MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. –The University of Central Arkansas bats exploded for four home runs and 20 hits on the second day of THE Spring Games in Madeira Beach. The Bears (5-4) defeated Presbyterian (4-3), 9-3, and Akron (2-7), 7-5.
 
Kayla Crutchmer moved into sole position of third place in the UCA record books with 80 career stolen bases.
 
Today marks the first time since March 19, 2016, UCA hit four home runs in a single game. Kaylyn Shepherd recorded two home runs in a game and it's the first time since Feb. 20, 2019.
 
Game 1 – UCA 9, Presbyterian 3
 
Jordan Tweed led the game off with a triple down the right field line for the Blue Hose. Morgan Nelson came up with a huge defensive play at third base. Nelson fielded a hard ground ball hit down the line and tagged the runner on third before she threw the runner out at first for the double play.
 
The Bears' bats woke up in the bottom of the second. Cylla Hill led the inning off with a blast to left field to put UCA on top, 1-0. Erin Blackburn drove in Reagan Sperling and Lexi McClellan with a three-run homer to center field. Kayla Crutchmer notched a bunt single back to the pitcher. Crutchmer then stole second base. Mary Kate Brown knocked an RBI single to right that scored Crutchmer from second. After a pitching change, Kaylyn Shepherd drove a ball into the bay that sits beyond the left field fence for a two-run shot. UCA held a 7-0 lead after two innings of play.
 
Brown made a spectacular diving catch to record the first out of the top of the third inning. The defensive plays kept coming as Sperling robbed a home run to end the top of the fourth inning. Brown made another diving catch in the top of the fifth inning.
 
Presbyterian's Layna Johnson reached on an error and advanced to second on the play. She scored on error and made the score 7-1, after four and a half innings of play. The Blue Hose added two more runs in the top of the sixth on a two-run home run off of the bat of Kiley Kross and made the score 7-3.
 
Brown drew a one-out walk in the home half of the sixth. Shepherd belted her second two-run homer of the day and extended the UCA lead to 9-3.
 
Kayla Beaver improved to 3-0 in the pitcher's circle with a complete game. She recorded one strikeout and surrendered just two hits. She gave up three runs, but none of the runs were earned.
 
Haley Haselden picked up the loss and fell to 1-2 on the year. She pitched 1.2 innings with one strikeout. Taylor Ward recorded 4.1 innings in relief and tallied three strikeouts.
 
Game 2 – UCA 7, Akron 5
 
Sperling made a great play in the bottom half of the first inning as she ran down and caught a ball that was hit in the gap.
 
The Zips got on the board first in the bottom of the third with a two-out double to left center by Tiffany Stevens that plated two runs. Akron held a 2-0 lead until the top of the sixth.
 
In the top of the sixth inning, UCA scored seven runs on three hits. The Bears had the bases loaded with no outs, when McClellan drew a walk and picked up an RBI. Central Arkansas tied the game when Blackburn drew another walk. Crutchmer knocked in two more runs with a single to center field. Shepherd singled to left field and drove in two more runs. Hill drove in the final run of the inning with a sac fly to right field.
 
Bailey Drapola led the bottom of the sixth off with a triple to deep right field. Sydney Jascoe singled to the short stop and scored Drapola.
 
With the score 7-3, Kayla Wulf recorded a two-run home run to center field and made the score 7-5.
 
Jordan Johnson struck out the final batter for Akron on three pitches to seal the win for the Bears.
 
Jordan Ward picked up the win with 1.1 innings in relief. She picked up her first win of the season. Kamryn Coleman got the start in the circle and struck out one in three innings of work. Kailla Searcy added 1.1 innings with one strikeout. Cailey Cochran added one inning of relief with one strikeout. Johnson pitched a third of an inning and struck out one batter.
 
Adrian Smith got the loss for Akron. She gave up six runs on just one hit and walked three.
 
The Bears return to the field on Sunday to close out the THE Spring Games with a game against South Dakota at 1 p.m. CT.
 
From the coach – Head Coach David Kuhn
"What an offensive explosion today! We finally woke up the bats! We played pretty good defense today. The pitching staff did a great job! It was a good day for the girls in Purple and Gray!"

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