ABILENE, Texas – The Central Arkansas softball team returned to the diamond for its second Southland Conference series on Friday. The Bears improved to 15-10 overall and 3-2 in SLC play after they won both games against the Abilene Christian Wildcats who fell to 6-17 overall and 2-3 in the Southland.
 
Game One – UCA 7, ACU 0
 
Jenna Wildeman led the top of the first off with a single to the shortstop. Mary Kate Brown followed with a single to left field. Wildeman and Brown advanced on a passed ball and Wildeman scored on an error by the catcher. Kaylyn Shepherd was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second with no outs. Jaylee Engelkes grounded out to first but moved the runners on the play. Reagan Sperling drew a walk to load the bases for the Bears. Brown scored on a wild pitch to put UCA up 2-0. Tylar Vernon singled to center field and plated Shepherd and Sperling. The Bears took a 4-0 lead into the bottom of the first.
 
Kristen Whitehouse led off the top of the fourth with a single to right. Tremere Harris reached on an error by the third baseman. Wildeman dropped a perfect bunt down for a single and loaded the bases. Brown reached base safely on a fielder's choice. Shepherd was then hit by pitch for a second time and scored Harris from third. Jaylee Engelkes notched a two-out double to center and scored Wildeman and Brown. The Bears held a 7-0 lead as the game went to the bottom of the fourth and that was all that UCA needed to secure a 7-0 victory in game one.
 
Wildeman led the Bears with a 2-for-4 performance at the plate for UCA and she scored two runs. Engelkes and Vernon paced UCA with two RBIs each.
 
Kayla Beaver got the win in the circle with a complete-game shutout and improved to 7-3 on the season. She recorded seven strikeouts and surrendered just two hits.
 
Samantha Bradley picked up the loss for ACU as she gave up seven runs, three earned, with two strikeouts in four innings of work. Paige Harris pitched three scoreless innings in relief with four strikeouts.
 
Game Two – UCA 8, ACU 0
 
Harris led off the top of the third inning with an infield single and she followed that with a stolen base. Wildeman reached on an error and moved Harris to third. Shepherd reached on a fielder's choice as the ACU first baseman threw Harris out at home. Engelkes followed with a three-run blast to right field and put UCA on top 3-0.
 
Wildeman singled to lead off the top of the fifth and then stole second. Brown laid down a perfect bunt for an infield single. Brown then stole second and Wildeman scored on an error by the second baseman. Shepherd singled to center to put runners on the corners with one out. Megan Crownover came in to pinch run for Shepherd and then stole second. Engelkes walked and advanced to second on an error by the catcher while Brown scored on the wild pitch that walked Engelkes. The Bears led 5-0 after four and a half innings.
 
Erin Blackburn recorded a pinch-hit single to center with one out in the top of the sixth. Wildeman doubled to left and scored Blackburn from first. Brown singled and advanced to second as ACU tried to throw Wildeman out at third. Shepherd produced a sac fly to left field which allowed Wildeman to score from third. Engelkes followed with a single to center and drove in Brown from third.
 
The Wildcats managed to get runners on second and third with one out in the bottom of the sixth, but Jordan Johnson closed the door to get out of the inning unscathed. The run rule was enacted as the Bears won 8-0.
 
Brown went 3-for-4 at the plate in game two and scored twice. Wildeman scored three times and had a 2-for-4 game. Engelkes provided the power with a three-run homer and added a fourth RBI as she collected four of the six UCA RBIs.
 
Johnson picked up the win in the circle with a complete-game shutout. She notched four strikeouts and scattered five hits.
 
Riley White earned the loss with four innings pitched as she gave up five runs, two earned, and struck out one batter. Harris added two innings of relief and gave up three earned runs.
 
Donelle Johnson led the Wildcats at the plate as she produced a 3-for-3 game.
 
UCA and ACU will face each other for the final time in the series on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for noon and live stats for the game can be found here.

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