careers of seven transcending student-athletes comes to an end.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

• Reagan Sperling picked the most important game of the season for her career-breakout day. The Sherwood sophomore went 4-4, the first four-hit game of her career, with two RBI and scored a run while also playing a solid game in centerfield.
• First Team All-Southland Conference second baseman Libby Morris picked up two walks and a hit by pitch that forced home a run. Morris ends her time at UCA with the second-highest batting average all-time (.350) and one of just seven Central Arkansas softball players to hit double-digit home runs in a season (10).
• After collecting the prestigious McCarty Award from the Southland Conference earlier in the day, Oakley Sisemore went out with a strong effort at the plate. She went 1-1 with two walks and scored the game-tying run in the top of the seventh inning after Sperling roped one into centerfield forcing a Southeastern Louisiana error. The Farmington native scored two runs on the day.
• Cylla Hill (1-4, one RBI), Morgan Felts (1-5, one run) Kaylyn Shepherd (1-4) and Erin Blackburn (1-4) rounded out the hitting for the Bears in the season finale. Kayla Crutchmer and Tylar Vernon each scored a run in the setback.
• Kamryn Coleman (3-6) was hit with the loss. She tossed the opening 3.2 innings and allowed five runs. Senior Rachel Haberman had a solid effort in relief for her last outing donning the purple and gray. She also pitched 3.2 innings, having struck out three and surrendering just one earned run.

QUOTING HEAD COACH DAVID KUHN

"Obviously we are disappointed that a few bounces and calls didn't go our way today, but I couldn't be more proud of this group and what they have meant to our program," said Kuhn. "These seniors are one of the most unselfish and incredible groups I have ever been around and have paved the way for the returning players and the new group we have coming in.

Coming back from down three runs and giving ourselves a chance to win that game just shows you what kind of fighters this group is."