NEW ORLEANS – The University of Central Arkansas softball team was back on the field for two games of the Big Easy Tournament on Friday at LaSalle Park. The Bears (1-2) dropped the first game to Montana (1-0), 3-2, but won game two, 8-0, against Jackson State (0-1) behind a historic pitching performance by Kayla Beaver.
 
Beaver became the second pitcher in UCA history to throw a no-hitter in her debut in the Purple and Gray. The last to throw a no-hitter in their first game was Rio Sanchez in 2018 against Grambling.
 
Kayla Crutchmer tied the UCA single-game record for stolen bases with four and became the fourth Bear with four stolen bases in a game. She is just one stolen base shy of tying Leslie Clothier (2002-05) for third in program history with 78 stolen bases.
 
Game 1 – Montana 3, UCA 2
 
Montana got on the board first in the bottom of the second inning when Morgan Johnson hit a home run to left field.
 
Kayla Shepherd started the top half of the fourth with a double to right center. Two batters later, Erin Blackburn roped an RBI double to left. Kamryn Coleman grounded out to short and the Montana first baseman tried to throw Blackburn out at third, but made a throwing error. Blackburn was able to score on the throwing error and gave the Bears a 2-1 lead.
 
Montana's Brooklyn Weisgram recorded a two-out double to left center in the bottom of the fourth. Julie Phelps produced an RBI single to center, which scored Weisgram and tied the game at 2-2. The Grizzlies added another run in the home half of the six off of an RBI double by Weisgram.
 
Jordan Johnson got the start in the circle for game one and pitched 5.2 innings with two strikeouts and gave up three runs on seven hits.
 
Tristin Achenbach picked up the win for Montana after pitching a complete game with nine strikeouts and gave up one earned run.
 
Game 2 – UCA 8, Jackson State 0
 
Beaver started the game with two strikeouts in the top of the first for UCA. Crutchmer led the home half of the inning off with a single to left field. Crutchmer then stole second and third. Mary Kate Brown drew a walk to put runners on first and third for the Bears. Brown and Crutchmer executed the double steal to perfection, which allowed Crutchmer to score.
 
Beaver went three up, three down in the top of the second and picked up her third strikeout of the game. In the home half, Lexi McClellan led off with a walk. Callie Eary pinch ran for McClellan. Reagan Sperling doubled to right center and advanced Eary to third. Crutchmer singled to third and a throwing error by the third baseman allowed Eary to score. Brown sacrificed to the pitcher, which scored Sperling.
 
After three more shutout innings by Beaver, the Bears tacked on five runs in the home half of the fifth. The five runs caused the run-rule to be in effect. McClellan, Sperling, and Morgan Nelson all recorded RBIs during the inning.
 
Beaver picked up her first win of the season and first of her career. She went five innings, tallied five strikeouts, and only faced 18 batters. Crutchmer went 2-for-3 at the plate and had a career-high four stolen bases. Sperling added a 2-for-3 perfomance on the day with a double. Brown, Nelson, Shepherd, and Madi Savell all had stolen bases.
 
Destyn Jones got the loss in 4.2 innings of work and had two strikeouts.
 
UCA returns to LaSalle Park on Saturday for a matchup with Alabama A&M at 9:30 a.m. The Bears have a little break before they take on No. 16 Texas Tech at 2:30 p.m.
 
From the coach – Head Coach David Kuhn
"Our pitching staff did a great job today. We played well on defense. We just need to keep working on the process of UCA Softball."

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