STARKVILLE, Miss. –The University of Central Arkansas softball team (11-6) traveled to Starkville, Mississippi, for its second Southeastern Conference matchup of the season in Mississippi State (13-3).
Kaylyn Shepherd led the Bears with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate, including a solo home run. UCA fell to Mississippi State, 6-3.
Kayla Crutchmer led the game off with an infield single. She stole second and third later in the inning, but was not able to score.
The Bears defense showed up in the bottom of the first. After the lead-off batter of the Bulldogs was hit by a pitch, there was a fly out to first.
Cylla Hill started the 5-4-3 double play to end the inning.
Mary Kate Brown produced a two-out double to left center to start the rally for the Bears. Shepherd followed with an RBI double to deep right field. Shepherd scored when the short stop dropped a fly ball and allowed Hill to reach base safely. UCA held a 2-0 lead after the top of the third.
Tylar Vernon led the top of the fourth off with a double to left field. She advanced to third on a wild pitch, but was unable to score.
Mia Davidson led the home half of the fourth with a triple to right field. Davidson scored on a ground out by Carter Spexarth and cut the UCA lead in half, 2-1.
The Bulldogs took a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the fifth. Mississippi started the inning with a walk and a single to left. The Bulldogs scored two runs on an error by the second baseman. Their third run of the inning came on a Davidson single through the left side. Mississippi State added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Shepherd cut the lead in half with a two-out bomb over the right field wall.
Rio Sanchez fell to 1-3 in the circle for the Bears. She went four innings, struck out two, and surrendered just two hits. She gave up three runs, but only one was earned.
Kamryn Coleman pitched 1.1 innings in relief.
Jordan Johnson added 0.2 innings
The Bears return to the friendly confines of Farris Field for the Adam Brown Memorial Shamrock Classic on Friday, Feb. 28. UCA opens the classic with a matchup against Belmont at 6:30 p.m.
From the coach – Head Coach David Kuhn
"I'm proud of our team. They never gave up. We outhit another team that is ranked or receiving votes. We just made some costly errors and that decided the game."
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