CONWAY, Ark. – The University of Central Arkansas softball team begins the 2021 campaign in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for the LSU Tiger Classic. The Bears feature four preseason all-conference players and look to make a mark in their final season in the Southland Conference.
 
UCA is set to face No. 25 Duke on Friday, Feb. 12, at 2 p.m. On Saturday, the Bears will play the Blue Devils for the second time at 12:30 p.m., followed by a game against Kansas at 3 p.m. Central Arkansas closes the tournament with a doubleheader against No. 5 LSU on Sunday, at 12:30 p.m.
 
UCA is led by three preseason First-Team All-SLC honorees and one second-team selection. Kaylyn Shepherd, Cylla Hill, and Kayla Beaver all were selected to the first team, while Reagan Sperling earned a second-team nod. The Bears finished a shortened season last year with an 18-9 record, including a 3-0 record in conference play.
 
The Bears and Blue Devils will play for the first time in program history to start the tournament on Friday. Duke is relatively new to college softball, as the team was first started in 2018, but the Blue Devils are already ranked inside the Top-25. Duke is led by Deja Davis who was selected to the Preseason All-ACC Team.
 
Central Arkansas is set to face Kansas for just third time. The Jayhawks have a 2-0 lead in the series and hold a 1-0 record in neutral contests. In the last meeting, KU defeated UCA, 12-1, in Conway. Kansas is led by 2020 Softball America Second-Team All-American Shelby Gayre. Gayre led the Jayhawks with 11 home runs and 24 RBIs in the shortened 2020 season.
 
This will be the seventh and eighth meetings between UCA and LSU. The Tigers have a 6-0 series lead against the Bears and all of the games have been played in Baton Rouge. LSU won last season's matchup 3-2, in the season opener. The Tigers are led by Shelbi Sunseri, who is an NFCA All-American and All-SEC team member Aliyah Andrews. Both were named to the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top-50 Watch List. Ali Kilponen and Shelby Wickersham join Andrews and Sunseri on the Preseason All-SEC team. Both games against LSU will be on SECN+.
 
Weekend Schedule
Friday, Feb. 11 – No 25 Duke 2 p.m. – Stats
Saturday, Feb. 12 – No. 25 Duke 12:30 p.m. – Stats
Saturday, Feb. 12 – Kansas 3 p.m. – Stats
Sunday, Feb. 13 – No. 5 LSU (DH) 12:30 p.m. – Game 1 Stats, Game 2 Stats
 
 
From the Coach – Head Coach David Kuhn
"I'm looking forward to competing this weekend and watching the girls play together as a team. We have a great opportunity to play two teams that are in the Top-25 this weekend."
 
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