CONWAY, Ark. – The University of Central Arkansas softball team (10-5) extended its winning streak to seven games with a 10-2 victory over Morehead State University (3-5). In the final game of the Michelle Short Memorial Collegiate Classic the Bears fell to the University of Southern Mississippi (8-3), 7-4, on Sunday at Farris Field.
 
UCA outscored its opponents 44-11 over the four-game tournament span. The Bears earned three run-rule games over the weekend. Despite being down 7-1 in the final inning against Southern Miss, UCA never gave up and got the winning run to the plate.
 
Game 1 – UCA 10, Morehead State 2
 
Madeline Gailor drew a walk to start the game for Morehead State. The next batter flew out to right field and Erin Blackburn threw out the runner trying to get back to first base for the double play.
 
Kayla Crutchmer led the home half of the inning off with a double to left field and advanced to third on a wild pitch. After Mary Kate Brown drew a walk on four straight pitches, Kaylyn Shepherd doubled to left, which drove in Crutchmer and Brown. Reagan Sperling came up with an RBI single through the left side of the infield and scored Shepherd. The Bears held a 3-0 lead after one inning.
 
The Eagles scored their first run on a double steal which scored Brianna Walker from third in the second inning.
 
Morgan Nelson got the bottom of the second started with a single to right center. Blackburn drew a walk, followed by a bunt single to the pitcher by Crutchmer. Brown battled and drew a bases-loaded walk to score Nelson. Shepherd reached on an error and scored two runs. Brown scored on a wild pitch. Cylla Hill then blasted no-doubter over the left field wall for her second home run on the season. The Bears added another run on an RBI single up the middle by Nelson. Central Arkansas extended its lead to 10-1.
 
Morehead State collected its final run on a double-play ball in the top of the fifth inning.
 
Jordan Johnson improved to 3-2 on the year with four innings in the circle and gave up just one earned run. Rio Sanchez pitched one inning in relief and did not surrender a hit.
 
Game 2 – Southern Miss 7, UCA 4
 
The Golden Eagles started the game with three hits and scored four runs, on five hits. Southern Miss jumped out to an early 4-0 lead. The Golden Eagles added three runs in the top of the third with another four hits.
 
Crutchmer led the bottom of the sixth inning with a bunt single down the third base line. Crutchmer moved up two bases on a ground out by Brown. Shepherd drove a ball to deep right field and recorded a sac fly allowing Crutchmer to score from third. The Bears trailed 7-1 after six innings.
 
The first two batters reached base safely in the top of the seventh. Kamryn Coleman came in to pitch and showed remarkable poise. She proceeded to strike out the next three batters to get the Bears out of the inning unscathed.
 
Sperling led the home half of the seventh inning with a single to left field. Jenna Wildeman recorded a two-out double down the left field line and scored Sperling from second. Crutchmer followed with an RBI double down the left field line. After a hit batter and a walk, Shepherd drew a walk to load the bases. Hill struck out swinging, but reached base safely due to an error by the catcher and allowed Crutchmer to score from third. Tylar Vernon came in to pinch hit and brought the winning run to the plate for the Bears. Vernon hit a sinking fly ball towards the right field line and looked like it was going to fall, but the Southern Miss right fielder was able to track down the fly ball to end the comeback bid.
 
Kayla Beaver suffered her first loss of the season and fell to 4-1. She pitched three innings with five strikeouts. She gave up seven runs, but only two were earned. Sanchez pitched three innings in relief, struck out two batters, and surrendered just one hit. Coleman notched three strikeouts in just one inning of work.
 
Savanna Wood got the win with 6.2 innings of work with five strikeouts.
 
The Bears return to Farris Field on Monday, Feb. 24, for a matchup with Lyon College. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
 
From the coach – Head Coach David Kuhn
"Overall, I thought we swung the bats really well throughout the weekend. Our pitching looked sharp throughout the tournament as well. We had a few miscues on defense, but that's part of the game. I loved our energy throughout the weekend. I'm proud of how we pulled together as a team and everyone was ready when they were called upon."

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