BATON ROUGE, La. – The University of Central Arkansas softball team opened the season in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for the Tiger Classic on Friday night. The Bears dropped the season opener against No. 25 Duke, 6-2.
Central Arkansas loaded the bases with one out in the top of the first, but were unable to capitalize and score a run. The Blue Devils managed to plate a run in the bottom of the first, after Jameson Kavel reached on an error. Rachel Crabtree hit a double to left center and drove in Kavel. Duke held a 1-0 lead after the first inning.
Lexi McClellan drew a one-out walk in the top of the second.
Jenna Wildeman ripped a double to left center. The Bears stranded runners on second and third. In the home half of the second, Duke scored three runs on three hits and took a 4-0 lead into the third inning.
Sperling got the momentum started for UCA with a one-out single up the middle, to start the top of the fifth inning.
Kaylyn Shepherd followed with an infield single.
Cylla Hill drew a walk to load the bases with one out.
Erin Blackburn delivered a pinch-hit single down the left-field line and drove in two runs. The Bears cut the Duke lead to 4-2 after four and a half innings of play.
The Blue Devils added a run in the bottom of the fifth off of a solo home run by Sydney Bolan. Duke added another in the bottom of the sixth and took a 6-2 lead into the seventh inning.
Jordan Johnson got the start in the circle for the Bears and went two innings. She gave up four runs, on four hits, and walked four batters. Johnson picked up the loss and falls to 0-1 on the season.
Kayla Beaver pitched four innings of relief for UCA. She recorded one strikeout, one walk, and surrendered two runs on three hits.
Blackburn went 1-for-1 with two RBIs.
Tremere Harris,
Tylar Vernon, Sperling, Wildeman, McClellan, and Shepherd all recorded singles. As a team, the Bears stranded 12 runners on base.
Brianna Butler picked up the win behind 5.2 innings of work. She collected seven strikeouts and walked four. She gave up two runs on six hits. Shelby Walters earned the save with 1.1 innings of relief. Duke's first three hitters in the lineup went a combined 6-for10 with three RBIs.
The Bears look to bounce back on Saturday with a rematch against Duke at 12:30 p.m. In the second game of the day, UCA will battle Kansas 30 minutes after the completion of the game against Duke.
From the Coach – Head Coach David Kuhn
"Duke is a good team. They capitalized on all of our mistakes and made us pay for it. I thought we played five solid innings of softball. We struggled in the first two innings. I look forward to getting back on the field tomorrow."
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